The 'La Rinascente' name celebrates its 100th anniversary with exhibition

To celebrate the occasion of the 'La Rinascente' name turning 100 years this year, Milan City Council | Culture, Palazzo Reale and La Rinascente have decided to tell this story in an exhibition in the Appartamento del Principe (Prince’s quarters), on the piano nobile of Palazzo Reale, from 24th May to 24th September. The name was thought up by Gabriele D’Annunzio, commissioned by Senator Borletti who bought the Bocconi department store in 1917, promoting its rebirth.

An exceptional variety and quantity of works of art, graphic design, design objects, historic images and previously unseen exhibits will tell visitors how La Rinascente managed to write important chapters in the history of costume, communication and retail. Right from its birth, it stood out as a laboratory for experimentation of new ideas arriving from the rest of Europe. Its innovative sales model, stemming from early French examples, with goods displayed on shelves at a fixed price, was not only a turning point for a modern economy, it also led to incisive changes in the everyday life of the growing consumer society.

The location chosen is Palazzo Reale, Milan’s main exhibition venue and heart of that urban centre that represents the spirit of this city, just a stone’s throw from the Duomo, the Galleria, the Scala and La Rinascente, which stands for its manufacturing spirit. The exhibition is part of the annual programme at Palazzo Reale, and plays an important role due to the complexity
and articulation of the project. All this not only because Palazzo Reale is one of Milan’s main cultural institutions, but also because, like La Rinascente, it stands within the district that perfectly embodies the active, central role of this area’s cultural and productive life.

The ‘La Rinascente’ name celebrates its 100th anniversary with exhibition