Lidel was a nationalist women's fashion magazine which was in circulation Milan, Italy, in the period 1919–1935. The title was a reference to its founder's name, Lydia Dosio De Liguoro,[1] as well as to the words Letture, illustrazioni, disegni, eleganze, lavori (it|Readings, illustrations, drawings, elegance, works). The magazine played a significant role in the birth of Italian fashion,[1] but at the same time became one of the most militant publications of Fascist Italy.
Lidel was launched by journalist Lydia Dosio De Liguoro in 1919.[1] [2] It was published on a monthly basis[3] and had its headquarters in Milan.[4] The magazine's target reader group was bourgeois women. Its goal was to instill a sense of Italian national identity and nationhood among these women[5] and to compete with the French fashion magazines.[6] It employed fashion to promote the idea of a modern Italy and a sense of pride and solidarity among Italians.[5]
Major contributors of Lidel were Grazia Deledda, Luigi Pirandello, Ada Negri, Carola Prosperi, Sibilla Aleramo, Amalia Guglielminetti, Goffredo Bellonci, Matilde Serao and Eugenio Treves.[5] The cover page of the monthly featured work by Bruno Munari last of which was published in the November 1930 issue.[3] It frequently featured advertisement of luxury products and fashion illustrations, short stories and articles on art.[6] The magazine folded in 1935.[1]