On this trip, I went to an Italian manufacturer of luxury handmade brocade fabrics alongside my professor, other classmates and our FUA tour guide. I for one was expecting another museum visit that certainly would not wake me up well in the morning. However, this was not the case!

Early on Designer Collabs

From the start, our guide at Museo dell’Arte della Lana introduced to us what exactly the company does. They are indeed a luxury brocade manufacturer that dates back to the mid 19th century when wood wool mills began popping up. I am not going to bore anyone with a history lesson, but it’s pretty old stuff! Many of these brocades and other softer fabrics were desirable in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Some designers that collaborated with the company for production of merchandise include Fendi, Valentino, and Gucci.

The Hands on Experience

More of a hands on experience at Museo dell’Arte della Lana than an actual museum visit, we were able to see what exactly goes on in the manufacturing process of brocades. To my surprise, our guide informed us how little brocade is made each day. She went with her fingers to show us the approximate length, which appeared in my eyes to be, maybe, 6 inches. The process is tricky as you cannot mess up and go back easily. The handmade fabric I saw being made on each wood mill were brocades being manufactured to reupholster a 300 year old royal palace in Dresden, Germany. Royal.. palace.. German.. I’m half German!

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