EXHIBITION Paisley pattern, marks in movement

EXHIBITION
Paisley pattern, marks in movement
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In partnership with
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June 18 – September 18 2016
Villa Sucota, Como – Villa Bernasconi, Cernobbio
The boteh or paisley pattern – also referred to as Cachemire in
Italian – is a seducing design with ancient origins that recalls
exotic fantasies and remote countries. This drop with a curved
extremity has been drawn and re-drawn in countless variations.
Very few decorative motifs have left such a marked trace in the
history of textiles and fashion, which are still cast under its
magical spell today.
The exhibition “Paisley pattern, marks in movement”,
curated by Margherita Rosina and Francina Chiara, is
organized by Fondazione Antonio Ratti (FAR) in partnership
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with Comune di Cernobbio. It will be held from June 18 to
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September 18 2016 at Villa Sucota in Como and Villa
Bernasconi in Cernobbio.
The paisley design is a contemporary classic, present in many
historical archives of the textile manufacturers of Como. It has
long provided various chances for textile operators – from
designers to technicians – to display their outstanding skills,
which are now recognized around the world as the soul of
Como’s textile industry.
More than 150 exhibits – ranging from textiles to scarves,
dresses, accessories and ties – will guide visitors across an
itinerary that traces the evolution of this mythical pattern in
different countries and historical periods.
Venues
Fondazione Antonio Ratti
Villa Sucota
via per Cernobbio 19
Como
Villa Bernasconi
Via Regina 7
Cernobbio (CO)
Date
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June 18 – September 18
2016
Opening times
Monday to Friday:
2pm to 6pm
Saturday and Sunday:
10am to 7pm
Special openings and guided
tours available upon request
Press office
Ellecistudio
Tel. 031 301037
paola.carlotti@ellecistudio.it
chiara.lupano@ellecistudio.it
The exhibition
The chronological and thematic itinerary of the exhibition
enhances both ancient textiles from the FAR collection and
modern fabrics, lent for the occasion by the archives of the textile
industries operating in the Como district.
The display includes many Indian and European shawls, never
exhibited before and purposefully restored. These artefacts
originally belonged to Antonio Ratti’s personal collection: the
entrepreneur collected shawls throughout his life and was so
deeply fascinated by the paisley motif to make it the iconic
symbol of his textile production.
In addition, a selection of dresses shows how paisley has been
decorating dresses since the nineteenth century. Among the
historical pieces there are a 1907 – Drecoll evening cloak, a
velvet caraco, created in the Middle-East at the end of the
XIX century and a kimono shape gown, part of Gabriele
D’Annunzio’s wardrobe for guests, lent by the Vittoriale.
Fashion is also greatly represented by a Valentino dress, worn
by Patty Pravo for a photoshoot published by Vogue
magazine, a white lace chemisier by Daniel Hetcher and other
creations by Mila Schön, Lancetti and Gianfranco Ferré Haute
Couture.
The history of the paisley pattern
The history of the paisley pattern is so ancient that it goes back
to the Mesopotamian civilization. The motif later became widely
used in the Indian region of Kashmir for the decoration of shawls
worn by men and women to protect themselves from adverse
climate conditions. It reached Europe following the commercial
routes of the British East India Company in the seventeenth
century. The pattern gained a certain popularity during the
Napoleonic age. It is reported that in 1809 Napoleon’s first wife
Josephine Beauharnais, a fashion icon of the time, owned 33
dresses made with precious shawls coming directly from India.
Main Sponsor
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Technological Sponsor
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Media Partner
With the Patronage of
From the 1830s, European manufacturers began their own
production of figured and printed shawls, re-interpreting the
Indian tradition.
From the second half of the nineteenth century, the curved drop
motif was combined with the baroque volute in the creation of
shawls but also luxurious silks, light wools, ribbons and laces.
The emphasised exoticism that inspired these new artefacts had
no geographic boundaries.
In the twentieth century the popularity of the paisley pattern
increased in three moments: firstly during the years between
the two world wars when the production of ties and male
accessories grew and Como’s textile industries started blooming;
then, during the post War World Two era when the textile
district flourished; lastly, during the 1980s when the use of
scarves, shawls and textiles with paisley designs became
“must have” items for every elegant lady.
During that period Como’s manufacturers achieved unparalleled
success for their creations for haute couture tailors and
international prêt à porter designers, shown on the catwalks in
Milan and Paris.
Catalogue
For the exhibition a bilingual catalogue will be published by
NodoLibri, Como. The book is edited by Margherita Rosina and
Francina Chiara and features contributions by leading scholars,
including Enrica Morini and Marialuisa Rizzini.
Exhibition venues
The exhibition will take place at Villa Sucota and Villa
Bernasconi, located at short distance from each other on the
western shore of Lake Como, an area of great natural beauty as
well as cultural charm.
Headquarters of the Fondazione Antonio Ratti since 2010, Villa
Sucota and its park are part of the Chilometro della conoscenza,
a green promenade that connects the parks of three historical
villas of Lake Como (Villa Olmo, Villa Del Grumello and Villa
Sucota). Villa Sucota holds several exhibition rooms and
laboratories, the FA textile collection and a library specialized in
contemporary art and textile. Opened in April 2016, the park
combines a landscape of rare beauty with installations of
temporary and permanent artworks.
Villa Bernasconi is such a remarkable example of Art Nouveau
architecture in Italy that it is part of the circuit "Route européenne
de l'Art Nouveau".
The Villa, now owned by the Comune di Cernobbio, was built in
1905 by the architect Alfredo Campanini for the entrepreneur
Davide Bernasconi, one of the pioneers of the silk industry in
Como.
Both the exterior and interior decorations of the villa were
inspired by botanical themes related to textile design, including
high reliefs depicting the cycle of the silkworm and tiles shaped
as mulberry flowers.
Opening hours
From Monday to Friday: 2pm - 6pm
From Saturday to Sunday: 10 am - 7pm
Monday closed
Special openings and guided tours available upon request
Tickets
Full price: € 8
Concession price: € 5 (under 25, over 65 and conventions)
Info
Tel. +39 031 3384976
info@fondazioneratti.org - www.fondazioneratti.org