Included in the Milano Cortina 2026 Cultural Calendar, the project “Rosa Genoni in Valtellina. At the Origins of Made in Italy (Tirano 1867 – Varese 1954)” aims to recreate the atmosphere of the Belle Époque through this highly significant female figure from Tirano, engaging the entire Valtellina community in the places that played a key role in the great industrial revolution between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These include the first grand hotels, the emerging sports facilities, and in particular the hydroelectric power plants that still punctuate the landscape.
Historical reenactment thus becomes a living history experience, fostering awareness of this artistic and cultural heritage among visitors and, even before that, among local residents, who are called upon to act as researchers and living witnesses of history through their still-active artistic and craft-based activities.
Thanks to this “widespread project,” at the end of January Valtellina once again takes center stage in the Belle Époque through a rich interdisciplinary program that evokes the past with events, guided tours, workshops, exhibitions, and performances. These are conceived and organized by professionals in the field and take place in the original locations, with Rosa Genoni always at the heart of the narrative through the needlework masterpieces of Barbara Trestini Trimarchi. The success of the initiative is made possible by the close collaboration between the Cultural Association Profumo di Milano and local institutions (in particular municipal departments and tourism boards), which are tasked with engaging various local associations and communities (shopkeepers, artisans, civic bands, performers) to experience a full week in Belle Époque style, dressing and enjoying themselves as was customary at the turn of the 20th century.
Through a virtual network, visitors are invited to actively enter this living tableau, fostering a virtuous exchange of knowledge and tradition, as well as social interaction and integration.
Beyond the enhancement of cultural heritage, the project also generates clear positive impacts on the area in terms of tourism, economic activity, and commerce.
Period: from Saturday 24 January to Sunday 22 February 2026
Locations: Sondrio, Tirano, Grosio, Bormio
The program began in September 2025 with the event “Rosa Genoni in Valtellina: From Cortina to Bormio – Art and Fashion at High Altitude,” presented in the Dolomites and in Milan during Fashion Week.
