Fashion inspirations can come from anywhere, often drawing from local traditions. In Siena, Tuscany, Italy, the Palio is a prime example of such inspiration.
This historic horse race, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages, takes place twice a year: at the beginning of July and on August 16th (this year it will be postponed to tomorrow, August 17th, due to rain). The latter, known as the Palio dell'Assunta, honors the Assumption of Mary to heaven, a Catholic celebration observed on August 15th.
The race features ten horses and riders, each representing one of Siena's seventeen contrade, or city wards. Seven contrade that did not participate in the previous year's Palio are automatically included, along with three others chosen by drawing lots.
The competitors circle the Piazza del Campo three times, and the entire event usually lasts no more than 90 seconds (please note that the Palio has faced significant criticism from animal-rights organizations throughout the years, concerned about incidents during the race that cause falls, which, in some cases, have led to the deaths of horses).
The 17 contrade are: Aquila (Eagle), Bruco (Caterpillar), Chiocciola (Snail), Civetta (Little Owl), Drago (Dragon), Giraffa (Giraffe), Istrice (Crested Porcupine), Leocorno (Unicorn), Lupa (She-Wolf), Nicchio (Seashell), Oca (Goose), Onda (Wave), Pantera (Panther), Selva (Forest), Tartuca (Tortoise), Torre (Tower), and Valdimontone (Valley of the Ram, usually shortened to Montone, Ram). Each contrada is distinguished by its unique colors and symbols.
Italian fashion designer Emilio Pucci was famously inspired by the tradition of the Palio. In August 1955, Pucci attended the Palio dell'Assunta and was profoundly struck by the vibrant costumes, rich colors, and excitement of the event.
This experience led him to focus his Spring/Summer 1957 collection entirely on the Palio of Siena. This collection marked a continuation of his approach to creating theme-based lines centered around Italian inspirations, following his previous Sicily-inspired range.
In the case of the Palio, Pucci faced a challenge: he had to try to avoid overcharging the collection with a multitude of motifs, from the heraldry of the seventeen flags, to the colors of the contrade, and the Renaissance-style costumes of the historical procession. There was a risk that these elements could become kitschy if not handled carefully.
Pucci approached the flags of the contrade not as mere replicas but as inspiration to be reinterpreted in a modern way. For each contrada, he designed a silk twill scarf featuring unique prints in various color variations (up to ten for each contrada), diverging from the actual colors of the city wards. The final combinations were carefully studied, as evidenced by numerous designs and sample cards. The scarves were then transformed into shirts, shorts, and tops.
For daytime wear, the collection included silk twill shirts, some reminiscent of jockey attire, paired with classic solid-colored cigarette trousers. There were also dresses, flared skirts, and printed cotton trousers, including knee-length culottes that vaguely echoed the trousers of odalisques.
The beachwear collection was acclaimed for its originality and playful spirit. Alongside the traditional one-piece cotton swimsuits, Pucci introduced the first bikinis, complemented by cover-ups inspired by the attire of pages. Medieval velvets were transformed into chenilles, and terry cloths were fashioned into small beach capes and long robes open at the sides, doubling as convenient beach towels.
Stanley Marcus had initial reservations about Pucci's thematic choice (the Palio collection is certainly not for fans of minimalism...), but then became an enthusiastic supporter, and for the American market Pucci created a collection of cocktail dresses and evening wear.
The evening wear featured a single design: a bustier dress with a wide pannier skirt in seventeen different fabrics representing the various contrade.
For the cocktail collection, Pucci designed three distinct models: a simple balloon dress, a high-waisted silk dress, and a dramatic cotton satin dress with a double over-skirt. The press and buyers were impressed not only by the originality of the designs but also by the incredible variety of prints and the bold, captivating use of colors, which infused the garments with a fresh sense of joy and irony.
In a text explaining his inspirations, which included the history of the Palio and images of the different contrade, Pucci stated: "Siena… the black and white of the Cathedral's marbles (…) the red of its Palaces, but above all the fantastic colors of the contrade, that's what I used as inspiration for my new collection. It may seem strange that I chose such a remote theme for my work, which has such a modern feel, but as a contemporary Florentine artisan, I feel very close to the artisans of the 14th and 15th centuries. It is precisely the medieval element of the Palio, with its rich geometric motifs and colors, that fascinated me."
