Florence's Museo della Moda e del Costume fully reopens at Palazzo Pitti

The Museo della Moda e del Costume at Palazzo Pitti in Florence has fully reopened after nearly five years of closure, with the final section inaugurated on July 16, 2024. The museum, one of the few in Italy dedicated entirely to fashion and costume history, initially reopened in December 2023 with 20th-century and early 21st-century fashion sections. The complete reinstallation, curated by Vanessa Gavioli, presents about sixty garments and accessories from the permanent collection, arranged chronologically from the 18th to the 21st century. The display includes 18th-century court attire, Empire-style dresses (including one in ivory silk crepe with silver lamé embroidery belonging to Massimilla Celano), Restoration period garments, 19th-century wedding dresses, a Liberty chiffon dress by Raphael Goudstikker, and a black mechanical net dress on ivory silk satin by Catherine Donovan. The 20th-century galleries feature pieces by Mariano Fortuny (a kimono-cloak for Eleonora Duse), Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli, Gianni Versace (for Patty Pravo), Emilio Schubert, Gianfranco Ferré for Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier (worn by Madonna), Miuccia Prada, John Galliano, and Giorgio Armani. Paintings by Carle Vanloo, Clemente Alberi, Tito Conti, and Giovanni Boldini complement the fashion displays, alongside works by Italian avant-garde artists. Simone Verde, director of the Gallerie degli Uffizi, stated that "costume and its history are intrinsically connected with art."