Italian Knots

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With the Support of:

Organization:

www.colosseumart.com |

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Ministero degli Affari Esteri

Istituto Italiano di Cultura Italian Cultural Institute

Ambasciata d’Italia Embassy of Italy

Ministero degli Affari Esteri (MAE) Ambasciata d’Italia a Washington, DC

Ambasciatore Giovanni Castellaneta Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Washington, DC (IIC)

Direttore Rita Venturelli Antonio Bettanini, MAE Giovanni F. Accolla, MAE Lucrezia Pagano, MAE Si ringrazia per la gentile collaborazione

Simone Bessi Stefano Mocellini Alberto Valentini Giovanni De Luca Maurizio Calosso Accademia Angelica Costantiniana Video

Italian Cultural Institute in Washington, DC (IIC)

Director Rita Venturelli Antonio Bettanini, MAE Giovanni F. Accolla, MAE Lucrezia Pagano, MAE Special thanks to

Simone Bessi Stefano Mocellini Alberto Valentini Giovanni De Luca Maurizio Calosso Accademia Angelica Costantiniana Video

Mario Greco

Trasporti

Trasportation

Assicurazioni

Progress Finearts Testi e illustrazioni

N.T.R. Insurance Services

Progress Finearts Texts and Illustrations

Enrica Barbano

Enrica Barbano

Abiti d’epoca

Period Costumes

ANNAMODE68 Impaginazione grafica

Simona Scarpati (Ars Imago s.r.l.) Grafica e cartellonistica

Pubblilazio Traduzioni in inglese

Lavinia Di Sciullo, IIC Simona Floris, IIC Grayson Harris, IIC

ANNAMODE68 Graphics

Simona Scarpati (Ars Imago s.r.l.) | Poster Design

Pubblilazio Translation Services

Lavinia Di Sciullo, IIC Simona Floris, IIC Grayson Harris, IIC |

Stampa catalogo

Printing Services

CRW Graphics

CRW Graphics

Editing

Pasquale Intermoia, IIC

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Ambassador Giovanni Castellaneta

Mario Greco N.T.R

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Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) Embassy of Italy in Washington, DC

| Editing

Pasquale Intermoia, IIC


italian knots Evolution, Language and Style of the Tie

Washington, DC June 2 - July 2, 2009

Curators: Luciano Calosso and Enrica Barbano

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Perhaps because it is the only accessory that can really serve to heighten male vanity, possibly more discreet yet no less intense than that of the female, the tie has resisted and rebuffed the criticism it has faced throughout history, be it from deconstructionalist fashion designers, more or less revolutionary protesters, or even demagogic- leaning politicians. From the time when Roman legionnaires, as depicted on the Trajan Column, decided to protect their throats with a strip of cloth while braving the cold in the campaigns in Dacia - a prototype of the one used by the Croatian knights hired by Louis XIV from which it then took its name - the tie retains its position as the premier icon of male elegance. It is a confidential informer like no other on the mood, the taste, and the personality of its wearer: in sum, his identity. From the perspective of someone like me in the diplomatic service, following the tale it tells has provided highly entertaining moments of intelligence gathering on a particular piece of identification: geographic origin. My many years in the profession have known enthusiastic bets with colleagues to decipher using the tie as a clue - the nationalities of dozens of diplomats met for the first time in the corridors of Geneva's U.N. Headquarters. The eye became trained to recognize the vivid colors at the neck of French friends at the Consulate in ChambĂŠry and the Embassy in Paris. It has learned to easily distinguish English-speaking interlocutors by the tight knots and regimental stripes found so pervasively in Australia and in the United States, both places where I had the good fortune to serve as the Ambassador of Italy. Nothing is more globally accepted in male dress than the tie. There is nothing more encrypted and at the same time more resistant to the standardization imposed by globalization. This is why we Italians should take great pride in being the world's standard bearers of excellence in the production of this accessory. So we celebrate this history, proudly, and not without a touch of vanity, through an exhibition, Italian Knots, showcased in the spaces of the Embassy of Italy and brought for the first time to the United States by the Italian Cultural Institute in Washington, DC and Rome's Colosseum. Even without the national flag at the entrance or decades of experience in the diplomatic corps, all will quickly appreciate that an elegant tie, one marked by impeccable workmanship and matchless creativity, has always carried the indelible and inimitable label, Made in Italy.

