Fashion and the Nation: The Case of Lidel, 1919-1935

Lidel, founded by Lydia De Liguoro, was one of the most important women's and fashion magazines on the Italian journalistic scene; this essay analyzes its history from 1919 to 1935. Born after the victory of 1918, Lidel fervently supported the birth of Italian fashion, coinciding perfectly with the climate of post-war patriotism. A magazine for elites since its foundation, Lidel quickly became a reference point for the middle class and haute bourgeoisie, who were attracted to the luxury and elegance of the high fashion sector in which the magazine had so quickly risen as leader. This remained true until the mid-thirties, when high-fashion magazines hit a crisis generated by the winds of war, international sanctions, and the totalitarian tensions of fascist Italy.