Le cucitrici : Voices of Montréal’s Italian Seamstresses

The exhibition Le cucitrici: Voices of Italian Seamstresses in Montreal explores the pivotal role Italian women played in Montreal’s garment industry after the Second World War. Shaped by a major wave of immigration, these seamstresses contributed significantly to the social, economic, and cultural life of their community while supporting the growth of one of the city’s key manufacturing sectors. Presented by the MEM in collaboration with Alliance Donne, a Quebec-based non-profit highlighting the contributions of women of Italian origin, the exhibition brings forward personal stories and collective experiences that reveal how this largely unseen labour helped shape Montreal and its neighbourhoods.