Atelier Zanolli

Under the label Atelier Zanolli, a fantastic world of silk fabrics that were painted and imprinted with patterns, opulently embroidered cushions, colorful pearl creations, as well as finely crafted leather and wood articles, was created between 1905 and 1939 in Zurich. The Zanollis had immigrated from Italy in 1905. Their family business was entirely women-run by mother Antonietta and her daughters Pia, Lea, and Zoe Zanolli. The cultural and stylistic influences manifested in the Zanollis’ visually appealing product world range from the avant-garde to a typically Swiss aesthetic forged by a national spirit of defense against the increasingly felt threat that Nazi Germany posed to the country in the 1930s. Driven by a striving for artistic self-realization, the atelier defied the many economic challenges of the period and carried out many commissions for Zurich’s leading textile businesses and department stores.