Lidel

Italian fashion magazine founded in 1919 whose name derives from the Italian initials of its five sectors of interest (Reading, Illustration, Drawing, Elegance and Works), and from the journalistic pseudonym of its founder and editor in chief, Lydia Dosio De Liguoro. At its start, Lidel stood behind the newly created Milanese Women’s Fascist Association and their struggle against the temptations of luxury. Lidel worked to encourage the birth of Italian fashion, inviting its readers to purchase products made in Italy. In 1923 it promoted the first Italian Pattern Makers competition, which awarded winners with a show at the Milan Fair, an important prelude to the current shows of Milano Collezioni. But, in its initial support of Italian fashion, the magazine avoided being sectarian and sidestepped catering to provincialism. After Lydia De Liguoro’s departure from the magazine, in 1927, she was replaced by Gino Valori. Under the artistic direction of Francesco Dal Pozzo, the visual and graphic qualities of the magazine flourished, showcasing the work of Rene Gruau and Brunetta, then at her début. Lidel ceased publication in the late 1930s. Its founder continued her career as editor of the magazine Fantasie d’Italia, collaborating on reports for the Italian Silk Institute and promoting fascist directives which, imposed by the National Institute of Fashion, set quotas for the “Italian content” in workshops, mandating that at least 50% of a collection be designed and manufactured in Italy.