From the 25th to 27th May, Palazzo Mocenigo in Venice hosted the International Conference on Venetian Textiles.

The role of textiles has been central in the culture, economy and history of Venice, in the past as in present days. The fabrics produced in Venice were traded in and outside the island as luxury goods; they became characteristic of a typically Venetian artistic environment and crucial in the definition of a Venetian fashion in clothing and interior decoration.

The Centro Studi di Storia del Tessuto e del Costume di Palazzo Mocenigo, home to one of the largest collections of ancient textiles, recently hosted a conference on ‘History, Production, Trade and Use of Venetian Textiles’, in which international experts, historians and other scholars were invited to share their knowledge on the topic.

The visit at the archives of Palazzo Mocenigo. Photo Palazzo Mocenigo, all rights reserved.

The aims of the conference were to frame Venetian fabrics in the wider histories of textiles and trade, and to create a network of the most important textiles’ collections around the world; the informations gathered and discussed during the event will lead to a thorough publication, focusing on production techniques, trade and diffusion of Venetian textiles, as well as on their collections and relations to fashion.

During this week, from the 4th to the 13th June, Palazzo Mocenigo is engaged in the “Biennale del Merletto”. The international event features installations, talks and workshops on the art of merletto, and is hosted in different locations around the islands of Venice, Burano and Pellestrina. During these days, it is possible to visit the “Scuola del Merletto” in Pellestrina and to have a tour of the Museo del Merletto in Burano, as well as taking part in other relevant cultural events. Have a look at the complete list of the events to learn more about the conferences, concerts and lectures.

To learn more, visit Palazzo Mocenigo or take a look at their website.

To find out about other fashion events happening now all around the world, visit the Europeana Fashion events area.