Designing Identity: Migrant, Refugees and Diaspora Fashion in Italy

In recent years, the presence of migrants and second-generation professionals in the Italian fashion scene has grown considerably. A network of ateliers populated by creatives from multiple backgrounds revisit and hybridise the tradition of “made in Italy”. At least two fashion weeks have been launched to showcase the work of designers of mixed origin and/or hailing from Africa. What happens when their perspective enters the scene of Italian fashion? What does their contribution say about the state of the industry in our country and its relationship with diversity? How do these designers perceive themselves and develop a cultural message through fashion? These questions compel an exploration of issues of national representation, hybridity, multiculturalism and sustainability as the Italian fashion scene comes face to face with Italy’s changing perception of itself. This article offers an introduction to this changing context, specifically on the work and stylistic choices of emerging talents and professionals with a history of migration, or diaspora. Our aim is to explore how fashion channels ideas and experiences of inclusion, border-crossing, intercultural contact and identity in Italy. The article stems from the ongoing research carried out for the project “B&W – Black and White, The Migrant Trend” by Picarelli (as research consultant) and Pecchioli (as co-founder and art director), a project that promotes the creation of a network of migrant/refugee fashion designers in Italy and a research endeavour exploring identity making, cultural sustainability, power/authority, and innovation in the contemporary Italian fashion scene.