Dressed: The History of Fashion

Episode: Fashion Under Fascism – An Interview with Dr. Eugenia Paulicelli

Date: February 20, 2026
Host: April Callahan and Cassie Zachary
Guest: Dr. Eugenia Paulicelli, Professor of Italian, Comparative Literature, and Women’s Studies at CUNY
Theme: Exploring the relationship between fashion, politics, and national identity in Italy from the Renaissance to the Fascist era

Episode Overview

In this classic Dressed episode, hosts April and Cassie are joined by Dr. Eugenia Paulicelli to delve into her seminal work, Fashion Under and Beyond the Black Shirt. Together, they examine how fashion served as a state and political tool under Italian Fascism, its deep roots in Italian history, and its lasting legacy in national identity, media, and gender roles. The conversation uniquely situates the Italian case within broader European currents, considering parallels, contradictions, and the continuing importance of fashion as a lens for understanding modern history.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Fashion as a Political Tool—From the Renaissance to Fascism

[04:25] Dr. Paulicelli provides a broad history:

• Fascism emerged in Italy (1915–1919), combining authoritarianism, nationalism, militarism, and racism under Mussolini.
• Italy’s transformation in the early 20th century (north-south divide, industrialization, mass emigration, unrest) set the stage for Fascism.
• Violence and political suppression were central: "Violence was always part of Fascism...they burned workers unions, place books" (Dr. Paulicelli, 07:20).

Fashion as regulation:

• Drawing on her research into Renaissance sumptuary laws, Dr. Paulicelli stresses that clothing regulation has long served to communicate and reinforce social and political order.
• Laws concerning who could wear what fabrics or colors not only shaped appearance but also controlled social mobility and gender norms (11:01–20:12):

  “Fashion became a language...it was not just the frivolous aspect...It was more than dress, it was behavior.” (Dr. Paulicelli, 12:13)

2. France and Italy: Rivalry and Influence

Before Fascism:

• France (especially Paris) dominated European style; Italy’s own fashion identity was often constructed in opposition or emulation.
• 19th-century Italian women’s magazines began positioning fashion as linked to national identity and patriotism (21:06–24:14).

Early 20th century changes:

• The avant-garde Futurist movement (Balla, Michahelles) experimented with color, gender, and anti-French sentiment.

• Rosa Genoni advocated for a distinct, feminist, Italian sartorial tradition, prefiguring state interest in a nationalized fashion industry.

  "...she was the one who started to think of this made in Italy, you know, Italian being proud of their own rules..." (Dr. Paulicelli, 27:50)

3. Nationalizing Fashion Under Fascism

Eliminating French influence ([32:49]):

• The regime sought to “purify” Italian fashion by replacing French terminology and cultivating Italian institutions.

• Cesare Meano’s Dizionario della Moda (Italian Fashion Dictionary) was both linguistic and ideological, aiming to standardize national fashion language and identity (33:11–37:35).

  "...this project of nationalization of fashion went in many different directions...the language of fashion was French...so the idea, this went parallel, the process of nationalization of Italian language..." (Dr. Paulicelli, 33:23)

4. Uniformity vs. Individuality: Contradictions in Fascist Fashion

Iconic imagery and civilian uniforms ([39:00]):

• The “Black Shirt” became the symbol of state power and unity.

• Civilian uniforms codified gender, age, and group identity, while fashion magazines and designers simultaneously carried on vibrant, creative experimentation.

  “On the one hand, this project of uniforming the masses, while on the other, the variety...the individualism, if you wish, the creativity and so forth.” (Dr. Paulicelli, 40:31)

Women in the Fascist imagination ([41:39–42:27]):

• Fascism promoted contradictory ideals: the athletic, modern woman vs. the prolific mother.
• The regime encouraged both sports uniforms for women and traditional maternal archetypes:

  “Parallel...archetype competing with each other.” (April, 42:22)

5. Media, Cinema, and Aesthetics

The rise of fashion media under Fascism ([42:27–51:53]):

• Italian cinema and newsreels (Istituto Luce) became tools for shaping national identity, projecting images of glamour and modernity.

• The creation of Cinecittà (cinema city) reflected the regime's focus on aesthetics and propaganda.

• Professional costume designers and the synchronization between film and fashion were significant innovations.

  “The cinema is the most powerful of weapons.” (Dr. Paulicelli quoting Mussolini, 44:29)

6. Politics in the Shop Window: Leaders as Fashion Icons

Cult of Mussolini ([56:25]):

• Fashion was used to promote the “cult of the Duce.” Shop displays and magazines featured references and images of Mussolini.
• Such displays fostered an ‘intimate, emotional connection’ with the leader:

  “The Duce is looking at you. So you have to...arrested in your posture.” (Dr. Paulicelli, 58:00)

7. Legacy of Fascist Fashion & “Made in Italy”

Did the state succeed? ([60:04–68:02]):

• State efforts to control fashion ultimately failed—individual creativity and craftsmanship always found a way through.

• While the nationalization project faltered, institutionalization influenced the later global rise of “Made in Italy” and the unique polycentric, regional nature of contemporary Italian fashion.

  “The creativity...the know-how, the craftsmanship...was independent from the policies of the regime. These people were already highly skilled and highly creative.” (Dr. Paulicelli, 64:05)

• Dr. Paulicelli advocates for re-examining national fashion histories outside the Paris-centric model, calling for more translation and interdisciplinary scholarship.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the political meaning of dress:

  “Fashion is not just something...was an industry able to project an image of the country, an identity.”
  (Dr. Paulicelli, 19:06)

• On the contradictions of uniformity and creativity:

  “No government before Mussolini had been able to have that kind of image...the black shirt is the fascist uniform. And yet, there was incredible experimentation.”
  (Dr. Paulicelli, 39:04–40:31)

• On the enduring legacy:

  “We cannot use the same model as one size fits all in order to understand the relation between fashion, modernity and modernism.”
  (Dr. Paulicelli, 64:05)

• Why fashion history matters:

  “There’s so much room to just keep going...That’s really one of the things that I love about what we do.”
  (April, 68:02–68:44)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Historical context of Fascism: [04:25] – [09:57]
• Fashion regulation in the Renaissance: [11:01] – [20:12]
• France vs. Italy – National fashion identity: [20:50] – [28:34]
• Language and nationalization (Cesare Meano): [32:49] – [37:35]
• Contradictions: Uniformity, gender, and media: [39:00] – [51:53]
• Mussolini, the Duce as fashion icon: [56:25] – [59:26]
• Legacy—Fascism and “Made in Italy”: [60:04] – [68:02]
• Closing reflections: [68:44] – [69:26]

Conclusion

This episode offers a rich, nuanced exploration of how style and politics have been deeply intertwined in Italian history. Dr. Paulicelli’s insights illuminate both the power and limits of state intervention in fashion, the resilience of creativity, and the lasting importance of challenging dominant fashion narratives. For listeners curious about how the clothes we wear reflect, resist, and remake power—past, present, and future—this is essential listening.