FASHION Florence Palazzo Pitti Between History And Fashion

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FLORENCE

PALAZZO PITTI BETWEEN HISTORY AND FASHION

by Valentino Odorico

Florence is rich in history and culture, but fashion also has a fundamental role in the DNA of the city. In fact, the Tuscan capital is home to one of the most important international fashion events in the world: Pitti Immagine Uomo. Palazzo Pitti, an imposing Renaissance building in the heart of the city, is just a few steps from Ponte Vecchio. Its core dates back to 1458, when it was the residence of the banker Luca Pitti. The palace was purchased in 1549 by the Medici family and became the residence of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany and then, in 1737 it became linked to the Habsburg-Lorraine family. The Palazzo houses the Galleria Palatina, an important gallery with masterpieces by Titian and Raphael. It is also the location of the bedroom of Giovan Gastone De’ Medici (1672 -

1737), famous for his homosexuality and who is said to be the cause of the extinction of the Medici dynasty. An anecdote reported in various texts tells that, after dividing his state among the great powers, Giovan Gastone De’ Medici spent final his years in Palazzo Pitti amidst a series of homoerotic excesses. The Palazzo has been the protagonist of events and fashion shows designed for the nobility and rich bourgeoisie for centuries. However, starting from 1952 the Palazzo became a contemporary reference point for Italian fashion when Giovanni Battista Giorgini organized the first modern fashion show in Palazzo Pitti’s evocative Sala Bianca. Nine haute couture houses and sixteen sartorial and leisure fashion houses participated. Among the great Italian names at that historic show was the master of design Emilio Pucci. The show was a huge success, and gained transatlantic acclaim from the many Americans who attended the event. Florence became the emblem of Italian art and innovation in fashion, and an icon worthy of the style and craftsmanship that embodies Made in Italy. The Sala Bianca was the perfect setting to restore the beauty and luxury that had been missing in fashion since before the war, and Palazzo Pitti quickly became a global destination for fashion with a touch of unparalleled luxury. Over the years, efforts have been made to further expand this very strong connection between the palace and fashion. In 1983, under the direction of Kristen Aschengreen Piacenti, the Gallery of Costumes was founded. The collection includes more than 6000 creations including accessories, theatrical and cinematographic costumes and antique clothes,

@ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze @ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze

making it one of the most important costume museums in the world. The museum admirably traces the historical arch and evolution of society’s tastes, hosting valuable and rare examples of designers such as Giorgio Armani, Gianni Versace, Ottavio Missoni, Emilio Pucci, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent and others. Today Palazzo Pitti also houses the Museum of Fashion and Costume, the most important museum of Italian fashion in the world. Haute couture, stage costumes, wedding dresses, jewelry and accessories are now exhibited in thematic rooms. The collection includes creations by Lucile, Versace, Azzaro, Renato Balestra, Roberto Cavalli, Ken Scott, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Gucci and Prada. Most of the pieces were donated by private individuals or public institutions; other garments arrived thanks to the transfer of entire wardrobes of personalities such as Franca Fiorio or Eleonora Duse. Among

@ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze

@ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze

the museum’s rarities are the funeral clothes of Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici, his wife Eleonora di Toledo and their son Garzia. The museum carries out any needed restorations in its own workshops, and employs a staff of professionals who maintain the collection. Considering the immense number of items in the Palace, the exhibits and collections rotate periodically at least every two years, within an itinerary that unfolds chronologically and thematically. This is in addition to the periodic

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@ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze

retrospective exhibitions held in some special rooms of the Gallery. There are also numerous individual exhibitions worth mentioning, including in 2001, the exhibition “Il guardaroba di una signora siciliana” (“The wardrobe of a Sicilian lady”) which traced the taste and fashion of the rich Sicilian bourgeoisie from the 1920s to the 1950s. In 2002 “Acquisizioni attraverso il Novecento” (“Acquisitions through the 20th century”) expanded the gallery’s acquisitions with garments from the houses of Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Jean Patou, Alaïa, Gucci, Gottex and Kenzo. Between 2007 and 2008, a selection from the Riva collection of about three thousand buttons were exhibited, a symbol of male elegance showcased in their most elegant forms thanks to the use of gold, silver and precious stones. At the turn of 2014 and 2015, the Costume Gallery of Palazzo Pitti was also home to the exhibition of Piero Tosi after he received an honorary Oscar for his lifetime achievements in cinema. About fifteen stage dresses, including those of Medea (directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini), Elisabetta - Sissi (directed by Luchino Visconti), Giuliana Hermil - L’innocente (directed by Luchino Visconti) were on display in an extremely popular exhibition. In recent years Palazzo Pitti has become most famous as the location for the Pitti Immagine Uomo fair, showcasing the men’s collections by the biggest names in Italian fashion in the most important event in the world for men’s fashion.

@ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze