Twenty years after his passing, a new retrospective honors visionary Italian designer and sportswear pioneer Massimo Osti (Bologna, 1944–2005).

Curated by C.P. Company and the Massimo Osti Studio in collaboration with the Massimo Osti Archive, the exhibition at Palazzo Pepoli is a tribute to the creative legacy of a man who revolutionized fashion with his unmistakable style.

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Osti’s “engineer-designer” approach gave rise to garments born from intensive material research and experimental production techniques — including the now-iconic Garment Dyeing process, which he pioneered in the early 1970s. For Osti, failed attempts were part of the process; he firmly believed that true innovation emerges through risk.

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Deeply rooted in his hometown of Bologna, Osti consistently declined invitations to relocate to Milan, the capital of Italian fashion. The city’s urban landscape, surrounding hills, cultural atmosphere, close friendships, and family life served as his daily source of inspiration — Bologna remained the beating heart of his creativity.

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The exhibition opens with a biographical timeline highlighting the most significant brands Osti founded throughout his career.

Visitors are then invited to explore a faithful reconstruction of his studio on Via Gaibola — a space that served not only as a creative workshop but also as a cultural hub in the 1970s and ’80s.

Notable guests included contemporary icons such as comic artist Andrea Pazienza and musician Lucio Dalla.

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Another section of the exhibition is devoted to Osti’s core design principles. Prototypes, military manuals, sketchbooks, fabric swatches, and graphic studies offer insight into the processes behind his ideas.

These are accompanied by a selection of iconic garments from the Massimo Osti Archive — each one a testament to the visionary nature of his work and its enduring influence to this day.

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To mark the opening of the exhibition on June 6, 2025, a talk was held at Palazzo Pepoli featuring Lorenzo Osti, CEO of C.P. Company and the Massimo Osti Studio; communications professor Roberto Grandi; writer Enrico Brizzi; and Francesca Ragazzi, Head of Editorial Content at Vogue Italia.

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Ideas from Massimo Osti – From Bologna, Beyond Fashion

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Palazzo Pepoli - Via Castiglione 10, 40124 Bologna, Italy

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June 6 to September 28, 2025

Opening hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday: closed

Free admission

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Photos via C.P. Company, Massimo Osti Studio, Ritual Projects, Carlo Orsi, D. Facchinato