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Journey through fashion, from ancient times to the present day

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Third appointment with the “Umbria Fashion” column, which leads us step by step to the event of the same name in October. In this episode we take a journey through history and curiosity.

Italian fashion is the emblem of style and elegance. It represents one of the great attractions of international tourism: the textile sector in Italy generates a significant turnover, representing a large part of a production that is exported all over the world. Italian brands are recording an increase in sales in all markets, in fact today it is possible to appreciate the great Italian fashion brands all over the world, in the international shopping streets. The Italian fashion houses have associated themselves into true luxury multinationals: Prada, Versace, Cavalli, Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, Trussardi, Ferré, Armani and many others are the emblem of Made in Italy. But the success of fashion has a long history and has developed hand in hand with the evolution of society and culture.

Historical curiosities

We start with the Ancient Age, the first jewels, skirts and shopping centers. In the Middle Ages we talk about fashion shows and in the Modern Age we talk about heels, black and wedding dresses. Finally, in the Contemporary Age there is a whole world of curiosities to discover. Let’s look at them together, going in order.

Ancient age

In Prehistory, necklaces and the first jewels were made with the bones of animals killed during hunting. Until 400 AD skirts were worn by both sexes. The first “shopping center” was the Mercati Traianei in ancient Rome, equipped with different levels and more than 150 shops.

Middle Ages

Before fashion shows, the latest trends circulated through print, paintings and dolls.

La Regina Vittoria in abito bianco

Modern age

The first fashion magazine arrives called Le Mercure Galant: it was for men and was published in France in 1672; the female one arrived 16 years later. Until 1740, high heels were worn by both men and women: men needed them for greater stability on horseback. Until the end of the 19th century, black dresses were used exclusively by domestic staff or during the period of mourning, while the wedding dress became white after 1840: Queen Victoria was the first to get married in this colour. In ancient times the wedding dress was made of velvet and bright colours.

Contemporary age

  • In 1939 the modern thong was born, imposed on nightclub dancers so that they would be less naked.
  • Uggs were born in the late 1960s as beach boots: designed to warm the feet of surfers as they exited the cold waters of the Australian ocean.
  • In 1968 with the Missoni fashion the stripes were called deckchairs in reference to beach deckchairs.
    The spacesuits for the moon landing were created by Playtex, a company famous for the production of bras.

  • The bikini was named after an atoll in the Pacific where the United States conducted nuclear tests because it would make a bang like the Atomic Bomb.
  • The Russian army started wearing socks in 2007. Previously, they wrapped their feet in pieces of cloth.

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