The exhibition Galtrucco. Tessuti Moda Architettura, hosted in Palazzo Morando | Costume Moda Immagine until 15th June 2025, is a sumptuous echo of a world that has almost disappeared. A journey to discover not only the unforgotten fabrics produced by Galtrucco, but also the clothes made with those fabrics, through the spectacular windows of the stores that contributed to the history of the Italian bourgeoisie.
The exhibition, curated by Alessandra Coppa, Margherita Rosina and Enrica Morini and organised by Lorenzo Galtrucco S.p.A. together with the Municipality of Milan, aims at bringing the years of Galtrucco‘s commercial activity back to life in the rooms of the Museum: a story that started in the 1920s, a period followed by some dark historical events such as the Second World War, but also by the economic recovery of the 1960s until the beginning of the new millennium.
The exhibition is divided into two sections: the first, curated by Alessandra Coppa, concentrates on Galtrucco’s communication through shops, windows and advertisements, while the second, curated by Margherita Rosina and Enrica Morini, focuses on the fabrics sold in the company’s premises.
The story told through the shops is marked by the expansion of the distribution network in the textile sector, which covered most of the national territory (from the first atelier in Novara to the stores in Turin, Milan, Trieste, Genoa and Rome), giving birth to a concept especially created for the points of sale (designed by famous architects such as Guglielmo Ulrich and Melchiorre Bega): their interior design was in fact an integral part of the selling process, thanks to the creation of environments as cosy as living rooms, while rich in precious details and works of art made by sculptors and artists.
Starting from the years of the post-war reconstruction of Milan, the spaces of the windows become real ‘urban settings,’ where stories based on precise topics often take place. Some of these act as a backdrop for the exhibition, adding an evocative atmosphere.
The stars of the exhibition are, of course, the fabrics for clothing: in the rooms of Palazzo Morando the pattern books and the traces alternate, documenting the offer to the clients over the years – from 1930s to 1990s – following a combination partly real and partly suggested by a selection of suits and dresses made available by Clerici Tessuto & C S.p.A. of Grandate (province of Como), which owns them.
Visitors are instantly plunged into a universe populated by haute couture clothes, sketches and vintage photographs, where they will discover models made by Krizia, Chloé and Armani starting from the 1970s, an evidence of Galtrucco’s design and co-branding activity with different prêt-à-porter brands.
Galtrucco’s universe, characterised by craftmanship, style and elegance, is so surprising and charming because it is extremely far away from the frantic pace of contemporary fashion – and we know it.
