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​The exhibition entitled “The Glove School of the Italian Leather Research Institute. A heritage that embraces tradition, education and innovation (1952-1975)” was inaugurated on April 17th 2023 at the headquarter of SSIP, located in the Adriano Olivetti Technology Park in Pozzuoli (Napoli).

The event is part of the initiatives for the centenary of “Cuoio Pelli Materie Concianti – CPMC”, the official magazine of the Institute whose first issue was published on August 6th 1923, as bouletin of the Royal Italian Leather Research Institute, founded in the year 1885. The first issue of CPMC in the current year, has a focus dedicated to “Leather and Made in Italy: the new tools for the sustainability and circularity of productions”.

During the last period, was launched a project to valorize the cultural heritage of the “Glove school” hosted at SSIP during more than 20 years (1952-1975) in the heart of Naples. As well known, the finest Italian gloves are crafted by Neapolitan designer and artisans since the 18th Century and the aim of the exhibition is to experience the magic of glove-making in order to preserve tradition and a precious Italian heritage. The design of the project was set up in collaboration with the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli Department of Architecture and industrial design, that realized the layout design and the arrangement of visual elements within the glove making items. As part of the exhibition, photos from the SSIP archive will be illustrated for the first time, narrating the development of the training courses and glove production steps, some of which items donated by the decommissioned company Sandro Temin glovemaker. The last section of the exhibition has been dedicated to the glove as an accessory and fashion language in the fashion system between the 50s and 70s. Educational visits are organized with schools and universities offering study courses related to design, fashion and craftsmanship.​ The way of made gloves always remained the same, but the shapes, colours, folds and finishes of each glove reflect the changes in taste, techniques and design that move the progressive style changes and movements influenced by the global fashion scene.​

The initiative was presented for SSIP by the general manager Edoardo Imperiale, Serena Iossa (Head of Polytechnic of Leather) and Carmelina Grosso (Head of the Library), coordinators of the exhibition. To follow, the speeches by Patrizia Ranzo (Department of Architecture and Industrial Design and Head of the Vanvitelli Officina, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli), Graziano Balducci (President of SSIP), Fulvia Bacchi (General Manager of UNIC – National Union of the Tanning Industry), Armida Filippelli (Councillor for Vocational Training of the Campania Region), Lise Moutoumalaya (General Consul of France in Naples), Sandro Temin (representative of a historic family of glove makers), Carlo Palmieri (President of the Moda Campania Foundation – Mia and Vice President of Sistema Moda Italia) and Gianni Russo (Russo di Casandrino and President LineaPelle, former president of Unic). The director of Mann – National Archaeological Museum of Naples Paolo Giulierini spoke via video connection.

The Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso, in a letter sent for the occasion to the Director Edoardo Imperiale, underlined: “The leather glove is an accessory in which the essence of Made in Italy is concentrated: craftsmanship, originality, elegance and exclusivity. A sector that continues to preserve, with unchanged passion, the know-how of our craftsmen and which over the years has been able to evolve to preserve its competitiveness. Protection of traditional values ​​and ever greater attention to innovation: a combination at the basis of the renewed success of Made in Italy, well summarized by your sector, and which sees the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy actively engaged alongside businesses. The exhibition also offers the opportunity to enhance the charm of a craft handed down for decades, giving substance to a cultural operation that will characterize the next few months of government action. With the next bill on Made in Italy we will push forward initiatives to promote and valorize the heritage of our country, intervening significantly in the process of training skills. The message must pass that even the manual and creative work, which characterizes the glove like any other Made in Italy product, is art”.

For Information please contact:  c.grosso@ssip.it  – Tel. +39 081 5979112​

Dr. Ms Carmelina Grosso

Head of Library and Documentation Service, Stazione Sperimentale per l’Industria delle Pelli e delle materie concianti (SSIP) /
Scientific coordinator and critical historical research of the exhibition “House of glove”