Italy and Switzerland

Both Italy and Switzerland began life as a collection of small, fiercely independent city-states and cantons, and each had their own individual interpretations of style. Not only did they look different from each other, they were also recognizably different from the rest of Europe. Swiss regional costume, still worn for modern-day festivals, varies widely from canton to canton, some uniquely Swiss, some showing the influence of other nations. In northern Italy, during the late Middle Ages, trade in fine fabric became an important part of the economy, and merchants and manufacturers made vast fortunes. With fabric as their stock, they were able to dress lavishly in order to gain the recognition they craved, helping to establish the reputation for fine fashion that Italy still enjoys today. From the extravagant and gaudy dress of the Etruscans, to the elegant style of ancient Rome, to the showy excesses of Renaissance clothing, Italy and Switzerland takes the reader through almost 1,800 years of European costume history. Find out: Why working in a Roman laundrette could be bad for your health. Why Renaissance Italians covered up their fashionable clothing. Why Swiss women wore their grandmother's clothes. Book jacket.