Abstract

The article examines the expressions calzoni di taglio S. Francisco and abiti di S. Francisco – documented in the description of the characters in the libretto of La Fanciulla del West by Giacomo Puccini – in correspondence with the wording «’Frisco trousers» and «’Frisco clothing» in the play by David Belasco. In the absence of evidence in Italian or English, the two expressions are interpreted in the light of historical and economic data relating to the textile industries of the Californian city, which allow us to state that they refer to different items of men’s clothing