International Economic History Congress

Abstract

Elda Pavan Cecchele was an Italian hand-weaver who began by producing household linen at the end of the 1930s. She produced hand-woven fabrics for firms such as Salvatore Ferragamo in the early 1950s and Roberta di Camerino from the 1950s to the 1960s; these designers were active on both the Italian and international fashion scene. These fabrics were used in clothing, accessories and furnishings. This article examines Cecchele’s significant contribution to the creation of important fashion items and collections. Like many other artisans, her contribution proved decisive but she worked in the background and had no public recognition. Surviving records from Cecchele’s workshop, including samples, design notebooks, designs and documents, are now in a private archive. Access to this material, together with numerous interviews with her former customers and collaborators, have enabled her abilities to be rediscovered and the re-evaluation of her artistic contribution to Italian fashion.