Cambrensis x Magnetic: 'Genoa'

Cambrensis came together with Magnetic Book, the publication by Anthony Rivers documenting the early years in the UK of Italian designer Massimo Osti, to create Genoa - a collection celebrating the connection between Italian heritage and the communities of Wales. The collection takes its name from Genoa, the Italian port city that played an important role in the historic movement of Italian communities to Wales, including those who came to the South Wales Valleys to work and establish businesses such as cafés. The collaboration brought together these shared cultural histories through a contemporary Welsh fashion collection.

The collaboration was brought to life through a dedicated fashion film, shot at Viazzani’s Station Cafe in Merthyr Tydfil, an Italian café that has been owned and run by generations of the Viazzani family. The setting provided a direct connection to the Italian heritage that inspired the collection, bringing the story into a living part of the South Wales Valleys. The film was later screened for the first time during London Fashion Week and Wales Week London at the London Welsh Centre, introducing the Genoa story to an audience beyond Wales.

The collaboration was further commemorated through a permanent art installation in the new Merthyr Tydfil Indoor Market, featuring the Genoa Poste Italiane artwork. Drawing on artwork from Dewi Bowen’s archive, the design was reimagined by Cambrensis as a vintage Italian postage stamp, connecting the collection to the visual language of Italian heritage while continuing the legacy of Dewi’s work in a contemporary Welsh setting. Through Genoa, Cambrensis and Magnetic brought together two cultural histories, creating a project rooted in the shared heritage of Italy and Wales.