If England has Rumpelstiltskin who spins gold fabrics,
Italy has Count Giorgini who spun the fabrics of the
fairytale story of Italian Fashion. The remarkable
date was on February 25, 1951 when a fashion show
was staged by the Italian legend in front of a global
audience in the beautiful city of Florence.
What has the Count done for fashion in Italy?
Count Giorgini revived the fairy tale ambiance of
the elitists by setting up his own palace as a place
for fashion shows, thus providing courtly scenery
for the production of fashion anthologies. In other
words, members of the high society themselves, who
wore the dresses that were considered fashionable
during those times, took part in epitomizing the standards
of fashion and beauty. From then on, the trend of
presenting fashion for the nobles and by the nobles
was evident in courtly rooms of their own museums
and/or abodes alongside erected sculptures of this
kind of fame.
He and his class have made a clear statement that
dress can be a medium to assert one's individuality.
Subtly, he communicated that fashion can be a language
of desire. Furthermore, fashion can be a game of emulations,
erotic domination, and flirting glances.
There was also a time when even cinema was predisposed
by Italian fashion. The nuptials of Tyrone Power and
Linda Christian in the year 1949 created a stereotyped
yet fantastic image of Italy as the Land of Love,
of Art and the Beautiful as the bride chose a dress
made from Italy. Dress served as an object of charm
that can make beautiful transformations to an individual,
just like in well-loved fairy tales.
In the 1960s, about the same time when London took
the spotlight in the world of fashion, every majestic
way of life in Italy has crumbled. During the industrial
boom, social status and social roles were also revolutionized.
Novice fashions in produced garments flowed into the
marketplace and women around the world started to
realize that they could dress stylishly at a low price.
Global recognitions for Moda de Italia garments were
gained with the success of Prêt-à-porter" between
the 1970s and 1980s. These were the years when Milan
grabbed the attention of the world and transformed
itself into a fashion landmark. Until now, topnotch
fashion designers continue to create fashion statements
from the mini-skirt to denims or blue jeans and other
various evolutions continue to enchant the world.
Now, consider the following institutions that have
been established to serve as citadels that provide
artists who can revolutionize the world:
1. Moda Altieri, Accademia Altieri is located at
00187 Roma, 50 San Nicola da Tolentino (info@accademialtieri.it;
http://www.accademialatieri.it).
2. Academia d' Belle Arte di Viterbo is located
at 01100 Viterbo, 17 Col
Moschin (abavt@tin.it).
3. Accademia Europea d' Moda e Costume d' Franco Reale
is located at
00186 Roma, 35 Lucina at Piazza San Lorenzo.
4. Accademia Internazionale d' Alta Moda ed' Arte
del Costume Koefia is
situated at 00192 Roma, 203 Cola di Rienzo.
5. Istituto Carlo Secoli can be found at 20154 Milano
, 5 G. Prina
(info@secoli.com).
6. Istituto Europea d' Design lies at 20123 Milano,
1 Giardino.
7. Istituto Italiano di Fotografia (Italian Institute
of Photography) is situated at
20144 Milan, 13 Forcella.
8. Istituto Superiore di Alta Cataldo lies at 00184
Roma, 204 Nazionale.
9. Polimoda campuses at 501443 Florence, 77 Pisana
in Villa Strozzi (info@polimoda.com; http://www.polimoda.com).
10. Scuola Progettisti di Moda, Universita degli
Studi di Urbino can be found
at 61029 Urbino (PS), 54 Bramante (scuola.moda@uniurb.it).
It suffices to say that the fashion of Italy has
evolved from a sense that dress confirms how one is
situated in a social status into an instrument that
can create the appearance of a beautiful city and
presently a place of creativity and competency.
