Attilio Mazzini's 400,000-piece fashion archive in Massa Lombarda

Attilio Mazzini, based in Massa Lombarda, Emilia-Romagna, curates a fashion archive comprising 400,000 items across two sheds. His journey began with a market stall alongside his parents, leading to the establishment of Archivi di Ricerca in the late 1970s, where he concentrated on avant-garde fashion. Mazzini employs manual cataloging techniques. In the 1980s, he was joined by partner Carla Marangoni, who drew inspiration from Tokyo’s categorization methods. He fondly recalls being the first in Italy to showcase Paul Smith’s collection. They innovated exclusive events for clients and engaged 163 local children during the launch of Romeo Gigli's G Gigli. The archive functions on a circular model, with half of the items returned for vouchers, and is organized by gender and category. Mazzini envisions transforming a nearby sugar factory into a cultural hub.