LA DOLCE VITA
Valentino, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Marni, Fendi, Prada, Versace, Pucci... Today, when one thinks of Italian fashion, an almost endless stream of sartorial powerhouses spring to mind. But it wasn’t always thus.
A new exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum explores Italy’s dramatic transition from post-Second World War ruin to the glitz that followed. This retrospective looks at the landmark Sala Bianca catwalk shows held in Florence’s Pitti Palace in the 1950s (which propelled Italian fashion on to the world stage) and examines the relationship between Italian fashion designers and Hollywood in the 1950s and 1960s.
With films including Cleopatra and Roman Holiday shot on location in Italy, actresses such as Elizabeth Taylor, whose legendary diamond and emerald Bulgari necklace worn at her wedding to Richard Burton is on display at the exhibition, and Audrey Hepburn (a loyal fan of Salvatore Ferragamo) became ambassadors for the country’s luxury wear.
Indeed Italy’s reputation for tailored clothing developed internationally owing to popular images of stylishly dressed Italian actors. Marcello Mastroianni’s trim suits in the 1960 film La Dolce Vita did much to popularise the Italian suit worldwide.
Once Hollywood had helped entrench the glamour of all things ‘Italia’ on the world stage, in the 1970s, couture gave way to an enthusiasm for manufactured fashion. As a result, Milan – with its fashion press, advertising industry and nearby clothing and textile factories – became Italy’s new fashion capital.
Today, many Italian designers are celebrities in their own right, thereby maintaining the nation’s reputation as purveyors of glamour. But for how long can this be sustained? With over 100 ensembles on display by Gucci, Missoni and Valentino, to the work of almost-forgotten post-war designers such as the Fontana sisters and Simonetta, this exhibition is a beautiful reminder of the fickleness of fashion.
The Glamour Of Italian Fashion: 1945-2014, runs until 27 July at the V&A, Cromwell Road, London SW7: 020-7942 2000; www.vam.ac.uk
A new exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum explores Italy’s dramatic transition from post-Second World War ruin to the glitz that followed. This retrospective looks at the landmark Sala Bianca catwalk shows held in Florence’s Pitti Palace in the 1950s (which propelled Italian fashion on to the world stage) and examines the relationship between Italian fashion designers and Hollywood in the 1950s and 1960s.
With films including Cleopatra and Roman Holiday shot on location in Italy, actresses such as Elizabeth Taylor, whose legendary diamond and emerald Bulgari necklace worn at her wedding to Richard Burton is on display at the exhibition, and Audrey Hepburn (a loyal fan of Salvatore Ferragamo) became ambassadors for the country’s luxury wear.
Indeed Italy’s reputation for tailored clothing developed internationally owing to popular images of stylishly dressed Italian actors. Marcello Mastroianni’s trim suits in the 1960 film La Dolce Vita did much to popularise the Italian suit worldwide.
Once Hollywood had helped entrench the glamour of all things ‘Italia’ on the world stage, in the 1970s, couture gave way to an enthusiasm for manufactured fashion. As a result, Milan – with its fashion press, advertising industry and nearby clothing and textile factories – became Italy’s new fashion capital.
Today, many Italian designers are celebrities in their own right, thereby maintaining the nation’s reputation as purveyors of glamour. But for how long can this be sustained? With over 100 ensembles on display by Gucci, Missoni and Valentino, to the work of almost-forgotten post-war designers such as the Fontana sisters and Simonetta, this exhibition is a beautiful reminder of the fickleness of fashion.
The Glamour Of Italian Fashion: 1945-2014, runs until 27 July at the V&A, Cromwell Road, London SW7: 020-7942 2000; www.vam.ac.uk