Maria Luisa Frisa on 'Italiana' Exhibition at Palazzo Reale, Milan

Maria Luisa Frisa discusses the exhibition 'Italiana. L’Italia vista dalla moda 1971-2001' at Palazzo Reale in Milan, which she co-curated with Stefano Tonchi. The show covers a crucial thirty-year period for Italian fashion, from 1971 to 2001, highlighting its transformation into a global phenomenon. Frisa emphasizes the need to recognize fashion as a cultural, economic, and communicative system, arguing that Italy has historically undervalued its fashion heritage compared to France and England, where institutions like the Musée Galliera in Paris and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London have dedicated fashion departments. The exhibition and accompanying book aim to present the multitude of actors in the Italian fashion system and update the perception of 'Made in Italy' beyond artisanal craftsmanship to include industrial design and production. Frisa calls for a national museum for Italian fashion and better integration of fashion studies into universities. The exhibition follows similar principles as 'Bellissima' at MAXXI in Rome but covers a longer period and adopts a more autobiographical storytelling approach. Frisa also notes the lack of institutional recognition for private collectors and the need for a coordinated cultural program among existing museums like Museo della Moda e del Costume di Palazzo Pitti, Palazzo Morando, and Museo del Tessuto di Prato.