The athlete and his second skin. The Pechino Olympics draw nearer and Prato has chosen an original and tantalising way to get closer to the imminent big sporting event.

The fabric museum, a historic treasure chest of woof and warp from the Medieval era until today, proposes “Superhuman Performance. The evolution of sports fabrics”, an exhibition that lets you to travel through time through clothing, old uniforms and new samples.

Opening on 20 June, the exhibition will continue until 30 November in the museum building, the former Campolmi wool factory, which was admirably restructured some years ago.
Next to significant relics such as the yellow jersey of Gino Bartali (Tour de France 1948), Borg’s polo shirt from 1977 at Wimbledon and the shorts of Adriano Panatta from 1974, here is the comparison with evolution: the costumes of Thoeni and Tomba, the kits of Alinghi and Luna Rossa, the outfits of Pietro Mennea, Sara Simeoni, Fiona May and Yuri Chechi as well as the super technological wonders of today’s sporting legends.

Here are a few examples: the costume created especially by Speedo for the great Michael Phelps with extremely low aerodynamic resistance, the rugby players’ shirts that help recovery from fatigue, Valentino Rossi’s overalls, made in ballistic material in Prato itself. In conclusion, the fuchsia-coloured costume embroidered with paillettes, which Roberto Cavalli designed for Carolina Kostner.

A suitable tribute therefore to a sector that incorporates an immense legacy of research and considerable Made in Italy elements, regardless of the Olympic undertones.