A history of the Italian fashion industry: business and economics behind the glamour

"This book presents an original economic history of the Italian fashion industry, exploring its rise, development, and international achievement from the 1950s to 2019. Moving beyond the celebrated glamour of Italian designers and the conventional stereotypes of Made in Italy, it investigates the economic and institutional framework, manufacturing structure, and trade dynamics that established Italy as a leading fashion country. The author provides an in-depth analysis of the Italian fashion industry, examining its structural changes and industrial organisation within the global fashion business. Drawing on archival sources, original quantitative series, and company case studies, it reconstructs the interaction between trade fairs, export markets, manufacturing systems, and firm strategies over the long term.