From Roman togas to Velvet Renaissance Gowns, from Capri pants to sleek contemporary suits, Italians have always dressed with effortless elegance and style.

Although blessed with an innate sense of style and a history of producing sumptuous textiles, it wasn’t until 1952 that a struggling postwar Italy stunned the fashion world with its first formal international showing at the Sala Bianca in Florence’s Palazzo Pitti. LA MODA ITALIANA was born and embraced by a new generation looking for comfort and style.

The success of the Italian fashion industry is unique due to strong family traditions and pride in craftsmanship:  Gucci, Versace, Ferragamo, Fendi, Armani, Valentino, Zegna, the list goes on and on, are all multi-generational enterprises.

The aristocratic Pucci family had been trading in silk for hundreds of years when young Emilio Pucci wandered into fashion design almost by accident.  Taking inspiration from the colourful flags of the Palio di Siena, he reated signature prints of bright colours and kaleidoscopic geometric shapes on silk jersey that liberated the female figure.  Pucci went as far as to prohibit his models from wearing girdles or stockings, a sensuous and revolutionary concept soon adopted by the fashion industry.