Giovanni Castellaneta Ambassador of Italy

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Forse perché unico vero accessorio capace di esaltare la vanità maschile, più discreta forse, ma non per questo meno intensa di quella femminile, la cravatta resiste imperterrita a tutti i numerosi detrattori che la sua lunga storia le ha posto di fronte, siano essi stilisti “destrutturalisti”, contestatori più o meno rivoluzionari e persino politici in vena di facile demagogia. Dal tempo in cui, impegnati nelle fredde campagne di Dacia ritratte sulla Colonna traiana, i legionari romani decisero di proteggersi la gola con una fascia di stoffa antesignana di quella dei cavalieri croati assoldati da Luigi XIV da cui prese poi il nome, la cravatta resta un'icona imprescindibile dell'eleganza maschile. Essa tradisce come pochi altri indizi esteriori l'umore, le inclinazioni, la personalità di chi la indossa: in una parola, la sua identità. Su questa scia, il divertissement, per un diplomatico come me, è stato spesso quello di desumervi quella speciale identità che è la provenienza geografica: gli anni di carriera hanno sperimentato le scommesse accese con gli amici in Rappresentanza per pronosticare -dalla cravatta- la nazionalità delle decine di colleghi conosciuti per la prima volta nei corridoi della Sede delle Nazioni Unite a Ginevra. Hanno allenato l'occhio all'accesa vivacità al collo degli amici francesi frequentati al Consolato a Chambéry e in Ambasciata a Parigi. Hanno insegnato a distinguere facilmente gli interlocutori anglofoni dallo stretto nodo e dalle righe regimental così diffuse in Australia e Stati Uniti, dove ho avuto la fortuna di prestare servizio da Ambasciatore d'Italia. Niente di più internazionalmente accettato della cravatta, quindi, nell'abbigliamento maschile. Niente di più codificato, ma al tempo stesso, resistente all'omologazione della globalizzazione. E proprio per questo, molto che debba rendere orgogliosi noi italiani di essere alfieri della produzione di eccellenza di questo accessorio nel mondo. Celebriamone dunque la storia, con amor proprio e una punta di vanità, attraverso la mostra “Nodi italiani” che l'Istituto di Cultura di Washington e Colosseum di Roma presenteranno per la prima volta negli Stati Uniti, nello spazio espositivo dell'Ambasciata d'Italia. Non sarà necessario il tricolore all'ingresso - tantomeno lunghi decenni di carriera diplomatica - a far riconoscere ai visitatori che una cravatta di stile, impeccabile fattura e ineguagliabile creatività porta da sempre, indelebile e inconfondibile, l'etichetta “Made in Italy”.

Giovanni Castellaneta Ambasciatore d’Italia

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When talking about the necktie, we generally associate it with the word “accessory” to indicate something secondary, an appendage of sorts that accompanies or adds to a principal or necessary element. However, this seemingly diminishing term well reflects the complexity of fashion, composed as it is of a myriad of elements which may often appear to be independent among themselves but are in fact tacitly coordinated to form a hidden order: the order of culture itself that could be compared to the grammar of a language or to a harmonious melody man plays in his attempt to describe and understand the life surrounding him. The impulses governing these elements may seem mysterious and wayward, but, inevitably, the end result is as harmonious as the splendid closing notes played by the chaotic orchestra in a famous Fellini film. The beautiful exhibition “Italian Knots,” organized by Colosseum (Rome), aims to call attention to the order in what at first glance seems a chaotic historical journey from the bizarre, exceedingly long, wind-thrust ties of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth centuries to those of our own bewildering and frenetic times of quickly changing moods and tastes. While offering a journey into the fascinating history of the necktie, this exhibition conveys an important message that I believe is worth stressing: success is possible, even in an era of frenzied outsourcing, for small and especially local enterprises. In fact, it is the smaller scale of Italian firms specializing in the manufacture of ties, all of them local, which makes them extremely functional and thriving. It enables the celebrated Alberto Valentini to pursue creative artistic experiments in a 300 square meter workshop in Rome's Via Coronari, which have earned him the title of “Salvador Dali of the Tie.” It enables the equally celebrated Marinella company, today a worldwide symbol of sophistication and elegance, to continue designing and manufacturing, as it has since its foundation in 1914, in its beautiful birthplace of Naples. In some ways, this exhibition dedicated to the tie can also be considered a showcase for the success of Italian small businesses. Countless Italian factories and companies similar to those whose products are on display demonstrate that it is indeed possible to thrive and prosper in the countries where they began despite rising labor costs and thanks to highlyqualitative materials and impeccable craftsmanship. Remarkably enough, these companies excel in the highly competitive sector of luxury products and export them all over the world.

