Made in Milano

In the era of the Visconti and Sforza families, new business activities and major innovations in agriculture made Milan prosperous. Already in the 16th century, it became the place where the courts purchased luxurious, sophisticated goods. The mulberry bundles, loaded with tiny silkworms, provided the raw material for the production of precious silks, the flagship of Milanese manufacturing. Not only spinning mills, but also many Milanese workshops were becoming famous from one end of Europe to the other. Negroli, Missaglia, and Piccinino were the creators of a haute coûture that did not use delicate fabrics, but iron, bronze and other metals. On the occasion of ceremonies, parades, triumphal entrances, their armour was a must. In other workshops, artisans carved semi-precious stones, cameos, rock crystal vases or wove brocades for sacred and profane elegance, blending gold and silver with Lombard silks. Finely crafted rock crystal vases, cameos, carefully inlaid armour, fabrics, parade on page after page, with explanations written by the leading international connaisseurs and specialists.