Mediating Synthetic Fibres and Colour at the Centro Design Montefibre in the 1970s, between Fashion Forecasting and Design Culture

This article examines the activities carried out in the 1970s by the Centro Design Montefibre (1973-1998), a unit within the textile division of the Italian chemical group Montedison established to support the application of synthetic fibres in the fashion and design sectors in Italy and Europe. By contextualising this experience within the broader transformations of market and consumer patterns, and through the analysis of company records, first-hand accounts from former collaborators, and specialised magazines, the aim is to highlight how, along with mediating synthetic fibres towards manufacturers and professionals, the Centre also served as a platform of experimentation and dissemination of knowledge, practices and tools relating to colour. Revisiting the history of the Centro Design Montefibre, situated at the intersection of production, mediation and consumption in design and fashion, appears particularly significant in light of current debates on colour culture and practice within these fields.