Rita Venturelli Director of the Italian Cultural Institute

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Quanto si parla della cravatta, generalmente la si associa al termine “accessorio” per indicare qualche cosa di secondario, una sorta di appendice che accompagna o viene aggiunta a ciò che si considera principale o necessario. Tuttavia, questo termine apparentemente riduttivo rende perfettamente l'idea della complessità della moda, composta com'è di miriadi di elementi che spesso appaiono indipendenti tra loro ma che in realtà sono implicitamente coordinati e formano un ordine nascosto: l'ordine della cultura stessa, che potrebbe essere paragonato alla grammatica di una lingua o alle melodie armoniose suonate dall'uomo nel tentativo di comprendere e descrivere la realtà che lo circonda. Gli impulsi che governano questi elementi potrebbero sembrare misteriosi ed erratici, ma immancabilmente il risultato finale è armonioso come le splendide note finali suonate dall'orchestra caotica di un famoso film di Fellini. La splendida mostra “Nodi italiani”, prodotta da Colosseum (Roma) mira a evidenziare tale ordine nel caos apparente di una storia che va dalle strane cravatte del Sedicesimo e Diciassettesimo secolo, estremamente lunghe e svolazzanti, al tempo presente, con i suoi tumulti di mode e tendenze che cambiano troppo rapidamente. Oltre a consentire un viaggio nell'affascinante storia della cravatta, la mostra trasmette un importante messaggio che credo sia utile sottolineare: nell'era dell' “outsourcing selvaggio”, anche le imprese piccole e soprattutto locali possono avere successo. La piccola dimensione delle imprese italiane specializzate nella manifattura della cravatta, tutte locali, risulta estremamente funzionale e redditizia. Così, dal suo laboratorio di 300 metri quadrati di via Coronari a Roma, il celebre Alberto Valentini continua le sue sperimentazioni artistiche che gli hanno valso l'appellativo di “Salvador Dali della cravatta”. Allo stesso modo, la famosa casa Marinella, considerata oggi in tutto il mondo un simbolo di raffinatezza ed eleganza, disegna e produce cravatte nella splendida Napoli dal 1914. Miriadi di fabbriche e imprese italiane simili a quelle rappresentate in questa mostra dimostrano che è possibile fiorire e prosperare nel paese di origine, nonosante l'elevato costo della manodopera specializzata locale, grazie all'alta qualità dei materiali e alla lavorazione artigianale impeccabile. Ed è straordinario come queste imprese riescano ad esportare i propri prodotti in tutto il mondo e ad avere successo in un settore così competitivo qual è quello del prodotto di lusso.

Rita Venturelli Direttore, Istituto Italiano di Cultura

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1915

“A Well-Tied Tie is the First Serious Step in Life”. Oscar Wilde.

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THE EXHIBITION An event on the myth of the tie to celebrate the male accessory par excellence. A tribute to a distinctive sign of the customs and sense of style of an era. A glimpse into the history of fashion. A historical journey through changes and traditions. A heritage to be valued.

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THE LANGUAGE OF THE TIE The tie: a symbol of elegance that sets one apart; an accessory that makes the difference. The tie derives directly from the neckerchief, a garment that in ancient China and Rome was worn for protection purposes. However, the history of the tie began when it came to serve a purely decorative function. Through the centuries it has gained a significant position in a man's life. The Italian term cravatta (from the old corvatta) is believed to derive from the French cravate, adapted from the Croatian word hravt. The world became acquainted with the tie in the first half of the 17th century during the Thirty Years War. The Croatian cavalry endeared themselves to the aristocratic Parisians with their unique accessory: a handkerchief tied around the neck. Due to its originality, the tie was received in Paris as a symbol of progress and culture among the bourgeoisie. The tie is an essential element of men's elegance. It reflects one's personality and becomes an important component in social relations: an expression of social identity, an instrument of seduction. Although the knots, the proportions, the materials have changed throughout the years, the tie has remained that indispensable ornament that reveals the personality, creativity and the state of mind of he who wears it.

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Terracotta Warrior, III century B.C.

