
The luxury embroideries of St.Gallen
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The Swiss embroideries of St.Gallen
St.Gallen is famous for its unique embroideries and has the reputation of being one of the main textile capitals of the world. It all started with a French monk. Weaving linen in the late Middle Ages, monks paved the way for St.Gallen's textile excellence. But it was embroideries, brought to the city around 1750, that would make St.Gallen world famous for its embroidered fabrics.
Around 1910, more than fifty percent of the world's embroidery production came from the picturesque town in eastern Switzerland. And there's hardly been a designer, from Christian Dior to Marc Jacobs, who hasn't been drawn to the greatness of the remaining St.Gallen bunch.
The importance of embroidery in Switzerland
Initial figures indicate that there were already up to 100.000 employees in the St. Gallen embroidery industry in the late XNUMXth century, long before the invention of the hand embroidery machine. This figure would probably be somewhat exaggerated, but it is an indication of the importance of embroidery in eastern Switzerland. The strengthening of the embroidery industry was accompanied by the decline of the canvas industry, especially in the city of St. Gallen itself. It had already been substantially weakened by cotton production started by Peter Bion and by foreign competition. Those without a livelihood in the cotton industry switched to embroidery. Later, during the Continental Blockade around 1810, the cotton industry also suffered.
St.Gallen and the big names in world fashion
Although embroidery no longer has the importance for the region that it had at the beginning of the last century, it continues to be an economic factor. Embroidery machine-producing companies such as Benninger AG are among the largest employers in the region. Big names like Akris, Pierre Cardin, Chanel, Christian Dior, Giorgio Armani, Emanuel Ungaro Hubert de Givenchy, Christian Lacroix, Nina Ricci, Hemant and Yves Saint Laurent work with embroidered fabrics from St. Gallen.
In town, there is a traditional fashion show. This festival owes much of its importance and character to the embroideries on display. The great embroidery boom and the associated wealth of the city also influenced its development.. From today's perspective, it can be said that the city was built around 1920, apart from later extensions on the outskirts of the city.
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