The collection was contextualized and launched through events inspired by the Palio. Just before the July Palio of 1956, costumed participants from the various contrade, including pages, standard bearers, and local citizens, were photographed alongside models wearing Pucci's designs. Siena's iconic locations - Piazza del Campo, Fonte Gaia, the Duomo, and the Torre del Mangia - served as the stunning backdrops for these photographs, taken by renowned American photographer Lee Thody.
The collection was presented in February 1957 at the Sala Bianca, at Palazzo Pitti in Florence, where the show was opened by four pages from the Tower contrada and ended with a parade of seventeen models, each showcasing a scarf transformed into a flag representing one of the seventeen contrade. The set design, which echoed the Palio's vibrant themes, was replicated with great success in various locations, including San Francisco, Seattle, Birmingham, London, Nairobi, and even Leningrad.
The San Francisco Chronicle commenting on the runway show described it as an ancient spectacle re-imagined in Technicolor.
In 2007, an exhibition in Siena celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the collection, highlighting its lasting influence on fashion.
The collection inspired other designers, including Japanese designer Tokuko Maeda whose 2010 collection featured a mix of flags and heraldic symbols, reflecting the enduring impact of Pucci's designs.
If you like Emilio Pucci's vintage Palio designs, but can't afford an original piece, well, consider re-purposing a Palio flag for a fun and creative project.
Alternatively, you might explore a fresh narrative rooted in the year of Pucci's 1957 collection. During that period, Luigi Zampa was filming The Love Specialist (also known as La Ragazza del Palio and The Girl who Rode in the Palio), a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of the famous horse race.
The film tells the story of Diana Dixon (Diana Dors), a Texan girl who wins a quiz show jackpot and decides to spend her prize- a cash reward and a brand-new Cadillac - on a trip to Italy. When her car breaks down near Siena, she encounters Prince Piero di Montalcino, a charming Italian nobleman. Believing each other to be wealthy, they embark on a romance fraught with misconceptions and surprises.
The plot reaches its peak during the Palio horse race. After Diana discovers that Prince Piero has bribed the jockey of a rival contrada to ensure his horse's victory, she confronts him and ends their relationship. Determined to prove her worth, she convinces the rival horse's owner to let her ride it in the Palio. Diana wins the race, and the film concludes with her marrying the Prince.
Many extras in the horse race scenes were real jockeys, but there was also a woman who raced among them, Rosanna Bonelli, the first and only female jockey in the modern Palio (before her there was Virginia Tacci who rode in 1581 for the Dragon, but this palio is not included among the official ones).
Known as "Diavola" (the She-Devil) or "Rompicollo" ("Breakneck"), a nickname taken from the eponymous operetta written by her father, Bonelli initially appeared in a mock Palio race staged for the film's shooting crew, first replacing the jockey of the Pantera (without the production's knowledge) and later serving as a stunt double for actress Diana Dors (who was afraid of horses) when the chosen stuntwoman had an accident. This exposure paved the way for her dream to compete in the actual Palio on August 16, 1957 (she was also encouraged by the film producers who were looking for a story to advertise the movie).
Racing for the "Aquila" team, Rosanna Bonelli eventually made history as the only woman to participate in Siena's iconic Palio horse race. Although she did not finish in first place like the film heroine (hit by another horse, she had an accident and fell, as reported also by Italian weekly La Domenica del Corriere), she was honored with the title of "honorary jockey" by her contrada.
Since then, no other woman has competed in the Palio, so this story offers a fresh narrative for a fashion collection, one that departs from the colorful and eclectic designs of Pucci and instead draws inspiration from a female jockey breaking through traditions and defying conventions.
Indeed, to hell with traditions (after all they exist to be reinvented...) and cocktail dresses. Let's change the Palio fashion narrative with a celebration of trailblazing women and their indomitable spirit, otherwise we will have to turn to Artificial Intelligence to imagine a Palio with female jockeys (see last image in this post).
Comments