Count Robert de Montesquiou

Louis XIV

Column of Traian, Rome, II century AD

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Lord Brummell


HISTORY The first accessory in a man's wardrobe that resembles the tie goes back to the 3rd century B.C.: the imperial army of Huang-Ti, sovereign of the Celestial Empire, carried a sort of tie. In Augustan Rome, the precursor of the tie might have been the focale, a piece of fabric worn around the neck by legionnaires to protect against chaffing. In the mid 17th century a need was felt to embellish shirt collars with a sort of jabot, in the style of Louis XIV. But they were not yet called ties. Pioneers of the true and proper tie were the officials of the Croatian cavalry that arrived in France around 1636 as mercenary troops during the Thirty Years War. Their uniform required a muslin or silk scarf which was tied into a bow, the so-called hrvat, which literally means Croatian. From the ashes of the lace tradition combined with the success of the hrvat, derived the Steinkerque tie (1692): a long scarf, with lacy ends, that was wrapped twice around the neck; it was worn loosely knotted, its ends crossed with one of them inserted into an eyelet of the jacket. Louis XV went as far as creating the office of porta cravatte, or tie-bearer. In 1661 the Duchess of Lavallière, a favorite of the king, introduced the precursor of the tie in the women's world, which subsequently took her name. A century later, the black tie became very popular. It was again wrapped twice around the neck ending with a simple knot on the chest. It was an adornment of gala uniforms. During the French Revolution Robespierre wore a large tie in the shape of a handkerchief with a wide knot and loose ends. The tie, initially popular among military and government personnel, later became an accessory of the Dandy. Promoted by George Bryan Brummell, emblematic figure and leader in male elegance, the tie became the most important accessory in men's wear. Brummell's white and starched ties became tremendously popular. Despite changes in fashion and customs, the tie survived and experienced a rise in popularity in the 19th century. In 1828 the first essay on the art of tying a knot was written. By the end of the 19th century the most popular types of tie were the bowtie, the Ascot or Plastron (with pin), and the règate, a particular tie with squared ends and a loose knot, first seen in 1860 and worn during sports competitions. In 1925, American tie-maker Jesse Langsdorsf from New York introduced the modern tie: it was longer, made from three different pieces of fabric cut on the bias, allowing the tie to evenly fall from the knot without twisting. Oscar Wilde

Gabriele d’Annunzio

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III centry bc

II century ad

1800-1860

1900-1913

1943-1957

1969-1979

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1636


1659-1720

1730-1799

1861-1899

1914-1928

1929-1942

1958-1968

1980-1986

1987-1999

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| Valentino

Emporio Armani

Giorgio Armani

Gucci

Hermès

Prada

Dolce&Gabbana

Costume National

Dior Homme

Karl Lagerfeld

Bottega Veneta

Byblos

Fendi

Missoni

Versace

Christian Dior

Ermenegildo Zegna

d&g

Enrico Coveri

Cerruti

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EVOLUTION Throughout the centuries, the tie has constantly evolved; an evolution that not only involved fabrics and cuts, but also the way it's worn. The same tie, with the same knot, can appear completely different according to how it's worn in relation to the collar and the overall outfit. The personal interpretation of the rich and famous has had much influence in the past years on how and when to wear a tie. However, while fashion can dictate the size, the color and the way a tie is worn, the basic notion of the modern tie is universal.

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Chigi, 1680

Prince Charles

Elvis Presley

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Angelo Litrico


COLORS The tie is mainly a man's prerogative and its colors, shapes, and designs have specific meanings. In the courts of the 1700's, an epoch dominated by ruffled lace, blue and yellow ribbons began to appear. These colors had a particular meaning: blue being synonymous with nobility and yellow representing power. By the mid 1800's, the tie of the revolutionaries was red, that of the anarchists was black, and the tie of the clerics was yellow. By the end of the 19th century, that stripe of color around the neck began to lose its political meaning. Originally, the modern tie was made from yarn dyed fabric of solid color woven in wither a satin or jacquard pattern. Because this technique allowed limited variations in color, the printed fabric was introduced: small geometric patterns recurred from the end of the 1800s up until the 1920s. In the 1930s, the exotic patterns and the loud colors of the 1920s were replaced by softer colors and paisley designs proper of the Windsor style. In the 1940s, figurative patterns became very popular. In the United States ties had multicolor and geometric designs, clearly inspired by futurism and cubism. In the 1960s, flowers and patterns typical of the hippie movement came into style. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the lively motives of the 1970s were replaced by softer colors and small designs repeated regularly all over the tie. The paisley theme, widely diffused towards the end of the 80s, was in turn substituted with animal and geometric patterns. In the 1980s, exotic motives and figurative themes became popular. The tie with colorful diagonal stripes has arguably become the most popular tie in the world; however, it is very different from its ancestor, the Regimental tie characteristic of the English clubs and universities. Today, Marinella of Naples remains the champion of micro-designs, perpetuating an ancient tradition and allowing the survival of small manufacturing companies.

