Lapis was launched in 1987, and the first issue appeared in November that year.[2] The founder was a feminist theorist, Lea Melandri.[3] The magazine was started to document the women's transversal reflections[2] and was an independent feminist publication.[4]
The publisher of the magazine changed over time. A company in Milan, Faenza, was the publisher from June 1989.[1] Then the magazine was published on a quarterly basis by a feminist publishing house, Tartaruga, in Milan from March 1993.[1][5] Later the frequency of the magazine was switched to monthly.[6]
Lea Melandri was also the director of Lapis from its start to its closing in 1996.[7][8] Its notable contributors included Giuliana Bruno, Giovanna Grignaffini, Paola Melchiori, Adriana Monti, Maria Nadotti and Patrizia Violi.[9]
Lapis covered a wide variety of topics from women in workforce to their contributions to cultural development.[5] The magazine had a regular section on cinema.[9] Its last issue appeared in December 1996.[1] The magazine produced 32 issues during its run.[10]