Biella has a noble, ancient tradition: in the Middle Ages, even before the work of wool merchants and weavers was regulated, a headstone from Roman times, found a few kilometres from the capital, spoke of sagarium, a producer of course wool. But it was in the 1800s that Biella became the Italian capital (or perhaps the European capital, or even the world's capital) of wool.
According to theories, its fortune is due to the great availability of water, needed not just to refine the raw product but also essential in driving machines before the age of steam, coal and electricity. Divided between its industrial archaeological past and the present represented by well-known brands that have marked the history of clothing and that still dictate trends in fashion and elegance, Biella is, today, a city that is showing how to re-invent itself, combining tradition with innovation that can attract a large audience. The journey through the history of wool in the Biella area can also be an opportunity to do some shopping.
If the courses of the torrents that define the valleys in the province have always been the natural site for textile factories, the best way to access the city and find factory outlets, shops and discount stores is along the Biella-Vercelli main road. Here, you'll find large shopping centres in which luxury brands (including brands not from Biella) have come together to show off the best of their collections, of huge interest to overseas tourists who, in addition to the fashion district in Milan, are eager to discover the true roots of Made in Italy. But not just that: the watchful eyes of the fashion industry experts will know how to spot other brands, from those that have graced the covers of specialist magazines around the world, to those that have become famous for dressing the world's greatest sportsmen and women.