Italians Recapture The Silk Age
February 28, 2005
CASERTA, Italy — Raffaele Alois & Co. founded in 1885, has joined forces with other small silk producers to create a silk production center in an effort to restore the commercial and tourism interest in the Italian silk industry.
Raffaele Alois & Co. still produces silk lampas, brocades, broccatelli and classical damasks with large flowers and other very stylized designs through the use of handlooms as well as powerlooms.
The official presentation of "Ferdinandopoli Silk Producing Center," takes place on March 26 at the historic Belvedere Palace in San Leucio, the place that once was the Royal Mill commissioned by King Ferdinand IV Bourbon. The ancient restored looms are also on display.
The Center will focus on silk textile production including yarn preparation, warping, weaving, manufacturing as well as pre-production activities including fabric design, industrial design and software applications for electronic looms.
The idea for The Center started in 2001 when it was brought to life by Francesco Pepe, a businessman who focused on creating the silk project in Piana di Monteverna, an area close to Caserta.
The project went into production in January 2005. A scale model of the project features the ancient silk village in San Leucio in the Bourbon style of architecture with a modern design recalling the structure of the Old Royal Mill by Luigi Vanvitelli. The project includes a museum and a production area in a town for weavers. There will also be a school where professional people will train in cooperation with the Faculty of Architecture of Federico II.
Raffaele Alois & Co. still produces silk lampas, brocades, broccatelli and classical damasks with large flowers and other very stylized designs through the use of handlooms as well as powerlooms.
The official presentation of "Ferdinandopoli Silk Producing Center," takes place on March 26 at the historic Belvedere Palace in San Leucio, the place that once was the Royal Mill commissioned by King Ferdinand IV Bourbon. The ancient restored looms are also on display.
The Center will focus on silk textile production including yarn preparation, warping, weaving, manufacturing as well as pre-production activities including fabric design, industrial design and software applications for electronic looms.
The idea for The Center started in 2001 when it was brought to life by Francesco Pepe, a businessman who focused on creating the silk project in Piana di Monteverna, an area close to Caserta.
The project went into production in January 2005. A scale model of the project features the ancient silk village in San Leucio in the Bourbon style of architecture with a modern design recalling the structure of the Old Royal Mill by Luigi Vanvitelli. The project includes a museum and a production area in a town for weavers. There will also be a school where professional people will train in cooperation with the Faculty of Architecture of Federico II.
