WALTER ALBINI. THE TALENT, THE DESIGNER

| by Susanna Cati |

Walter Albini. The Talent, The Designer is the result of an extensive investigation and enhancement project led by the Museo del Tessuto in Prato, which sheds new light on Albini’s central role in the Italian fashion scene from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.
The project took shape following a significant donation received by the Museum between 2014 and 2016: a rich and previously unseen collection of materials that belonged to the designer — jewelry, sketches, drawings, photographs, documents, and books — offering a clear and extraordinary view of his creative journey, from his early beginnings in 1959 until his untimely death in 1983.
These materials, never before exhibited, provide direct and tangible testimony of Albini’s eclecticism and innovative vision: from his first experience as an illustrator for fashion magazines, to collaborations with Krizia and Baldini, to his major runway debuts in Florence at the famous Sala Bianca, and the creation of his own brand.

Albini’s ideas about fashion and its development are very clear: unity of style, a different relationship with textile manufacturers, but above all the awareness that Haute Couture, as it was understood in the 1950s and beyond, was destined to disappear to make way for new production models: the birth of Italian prêt-à-porter.

The cataloging and research work was complemented by an extensive investigation into other significant archives and collections, both public and private—including the Centro Studi e Archivio della Comunicazione in Parma and the Historical Archive of the National Chamber of Italian Fashion, now held at Bocconi University.

This process enabled a deep and detailed re-examination of Albini’s entire professional journey, revealing previously overlooked or entirely unknown aspects of his personality and working methods.

What emerges is a richer, more multifaceted portrait—not just of a revolutionary creative, but of an educated and rigorous designer, capable of merging aesthetics, research, and narrative into an idea of fashion that is genuinely modern and international.

Title: Walter Albini. Il talento, lo stilista
Authors: Degl’Innocenti D. (ed.), Morini E. (ed.)
Publisher: Skira | Fashion and Costume
Year: 2024
Pages: 288 Dimensions: 286 x 224 x 25 mm