From June 18 to September 28, 2025, the Galleria della Moda e del Costume at Palazzo Pitti in Florence will host the exhibition “Moda in Luce 1925–1955: Three Decades of Design at the Origins of Made in Italy.” Promoted by the Ministry of Culture and organized by Archivio Luce Cinecittà in collaboration with the Uffizi Galleries, this exhibition aims to reconstruct three pivotal decades in the history of Italian fashion, leading up to its global acclaim.
The exhibition will feature over fifty garments and accessories, alongside audiovisual and photographic contributions, arranged to narrate how Italian fashion evolved—through textile innovation, aesthetic research, craftsmanship, and commercial strategies—well before the iconic fashion show at Palazzo Pitti’s Sala Bianca in 1952. This narrative encompasses a timeline from 1925 to 1955, intertwining lesser-known stories with legendary names to provide a fresh perspective on the roots of Made in Italy. At the heart of the exhibition lies the extraordinary collection of the Archivio Luce, boasting a significant core of photographs and films, many of which are previously unpublished. The garments and accessories on display are sourced from prestigious museums (including the Boncompagni Ludovisi Museum and Palazzo Madama) as well as from private and business archives.
“Through this exhibition project, held in a city that epitomizes the exceptional creativity and artistry of Italy, we aim to highlight one of its utmost expressions: fashion. The exhibition serves as an original historical snapshot of the evolution and affirmation of a sector synonymous with visionary ideas, which, through the craftsmanship of skilled hands, has become a flagship of Made in Italy. This national heritage’s significance is well recognized by the Ministry, which has developed a comprehensive strategy to enhance its value through targeted financial interventions,” stated Senator Lucia Borgonzoni, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Culture.
Chiara Sbarigia, President of Cinecittà, added, “The materials from the Archivio Luce form the visual and narrative core of this exhibition. Through films, photographs, and newsreels, we recompose a mosaic of collective memory that speaks of textile experimentation, fashion shows held as early as the 1920s, and the increasing importance of the Italian industry in the processing of silk, viscose in the 1930s, and Lanital in the 1940s.”
The exhibition showcases works from historic fashion houses—some long vanished—like Ventura, Radice, Tortonese/La Merveilleuse, Gandini, Montorsi, Villa, Fontana, Palmer, Biki, and Carosa, alongside celebrated names such as Maria Monaci Gallenga, Fortuny, and Simonetta Visconti, including a rare piece from the “Tessitrice dell’Isola,” Baroness Gallotti.
The display will also spotlight contemporary brands that were already influential during this period, such as Gucci, featuring its “number one,” a never-before-exhibited evening purse from the late 1920s; Salvatore Ferragamo’s “invisible” sandals from 1947; and early Emilio Pucci pieces. Important historical documentation will be presented, including fabric catalogs, “certificates of Italian-ness,” and rare books, providing a comprehensive and original insight into Italian fashion.
Over the three decades, the exhibition traces the evolution of design aesthetics in Italian fashion. The 1920s witnessed the influence of Art Deco and the emancipation of women’s fashion, leading to simpler lines and shorter hemlines. The 1930s saw a return to elegance and sophistication, with a focus on tailoring and the use of innovative materials. The war years of the 1940s brought resourcefulness and creativity under constraint, while the post-war era exploded with optimism and the birth of the ‘Made in Italy’ identity, setting the stage for the global recognition of Italian design in the 1950s.
Numerous unpublished works from the 1940s and 1950s, notable for both direction and sound, will be featured, alongside the restored version of the documentary “Sette canne per un vestito,” created in 1948 by Michelangelo Antonioni. Several foreign fashion films will create a narrative interlude with Italian productions, tracing the previously unexplored relationships between Italian fashion and that of other countries, both before and immediately after World War II.
Simone Verde, Director of the Uffizi Galleries, concluded, “This exhibition not only reconstructs a significant moment in fashion history through a carefully curated selection of photographs and videos but also places the garments within a context that breathes life into them. The support of newsreels and documentary images contributes significantly to understanding the social function of clothing beyond its aesthetic appearance.”
“Moda in Luce” stands as an essential cultural endeavor that rediscovered and returned historical dignity and visibility to a period often overlooked in official narratives. It enriches the dialogue around Made in Italy and invites reflection on the evolution of taste, visual language, and the national fashion system. The exhibition’s setup at the Museum of Fashion and Costume encapsulates a narrative that transcends mere celebration, aiming to leave a critical and lasting mark on the understanding of Italy’s creative heritage.
The exhibition will run at the Museo della Moda e del Costume di Palazzo Pitti in Florence, open to the public from June 18 to September 28, 2025. A catalog published by Silvana Editoriale will accompany the exhibition.
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