It's always fascinating to revisit an old research and discover new updates about it. Thirteen years ago, I wrote a three-part essay on the influence of Diabolik, the Italian comic book and film, on fashion.
In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the character, thanks to two films by brothers Marco and Antonio Manetti (released in 2021 and 2022; the third will be out later on this year).
Yet, while the iconic Pop Art touch of Mario Bava has yet to make a comeback, there is still an aspect of Diabolik - a link with fashion - that continues to be subtly explored within the stories published in Italy.
Last year, the publishing house released a special supplement featuring a story set at the Milanese branch of La Rinascente with a view onto the Duomo, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Diabolik.
In June 2023, they released another supplement featuring a short story set at the Rome-based branch of the department store, in Via del Tritone.
Both stories primarily served as advertising opportunities, prioritizing commercial interests over other aspects (they should have also excluded the involvement of real individuals from the stories, namely the CEO of La Rinascente which sounded a bit like an unnecessary exercise in adulation...). However, the back cover of La Rinascente's June special edition unveiled a link to the world of fashion. Diabolik's partner, Eva Kant, is depicted on the back cover wearing an Op Art dress that bears a resemblance to designs seen on Marc Jacobs' Spring/Summer 2013 runway.
Interestingly, a similar graphic pattern appeared on a Dior dress from the maison's Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2018 collection, albeit applied to an evening gown.
Eva Kant's dress (obviously accessorised with some precious jewels, what else?), with its silhouette, resembles Marc Jacobs' red and white dress from that collection (that actually featured a series of designs borrowed from 1960s Op Art fashion - think Germana Marucelli to get an idea).
The graphic cover with Eva Kant is characterised by three colours - red, white and black - that also seem to replicate the key shades of Jacobs' collection.
As the links between this comic book and its main characters with the world of fashion continue, one can't help but wonder if we'll see more references to the comic book created by the Giussani sisters on future runways (or if Eva Kant will appear in any stories wearing more stylish looks from modern collections). It's an intriguing prospect, and we'll certainly keep a watchful eye for any developments.
In the meantime, those readers who are eager to delve deeper into the intersection of Diabolik and fashion, can revisit the previous essays published on this site (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3) on the comic book.
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