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Seven-fold Tie

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MANUFACTURE The first test of a tie's quality is the feel. Each material used in a tie's production provides a different sensation to the touch. Another key feature is the stitching. Ties of good quality are made from three separate pieces of fabric stitched together. The loop on the backside can be sewn to the inside of the tie, and in some cases the two ends are inserted into the seam of the tie itself. This characteristic indicates good quality of construction. Completely invisible but ever present (except for the seven-fold tie), is the triplure, or interlining. A tie's strength and its unique sensation to the touch depend on the quality of this inner construction. Even today, manufacturers are still searching for the ideal interlining: based on cotton, wool, synthetic fibers or secret formulas. The only exception to the typical construction technique with interlining is the seven-fold tie. Roughly a square yard of silk is folded into seven sections. The weight and body of this masterpiece derive from the layering of the fabric, and its construction typically requires an hour or more of work.

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1890

1891

1828

Giacomo Leopardi 1820

Beethoven 1801

J. Brahms 1860

Duke of Windsor 1939

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Tasca, Vincenzo Florio, Lampedusa


THE KNOTS “A well-tied tie is the first serious step in life”. Oscar Wilde. In the iconography of masculinity, the knot of the tie represents union, marriage, fertility and therefore life. There are many kinds of knots, from the most simple and best-known to the more difficult and least used. Behind each knot there is a piece of history and culture. In 1828, H. le Blanc wrote The Art of Tying the Cravat, illustrating, with the ties of his period, possible variations of the knot. Lord Brummell asserted: “the tie is the man,” and introduced his own knot. However, at the end of the 1800s, homogeneity rules with the resurrection of the plastron of the Ancien régime. The rigour of the Victorian Age brought uniformity in style. Both necktie and bowtie, skinny or wide, were sold pre-knotted. The main point of commonality between the régate of the previous century and the Victorian tie is the knot, directly derived from the mariner's knot. At the beginning of the 1900s, Edward VII introduced the precursor of the four-in-hand knot (from the name of a 19th century London gentlemen's club), today's most popular knot. This knot and the colourful and wide Lavalliére coexisted until the end of the 19th century. The Windsor Knot, named after the Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII), was introduced in the1930s. It is a more voluminous and symmetrical knot. This knot is one among the most popular still used today, not just in Italy, but also in many European and Latin American countries. Up until 1900 there was only one commonly known tie knot; two other knots originated in the 1930s, the four-in-hand and the Windsor. Only in 1989 was a fourth knot introduced: the Pratt. Therefore in 50 years of the history of the modern tie, only four methods of knotting a tie were universally known. In the late 1990s, two researchers at Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory used mathematical modelling to discover that 85 knots are possible with a conventional tie (limiting the number of moves to a maximum of nine in order to obtain normally sized knots and hanging ends.)

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Moschino Moschino

Gianni Versace Gianni Versace

Lanvin Paris Lanvin Paris

Gianfranco Ferré Gianfranco Ferré

Missoni Missoni

Givenchy Givenchy

Christian Dior Christian Dior

Valentino Valentino

Chanel Chanel

Christian Lacroix Christian Lacroix

Roberto Capucci Roberto Capucci

Carl Lagerfeld Carl Lagerfeld

Pierre Cardin Pierre Cardin

Salvatore Ferragamo Salvatore Ferragamo

Hermès Hermès

Finollo Finollo

E. E. Marinella Marinella

Giorgio Armani Giorgio Armani

Schubert Schubert

G.G. Battistoni Battistoni

Fendi Fendi

Salvatore Ferragamo Salvatore Ferragamo

Valentino

Missoni Missoni

Dolce&Gabbana Dolce&Gabbana

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THE SUPERIOR CRAFTSMANSHIP OF EXCELLENCE Elegance, tradition, and stylistic innovation are the extraordinary virtues that the rest of the world unanimously associates with Italian manufacture. Thanks to a long tradition of excellence and the unparalleled ability of its craftsmen, Italy's exquisite taste has conquered the markets of the world. In the world of ties, the Italian style can be defined as 'sartorial', based on the highest quality of the materials and a stylistic study that looks at the present in the selection of colors and patterns, at the past in its unique interpretation of enduring designs, and at the future in its reliance on technological innovation. A simple strip of cloth, by itself, reveals the taste and trends of a nation. One can alter the design of a tie not only by playing with colors and sizes, but also by employing special manufacturing techniques to achieve unique results in appearance and texture. Today, the tie plays a very crucial role in fashion and this fact has increased the importance of its design.

