The Loved Garment

The exhibition 'The Many Lives of a Garment' at ITS Arcademy - Museum of Art in Fashion, dedicates a section to celebrating the intimate relationship that develops between us and our clothes. At the heart of every wardrobe lies a garment that defines us more than others. Whether it belonged to a loved one, reminds us of a journey or an adventure, or serves as our preferred armor to face life's challenges with greater confidence, it is almost always the one we keep the longest, defying fashion trends and the wear of time. Each piece of fabric, every thread, tells stories of encounters, dreams, journeys, and sometimes farewells, transforming the garment into a living diary, an archive of our emotions. "The Loved Garment" opens a window onto the emotions and memories these garments evoke, creating a bridge between past and present, between the individual and the collective.

a man and woman looking at a dress on display
una persona che osserva un abito in una teca

The curators invite the audience to display their most beloved garments in a glass case and to share their stories, thereby helping to create a mosaic of experiences that reflect the beauty, complexity, and intensity of our lives tied to the fabric of fashion. You don’t need a museum piece in your wardrobe to participate:
“The beloved garment does not need logos. It’s not the most beautiful or the most refined. It can be ours, or that of a parent, or a loved one we keep for ourselves or for posterity,” explains curator Olivier Saillard. “I am particularly excited to involve the people of Trieste in this exhibition, which will welcome thousands of visitors. Fashion is often perceived as a style exercise but in reality, clothes speak not only of design talent but also of our personal and collective history, as the visitors of ITS Arcademy have already discovered. Each of our wardrobes is a small personal museum, and we look forward to giving voice to the stories of our city and its region,” adds Barbara Franchin, founder and director of ITS Arcademy.

Susanna Tamaro’s loved garment

Susanna Tamaro’s loved garment

This coat comes with a long history, and Susanna Tamaro still gazes at it with a sense of reverence every time she opens her wardrobe. There’s almost a fear of using it since it could get ruined, and doing so might somehow spoil what it represents, the hope of seeing one’s dreams come true. ...scopri di più

Paolo Rizzi’s loved garment

Paolo Rizzi’s loved garment

Remembered as one of the most adventurous episodes in the history of Italian sailing, the shipwreck of Paolo Rizzi and his boat "Vento Fresco II" remains an enduring example of courage, resilience, and determination. ...scopri di più

Elena Crosilla’s loved garment

Elena Crosilla’s loved garment

It might seem obvious to feature a wedding dress as a loved garment. However, this is not a typical story, but an exceptional one. ...scopri di più

The Loved Garment of Daniele Cavaliero

The Loved Garment of Daniele Cavaliero

An athlete knows well what it means to be inseparable from a garment, to feel its indissoluble connection with events that have marked their sporting career and, consequently, their life. ...scopri di più

Marina Rocco’s loved garment

Marina Rocco’s loved garment

The dress was produced in 1983 by Marina's mother during her pregnancy. Made of plaid fabric, following the fashion of the time, it was meant to be comfortable and warm: her son Alex was born in winter, in February 1984. ...scopri di più

Stelio Crise’s loved garment

Stelio Crise’s loved garment

The second Garment on display is the coat of Stelio Crise, librarian, writer and literary critic who was a tireless driver of Trieste’s cultural life in the 1950s. ...scopri di più

Alda Balestra’s loved garment

Alda Balestra’s loved garment

...scopri di più

Display your Loved Garment

If you would like to propose your loved garment for the exhibition, you can send a photo of the garment and a short story about your relationship with it through this form