Mediating Synthetic Fibers and Colour at the Centro Design Montefibre in the1970s, between Fashion Forecasting and Design Culture
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23738/CCSJ.170209Keywords:
Centro Design Montefibre, synthetic fibres, colour, mediation, design culture, fashion forecasting, primary designAbstract
This article examines the activities carried out in the 1970s by the Centro Design Montefibre (1973–1998), a unit within the textile division of the Italian chemical group Montedison established to support the application of synthetic fibres in the fashion and design fields in Italy and Europe. By contextualising this experience within the broader transformations of markets and consumer patterns, and through the analysis of company records, first-hand accounts from former collaborators, and specialised magazines, the aim is to highlight how, along with mediating synthetic fibres towards manufacturers and professionals, the Centre also served as a platform of experimentation and dissemination of knowledge, practices, and tools relating to colour. Revisiting the history of the Centre, situated at the intersection of production, mediation, and consumption in design and fashion, appears particularly significant in light of current debates on colour culture and practice within these fields.
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