Italy is known for all things fashion, as it is the home of some of the biggest names and fashion houses. When you think of Italy, your mind might go straight to the glamorous side of fashion, but the country is also responsible for much of the behind-the-scenes work, as Italy is home to the largest textile center in Europe: Prato.

Prato is a small city about 10 miles outside of Florence. One of the most unique factors about this textile center is the fact that the production factories are located in the center of the city. As you walk the streets of Prato, you will see houses, shops and textile production factories all on the same street. 

During my visit to Prato, I had the privilege of visiting multiple sites that allowed me to expand my knowledge of textiles and their production. The first place I visited was the Museo del Tessuto, which is the largest cultural center in Italy dedicated to promoting historical and contemporary textile production and art.

Upon arrival, you first walk through a room of textiles sorted by time period, as they have garments dating all the way back to the 1800s. 

Following that room, you walk through a corridor that explains the extraction process for the animal, vegetable and synthetic fibers. The installation also included samples intended for guests to touch and explanations of the uses of all of the different fibers. 

The last installation at this museum was titled “Mr. and Mrs. Clark,” which was an exhibition that showcased the lives and work of Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell. The pair were famous London designers in the 1960s and ‘70s. He was known for his silhouettes while she came up with funky flower-esque patterns, and the two of them together were the ultimate duo of their time. The exhibit includes not only their original designs but also their drawings, mock-ups, video footage of their life and other belongings that give museum guests a glimpse of their life in London during their prime. 

Afterward, we made our way to the Beste Hub, an innovative space that contains both a showroom of their internal collection “Monobi” as well as actual garment production spaces. The location I visited is their newest. It was built inside of an abandoned warehouse they completely transformed into the beautiful modern space it is today. I also got to visit the Beste Hub archive which was full of brands like Dolce and Gabbana, Miu Miu, Burberry and many more. 

Overall, there is so much to see in Prato. They are making strides in innovation and sustainability while sourcing to more than 6,000 retailers worldwide. It was an amazing experience seeing firsthand all of the time and intention that goes into textile production. It is easy to forget the effort that goes into our clothing when we can simply walk into a store and pick it up off of the rack, but so many hands had to touch that exact garment before it got to you. 

It is our job as consumers to reflect on the labor it takes to produce something we often take for granted. Experiences like these allow me to truly think about all of the people it takes to produce the clothes I wear, which makes them so special. 

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Hi! I’m Catie Pusateri, A Magazine’s editor-in-chief. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.