Campioni di stoffa exhibit opens tonight in Brussels

 “Campioni di stoffa – Samples of Fabric” is opening tonight at the Italian Institute of Culture in Brussels. It is an exhibit that retraces a century long history of textile samples made by the most famous wool mills of Bielle in Piemonte, beginning in the first decade of the 900’s. The inauguration of the exhibition will begin at 18:30, organized by DOC BI Center for Bielle Studies with the sponsorship of Gianluca Susta, MEP for the Pd party.

Zegna, Piacenza, Loro Piana, Cerruti, Angelico are only a few of the historical manufacturers of Bielle. They and many other companies represent Samples of Fabric, some of which presented at the Universal Exhibit in Brussels in 1910, which will be on display at the Italian Cultural Institute until February 22^nd. To speak of an “archive of collection samples” could however be reductive and deceptive because in reality few products like fabric, produced from human talent still remain today: the aesthetic memory of cloth doesn’t “go out of style” and a sample from the 800’s is often consulted by designers of wool mills today to obtain inspiration and models.

“The textile industry and manufacturing plants, and in particular the one in the province of Biella, are of grand Italian excellence, explains Federiga Bindi, Director of the Cultural Institute. We are thrilled to be able to present this exhibit which takes us through a journey from fabrics created over a century of time to some of the more important wool factories of Bielle, illustrates the talent of many local artisans who represent a heritage of style and Italian culture to uphold and value.”

“A few months after the presentation at the Headquarters of the European Parliament, we decided to present “Samples of Fabric” to the entire community of the city of Brussels,” Susta affirms in a note. “The exhibit of some of the most prestigious textile samples, some of which were presented on the occasion of the Universal Exhibit in Brussels in 1910, and of some exquisite woven fabric actually produced by the textile industry of Bielle – the MEP continues –first of all strive to be a tribute to an artistic production and quality manufacturing, an expression of that Made in Italy that fears no rivals in the world; at the same time, strive to call attention to the European institutes and the European authorities  about the need to reintroduce the manufacturing sector, indispensible conditions to restitute competitiveness to Europe.”

I will be possible to visit the exhibit every day Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm in the Exhibition Hall of the Italian Institute of Culture until February 22, 2013.