Fashion and Freedom: Exhibition on Women's Emancipation Through Clothing at Palazzo dei Pio

The exhibition 'Habitus' at the Musei di Palazzo dei Pio in Carpi, part of the Festivalfilosofia 2021 on freedom, explores how fashion has contributed to women's emancipation. Curated by Alberto Caselli Manzini, the show draws on Pierre Bourdieu's concept of 'habitus' from the 1970s-80s, describing clothing as a tool for social reproduction and change. The exhibition is divided into four sections: 'Liberare il corpo' (early 20th century, breaking away from corsets and long dresses), 'Scoprire il corpo' (post-WWII, with bikinis, hot pants, and miniskirts by Mary Quant), 'Work, sport, cool' (1970s-80s, prêt-à-porter, jeans, t-shirts, sportswear), and 'Destrutturare' (unstructured garments without padding). Iconic pieces include Paul Poiret's anticorset dresses, Coco Chanel's women's trousers, Marcel Rochas's power suit, bras evolving from corsets, hot pants, miniskirts, jeans, bikinis, Diane von Fürstenberg's wrap dress, and Giorgio Armani's deconstructed jackets. The exhibition highlights fashion as an expression of social conquests and historical change, embodying freedom and defiance of conventions.