Moments in life are all too quick, and all too passing. That first bacio, that glance at the pretty girl who smiles back, the first time you saw Michelangelo’s Il Davide and stood in awe, wondering how on earth did human hands create such beauty.
Just as in life, the world of fashion has had many a memorable moment, while thanks to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, we can now download and share them with millions of others within seconds.
In the past fifty years, some moments have been so brilliant, they have made news headlines, inspired trends, and left an indelible mark within our memories. Who could forget Grace Kelly in Real Window when she sat dreamingly glancing at James Stewart while wearing an Edith Head’s creation or Audrey Hepburn dressed in a red gown while rushing down the stairs in Funny Face and telling Fred Astaire, “I don’t want to stop. Take the Picture!”
What makes these next moments in Italian fashion so particular is that they emphasize what happens when you take amazing fashion designers and pair them up with extraordinary persons. The results are magic– proving indeed, that while clothes matter; ultimately, in life and in fashion, people matter most.
Number 5: Mina singing Grande Grande Grande. In Italy, my then boyfriend, Luciano, told me, there are two legendary stars that I must always remember. One is Toto’ and the other is Mina. Born in Busto Arsizio, Anna Maria Mazzini or known to the world as Mina remains one of Italy’s most beloved and greatest artists who dominated the music scene in the 1960s and 1970s.
In 1972, during one of her performances, Mina sang her number one hit, Grande Grande Grande. On stage, she appeared before her audience in a soft ruffled black dress. There is no jewelry, (no bling bling), no five inch heals, no entourage of backup singers. She stands simply before us with just a microphone. With her golden locks in soft curls, she is indeed pretty. Then, with that singular first note, she immediately captures us–we are in her world and nothing else seems to matter.
The way she swings her hair, that smile, her effortless command of the stage, she feels the music and the words as though she were telling her own life story. She cares less about what she wears and more about the joy in sharing her talent while not trying to be anyone else but her incomparable self. In the end, this is what is makes Mina…..Mina.
Number 4: The Fashion Geniuses: Italian fashion started off with small humble beginnings. Often as tailors in small shops, fashion designers grew their businesses through years to monumental heights thanks to their creativity and craftsmanship. Brioni, Ferragamo, Elsa Schiaperelli, Zanotti, Prada, The list goes on. In the last thirty years, there have been dozens of amazing moments, but here are just a few.
Versace and his Supermodels: Born in Reggio Calabria, Gianni Versace gave the world of fashion a heightened sense of glamour and sexiness, one with which we had never seen before. His dresses always showed up on the red carpet, while he made his fashion shows as exciting as a rock concert. Extraordinarily gifted, and a brilliant marketing mastermind, Versace also helped to launch the concept of the supermodel. His fashion shows were legendary and when the trio: Linda Evangelista , Christy Turlington, and Naomi Campbell strutted down the cat walk wearing his uber sexy outfits , the world of Versace was truly at its best.
Armani and Hollywood. Giorgio Armani brought elegance and glamour to the world of fashion, and has been recognized by most as the most successful Italian designer in the world. In the 1980s and 1990s, before Armani came to Hollywood, stars like Michele Pfeiffer and Julia Roberts were often photographed in jeans and sweats and were upstaged by supermodels. Then, Giorgio Armani began dressing them and soon, movie stars learned that if you want to be a star, well, you best dress like one.
Gucci and Tom Ford. Founded in 1921, the iconic brand was once in need of a face lift as it had trouble attracting a younger generation. Then a fashion prodigy appeared. In 1994, a young, brilliant designer named Tom Ford was promoted to creative director, and suddenly Gucci became the Fashion House. His fall collection of satin shirts, velvet hipsters, white dresses that had a touch of metals and peek a boo cuts either along the hip or the back made fashion history while his tenure at Gucci turned the company around. By 1996, sales shot up by 90 percent.
Number 3: The People’s Princess and a designer who loved RED: Princess Diana may have been known for her glamour, her elegance and, of course, for being a Royal Princess, but I believe for most of us, she will always be the people’s princess with a heart of gold. Through her trials and tribulations, what I remember most was her life as a mother, and her dedication to bring about awareness of the AIDS epidemic, homelessness and the dismantling of landmines. In terms of fashion, Princess Diana brought such freshness and style to the royal palace and was the most influential woman in fashion for years. Although while married to Prince Charles, she could only wear English designers such as Catherine Walker and David and Elizabeth Emanuel, after she and Princess Charles separated, she began wearing other foreign designers.
No longer the shy twenty year old girl Prince Charles had married, Princess Diana in her later years was confident and glamorous–a woman in her own right while her clothes reflected her transformation. One of her favorite designers was Valentino. Born in Voghera, Valentino Garavini loved fashion since he was a child. After high school, he went directly to Milano to study fashion design and in 1959, opened his first couture studio. With his luxurious dresses, coats and suits, he is beloved among socialites and Hollywood’s elite.
In October 1997, Princess Diana was on the cover of British Vogue’s posthumous tribute wearing a red halter dress made by Valentino. There is no diamond tiara, no ornate jewelry, it is just Diana sitting down while smiling. She looked absolutely breathtaking, but more than that, she looked happy.
Number 2: The Masters: In Fellini’s film 8 1/2, Marcello Mastroianni was at the height of his career. No one in the world had his finesse, his style. This role solidified his position not only as one of the world ‘s greatest actors, and movie stars but as a style icon. With his black suits, skinny ties, and those dark glasses, he appears cool, sophisticated and oh so Marcello.
When Sofia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida burst out onto the scene, the film industry was dominated by the girl next door looks of Doris Day and Sandra Dee. But these two Italian beauties conquered Hollywood. In 1971, Ms. Loren appeared in the Dino Risi film, “La Moglie del Prete,” a film that paired her together with Marcello Mastroianni. Though the pressure to dress one of the most beautiful women in the world must have been immense, the costume designer, Gianni Polidori pulled it off beautifully. Because she is so stunning, Sofia Loren did not need a lot of ornate jewelry and in fact the dresses were kept simple. Lovely flower prints and monochrome black dresses were used along with scarves that accented her beautiful face.
The beautiful girl from Subiaco Italy, Gina Lollobrigida who starred in Trapeze and Come September, gave fashion some of its most iconic fashion styles: the pencil thin dress, the cardigan dress and sweater.
Number 1: The match made in Heaven: Oleg Cassini and First Lady, Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy. Though First Ladies such as Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt were admired and revered, Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy was the first to bring about a sense of elegance and flair to the Oval Office. In 1961, the First Lady would personally select Oleg Cassini as her exclusive fashion designer. Born in 1913, to both Russian and Italian parents, Cassini spent much of his formative years in Florence until he left for America in 1936. After years of designing costumes for films and dressings some of the most famous and beautiful women in the world such as Betty Gable and Natalie Wood, he was then called to design exclusively for Mrs. Kennedy.
The two would create what was later known as the Jackie Look, a collection that influenced and shaped fashion for years. The geometric dresses, the luxurious fabrics, the oversized buttons and boxy jackets were some of his legendary creations. In the end, Oleg Cassini created a look that helped showcase Italian fashion at its best and brightest, and he will forever be remembered as having dressed with such grace that “brief shining moment that was Camelot.” (1)
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from the musical, Camelot by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe
Find me at www.about.me/Gayalynn
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