MEM exhibition centers voices of Montreal's Italian seamstresses

A new exhibition at the Centre des mémoires montréalaises opens a window into the lives of Italian women who profoundly shaped Montreal's post–Second World War garment industry but whose history remains largely untold.

"Le cucitrici – Voices of Montréal's Italian Seamstresses" centers on the lived experiences of women who spent years working in the city's clothing factories. For some of the seamstresses featured, seeing their stories recognized carries deep meaning. "I'm honoured because somebody did something about this," said seamstress Pina Albanese. "It's a spectacular feeling, something unexpected," added seamstress Anna Manno.

The exhibition was built around direct testimony from the women themselves, with no outside interpretation placed over their stories. Production and creative director Anita Aloisio said the goal was to keep their voices at the centre: "I wanted them to express themselves by their voice, and not have a third party talk about them, study them, pretend that they know about them. I wanted to give validity to their sacrifices, their opinions, their strife, their extreme pride and courage."

Aloisio said the interviews include themes of solidarity, responsibility toward family, and resourcefulness—often described as l'arte di arrangiarsi, the art of making do. Each interview runs about an hour and a half; the exhibition edits them to five to seven minutes, depending on the piece. But the full interviews will remain part of the MEM archives, becoming permanent resources for researchers studying Italian immigration and the role women played in shaping Montreal's economy and culture.

The exhibition connects personal memory with city history, offering visitors—many of them descendants of the seamstresses—a chance to see their families' contributions recognized.