September 19, 2018
Image credit: Etro
Italian fashion label Etro is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a new exhibition in its hometown.
This fall, the Museum of Cultures in Milan will be hosting Etro's "Generation Paisley" experience. The free exhibit, opening at the tail end of Milan Fashion Week, examines Etro's heritage and its roots to its birthplace of Milan.
Generation paisley
A museum exhibition is fitting for the label, which has long drawn inspiration from anthropological sources, including its Paisley motif with origins in the Middle East.
From Sept. 24 to Oct. 14, Etro will take over five rooms at the Museum of Cultures to create an immersive experience for fans. Greeting visitors will be a large "Tree of Life" with roots that will guide people throughout the exhibit.
Close-up of Etro's paisley motif. Image credit: Etro
The theme for Generation Paisley is choosing your roots, reinforced by the idea of looking at a variety of areas for inspiration, similarly to what Etro has done.
To announce the exhibit, Etro released a surrealist vignette on Instagram TV. It encourages viewers to continue to evolve and learn about different cultures and traditions.
News about the exhibit was shared on Etro's IGTV channel
The short film includes scenes from earlier Etro campaigns, as well as kaleidoscope patterns and close looks at textures and fabric dyeing processes.
Etro's exhibit will feature 50 items from various collections. The rooms will also be decorated with fabrics, paintings and mirrors.
Made in Milan
Milan is one of the world's fashion capitals and home to several fashion labels, including Etro. These houses openly embrace their origins in campaigns and museum exhibits.
For instance, Etro’s spring/summer 2018 campaign captures models at some of Milan’s key places.
Models appear to be caught in candid moments as they grab a cocktail at Bar Basso or get a haircut at Barbiere Colla. One vignette finds a pair of models snapping photos while seated at Ristorante Da Giacomo.
Etro’s focus on both the people and the places of Milan turns the campaign into a form of travel guide, providing an insider’s perspective of the city. It also allows the brand to associate itself with its hometown’s culture, giving an understanding of its roots (see story).
Earlier this year, Bottega Veneta and Missoni were among the luxury labels featured in a new exhibit at Palazzo Reale that aims to place fashion history within a broader cultural context.
“Italiana: Italy Through the Lens of Fashion 1971-2001,” presented in partnership with Yoox Net-A-Porter Group, followed Italy’s fashion industry as it morphed into a more global business. While marking key periods in Italian fashion, the exhibit also functioned as a celebration of the 60th anniversary of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, the Italian National Chamber of Commerce (see story).
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