FABRIC Ties can be made of various materials. Silk is unquestionably the most common and pleasing. However, ties can be also made of cashmere, linen, wool, and other materials. The silk tie is by far the most sold on the market, and remains, the world over, the tie par excellence. The patterns used in the production of ties are in the hundreds. Among them we have yarn dyed jacquard fabrics, which are heavier and more costly. These materials often come from the area around Como, where the manufacturing of silk has been around since the end of the 16th century. The great tie designs can be classified according to three main styles: English, French, and Italian or, justly, “Comasco�.

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Louis XIV, 1690

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Annamode has been a central player in the history of theatre for the past seventy years, and is recognized as one of the true costume makers for theater and cinema in the international arena. Established in Rome in 1946 by the sisters Anna and Teresa Allegri, Annamode began its activity dressing the actresses of Neorealism. Today, the image of Annamode is that of a family of sartorial clothiers able to renovate itself through technological innovation while remaining faithful to tradition. Since 1994 Simone Bessi, nephew of Anna Allegri, has embodied the third generation of an atelier ever more present in the world of international movie-making while continuing to furnish costumes to theater and opera productions. The period costumes on view in this exhibition, faithfully reproduced with painstaking attention to quality and detail, represent an outstanding example of what the craft of costume making can achieve and ensure the perpetuation of our traditions and culture. www.annamodecostumes.com www.fashionset.it info@annamodecostumes.com

1970

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Eties is the first project of Cravattificio Diana, a company that is part of a group founded in 1954 and specialized in the production and distribution of ties. Eties is Europe's most important Italian online retailer of ties. The project combines the experience of over fifty years of constant presence on the national and European markets with the desire, derived from the advances in information technology, to meet new challenges. From the very beginning, the distinctive feature of the project has been an unconditional pledge to superior quality, a feature that still today sets Eties' style apart. Eties goal is the full and seamless integration of classicism and modernity. Their modelcombines a half-century of experience in the tie business with the desire to explore new paths centered on new trends, innovative fabrics, patterns, and colors. All ties are made rigorously by hand with materials of the highest quality, in pure silk. The artisanal production techniques results in the creation of limited but precious and exclusive collections that are viewed as true cult items. www.cravattificiodiana.it www.eties.it

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Thanks to his creativity and originality, Alberto Valentini is considered the “Salvador Dali of the tie.� His sartorial creations revolutionize the tie, in both its structure and substance. From his laboratory in Rome he studies the materials he employs in his work: from the textiles of the 20s up to today, to unusual materials derived from modern technologies, such as plastics, rubber, and petroleum derivatives. Adopting the same rule-breaking approach that was characteristic of the Futurist artists, he employs the most atypical materials such as gabardine, harris tweed, Madras cottons, and wallpaper fabrics in order to create the Kadinsky collection, from the father of abstract art, and ties inspired by the works of Balla, Boccioni, and Marinetti. The tie is an object sensitive to the changing of times and tastes, constantly adapting to new styles and attitudes, allowing he who wears it to express his own creativity. Alberto Valentini's creations combine thoughts and emotions. Convinced that each individual has a predilection toward a certain material, substance and color, his research has led him to employ materials that were originally conceived for a completely different use. Valentini's rare and innovative creations are present in the wardrobes of celebrities, from politicians to artists and actors, who have chosen him as the interpreter of their personality.

Fortunato ortunato Depero, Depero, 1924

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Marlene Dietrich

Paul Newman

Ghandi

Marx Brothers

Charlie Chaplin

Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy

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Salvador DalĂŹ


Gianni Agnelli

Giacomo Puccini

Marcello Mastroianni

Lapo Elkann

Prince William

Charles Baudelaire

Guglielmo Marconi

George Clooney

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1750

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Gianni Versace

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1805

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