|
FAME, FASHION & STYLE: THE ITALIAN STAR-SYSTEM
La Dolce Vita (Fellini, 1960)
Anita Ekberg’s costumes designed by the Fontana’s sisters of Rome; Mastroianni’s dress style – international interest in Italian men’s wear.
The scene in which Ekberg dips in the Trevi fountain – Paparazzi
Rome – glamour, hedonism, leisure, ecc
Tourism and fashion industry
Star System
To understand the Italian star system there are some aspects of the Italian society that must be taken into account:
1) In the film industry there has never been a studio system comparable to Hollywood which has selected, groomed or managed stars; in Italy the production of stars has been more casual
2) Catholic influence: for years transgression and gossip about stars’ private lives have been absent:
The Church has always tried to promote the values of motherhood and family through the stars; attempt to condemn rebel attitudes (Coppi, Maradona, Buscaglione, Vasco Rossi, Mina)
Film Stars
Italy after WWII has been an importer of cultural goods (>USA).
Italian actors and actresses copies of American stars; but these American typologies have remodeled and have been often criticized for their conduct of life by the Church
TV Stars
Strong influence of Catholic views (TV has always been controlled by the government)
> TV stars have been presenters
Today with the advent of commercial TV media produce stars even pseudo-stars through pseudo-events (reality shows)
TV has changed Italian society through a stereotyped cultural production of low level
Italian Style
The heritage of the craftsman
It was during the years of the economic miracle that the Italian fashion industry became famous at the international level: post-war life-style was less formal, less stratified by class and more international (many designers became famous during this time: Fontana Sisters, Valentino, Missoni). Fashion and style are not only about designing and manufacturing clothes but also about communicating an image, a representation of the self
The textiles of Italy have been as relevant in the last fifty years to the success of the country's commerce as they were in the fourteenth century
20’s Salvatore Ferragamo
The 25 year old Neapolitan shoemaker, Salvatore Ferragamo, immigrates to the United States were he studies footwear manufacturing before opening a shoes store in Hollywood. His hand-made, one-of-a kind shoes soon fit the feet of stars, such as Gloria Swanson.
Cary Grant, Judy Garland, Greta Garbo, Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe...
30’s Salvatore Ferragamo returns to Italy and sets up his business in Florence, were his American made fame continues to flourish, serving customers such as Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret.
Besides his exquisitely tooled creations, he is credited with having invented the platform sole and wedge heel, which have had a recent comeback in fashion.
50’s:The Fontana sisters
The Fontana sisters, who have raised their mother's small dressmaking establishment to haute-couture level, begin to sell their magnificent evening gowns in the United States.
They design Ava Gardner's costumes for the Barefoot Contessa, President Truman's daughter's wedding gown and are also favorites of Jacqueline Kennedy.
Valentino
Valentino shows his line in Florence's Pitti Palace. Buyers are so enthralled by this urbane and elegant collection that they buy heavily, making his name in the United States.
Since then his fame has spread and his refined creations dress the rich and famous world wide
60’s
Jacqueline Kennedy weds Aristotle Onassis wearing a Valentino dress, which was subsequently ordered by thirty-eight other customers; an unprecedented event in the world of haute-couture.
70’s
The Giorgio Armani Company is founded, beginning one of Italy's most incredible fashion success stories.
Giorgio Armani became the face of gender equality and refined glamour with his unstructured men's tailoring and heavily built women's garments in the late 1970s.
Giorgio Armani
Armani successfully breaks the rules of fashion by presenting in 1983 a new style of evening wear, mixing men's shirts and ties with exotic print skirts.
His casual, beautifully cut and understated fashion has helped to change attitudes to dressing over the last several decades.
In an interview Giorgio Armani declares that: "Black is the most elegant and intelligent color".
Dolce & Gabbana
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana team up to present their first Dolce & Gabbana, women's wear collection.
The rich Mediterranean flavor of their design has distinguished their creations since then.
Versace
Gianni Versace opens in the 70’s his first store in Milan. The son of a dressmaker, Versace's early training paves the way to his becoming a true originator in fashion.
Among his many innovations, the softly sensuous metallic dresses are perhaps the most striking. As a "hobby" he designs costumes for La Scala opera productions and Béjart ballets.
Gucci
Giorgio Gucci, head of the leather goods and ready-to-wear firm, was shot in front of his apartment house in the centre of Milan in 1995.
Tom Ford re-created the nearly deceased Gucci Company into an iconic brand name, promoting the house as the face of sleek modernity and an almost ruthless chic.
With Milan and Tuscany as saturated production centers, and Venice, Rome, Sicily, and Florence as inspirational landmarks in the evolution of the Italian aesthetic, the growth and influence of Italian fashion is ever present and "Made in Italy" is one of the most recognizable stamps of quality and innovation in contemporary fashion.
Prada
Miuccia Prada reinvented her family's then-staid company with high-end sportswear and pioneered trends toward technology-inspired minimalism by the early 1990s.
With a sensational 465 billion Lire, Miuccia Prada has purchased 9,5% of the Gucci group stocks.
A surprising decision, which allows the Milan stylists to have a say also regarding the affairs of the historical Italian griffe, which has been a competitor in America ever since Tom Ford became its creative director.
Roberto Cavalli
Cavalli's flagship store has sprouted up on via Tornabuoni in one of Florence's most historic quarters. It is located in the Palazzo Viviani, which for nearly a century housed the Caffè Giacosa.
The designer has preserved part of the café, incorporating the original counters into his own very individual decorating scheme: tiger-striped floors and chocolates strewn everywhere (also zebra and leopard wrapped…).
|
