Rather than obsession, turning the crisis into an opportunity has been a mantra for many of us.
In the last few years, while some businesses were literally destroyed by the crisis, others prospered thanks to innovative ideas and new marketing strategies. Europe-wise, Italy is undeniably still suffering from the crisis: unemployment is rife and quite a few factories closed down or changed hands last year. Sadly, among the casualties there were many historical manufacturers.
Yet there seems to be a strong will to create a new future by rebuilding our past. I've been at a few press conferences during the Pitti trade fair that kicked off yesterday and the keywords were mainly craftsmanship, skills and traditions (albeit, in some cases, these words were abused by brands and journalists reporting about them...).
As I walked around the fair, I spotted for example this Bonotto installation about textiles - entitled "The Slow Factory" and curated by Patricia Urquiola - that made me think a lot about the Prato industry, about what Italy lost and about what it could regain.
Founded in 1912 by Luigi Bonotto and originally producing straw hats, the company is now led by Luigi's great-grandchildren Lorenzo and Giovanni (the latter also worked for a period of time in Nagoya with textile Japanese manufacturers) who collaborate with 200 artisans handmaking the textiles.
The company has set itself two main standards, manufacturing by hand and producing less. Indeed the installation is a sort of manifesto against industrial standardisation and low cost mass production.
The installation was presented with a table laid with slow food style "textile delicacies", including cashmere and mohair, but a section also featured stained containers and dies.
Is it possible to restore the Italian textile industry or turn the crisis into an opportunity (to produce fewer but better things...)? Maybe (naybe...), after all that happened, yes we can.
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