One of the first topics I often find myself torturing people with at lectures about cinema and fashion is the connection between American directors/costume designers and Italian fashion houses.
During the 50s low production costs in Rome's Cinecittà attracted many American directors who indirectly transformed in this way the Italian capital into the “Hollywood on the Tiber”.
The local economy benefited from the American movie industry decamping to Italy: quite a few fashion houses thrived during these years thanks to their collaborations with different directors.
While a few fashion houses were enlisted to help with film costumes, others became safe havens for many actresses who spent their time between shoots in the city centre ateliers, buying new and exciting designs. Among these fashion houses there was also Fernanda Gattinoni’s.
An exhibition opening tomorrow at the Italian Culture Institute in Paris is going to explore the relation
between Fernanda Gattinoni and cinema during the 50s-60s.
The event, entitled "Gattinoni
s'expose" and curated by Sofia Gnoli, will give the opportunity to visitors to see both costumes used for specific films and designs taken from the private wardrobes of many famous actresses.
Born in 1907 Fernanda Gattinoni was among the first Italian designers who trained abroad, first at Molyneux's in London and then in Paris.
She returned to Italy in 1930 becoming creative director of the Milan-based Ventura tailoring house and, when the latter opened a branch in Rome, she moved there to direct it.
In the mid-30s the designer started collaborating with the actress Isa Miranda who, a few years later, asked the Ventura tailoring house to make for her the costumes (designed by Edith Head) for the film Hotel Imperial (1939) by Robert Florey.
The Italian designer also worked on Isa Miranda’s wardrobe in the film Adventure in Diamonds (1940; also the costumes for this film were designed by Edith Head) by George Fitzmaurice.
In 1945 Gattinoni left Ventura to open her own atelier in Rome.
The first creation she made after opening – a green velvet suit – was destined to actress Clara Calamai.
When she moved her atelier in Via Veneto, near the American Embassy and the Hotel Excelsior, many foreign ladies - from the wives of American ambassadors, such as Claire Boothe Luce, to actresses - became loyal and regular clients.
Among Gattinoni’s customers there were also Anouk Aimée, Lucia Bosé, Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich, Rossella Falk, Ava Gardner (apparently, on a visit to the atelier the actress “accidentally” spilled some coffee on
a dress destined to her rival in love Lucia Bosé - they were both in love with actor Walter Chiari), Audrey Hepburn, Gina Lollobrigida, Anna Magnani, Kim Novak, Silvana Pampanini, Anna Maria Pierangeli, Lana Turner, Monica Vitti and Ingrid Bergman (director Roberto Rossellini took her to Gattinoni's to create a new image for the Swedish diva).
The Gattinoni-Bergman collaboration continued throughout the years (I’ve always found fascinating how in the past when a fashion designer created a successful look for a celebrity, the collaboration continued throughout the years, while nowadays everything revolves around money rather than style...) and the Italian designer created many costumes for Bergman, from the ones worn on the sets of Europa 51 (1952), Stromboli (1950) and Viaggio in Italia (Journey to Italy, 1954) to the costumes for Cactus Flower (1967).
One interesting point to make is that the designs created for Bergman were often used to put her in contrast with what surrounded her: she always looked elegant and stylish even while wearing a rather simple T-shirt matched with a long pleated skirt in Stromboli
Gattinoni also designed costumes for different Lana Turner’s films such as Flame and the Flesh (1954) by Richard Brooks and Imitation of Life (1959) by Douglas Sirk.
One of the most important connections between Gattinoni and cinema remains King Vidor’s 1956 film War and Peace.
I must admit that I never get enthusiastic faces among my audiences if/when, during a fashion and film lecture, I start talking about historical films, yet it’s always exciting seeing people’s expression change when they begin to realise how many connections you can spot between such films and fashion.
War and Peace has a special place in the heart of many fans of the fashion and cinema connection for one main reason, it was a historical film, but it was also a sort of perfect catwalk show to spot a future trend.
Costume designer Maria De Matteis didn’t want to dress up Hepburn, Anita Ekberg and May Britt in vintage costumes, so she turned to Gattinoni who opted for empire line dresses in neutral tones or soft pastel nuances.
It was an absolute success and the film was even nominated to an Oscar for its costumes.
The film had a huge impact also on fashion (costume design students pay attention, please: you MUST create looks that have an impact on trends and fashion and not be carried away by trends in Patricia Field-style): after the film came out Gattinoni successfully re-launched the empire line in its collections, making it popular again.
The film was also important for another reason: all the costumes worn were matched with perfect accessories, including gloves, bags, hats and even...underwear (amazing!).
Hepburn had roughly twenty different costumes and matching accessories to wear and she silently went through all the fittings in high temperatures (the film was shot in summer), sleeping every now and then on a sofa in the atelier.
Gattinoni made friends with Hepburn and also created for the actress a special wardrobe for her holidays in Capri.
There will actually be an entire section of the exhibition at the Italian Culture Institute dedicated to Audrey Hepburn and featuring costumes from War and Peace and dresses from her private wardrobe.
The event will also give the chance to visitors to rediscover costumes worn by Ingrid Bergman and Kim Novak and - fans of the LBD rejoice - it will include a series of little black dresses from Anna Magnani's wardrobe (it's actually worth rediscovering them since LBDs are always fashionable, so if you go to the exhibition take a notepad with you in case inspiration strikes...). During the event it will also be possible to watch a selection of images taken on sets and a series of film clips.
It's exciting seeing these costumes going on a little tour and being exhibited in Europe after so many years, but I hope that one day there will be a proper film festival paying homage to the art, craftsmanship and style of some of the first Italian designers who worked for the big screen.
Gattinoni s'expose is at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura, 73 rue de Grenelle, Paris, until 30th July 2010. The event will move to Rome in January 2011 and, in May 2011, it will be possible to visit it in Berlin.
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
Add to Technorati Favorites
Lijit Search
Comments