As part of a four-part series, we pay homage to the fashion capitals London, Milan, New York, and Paris to celebrate their most pivotal moments in fashion to date.
Scroll through the gallery below to see look back on some of the most iconic Italian fashion moments.
The Versace supermodel reunion: At Versace’s Spring 2018 show, Donatella hosted a supermodel reunion. bringing back Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Carla Bruni, and Helena Christensen, in glittering gold lame and reviving the house’s signature silk prints in the same fell swoop—Versace created an iconic show. In the reinvigoration of the ’90s, Versace reminded us that it was part of what defined the era.
The Versace dress: One of the most famed dresses to date, the green jungle print sheer dress not only made Versace a household name, but is said to have spurred the creation of google images. When Jennifer Lopez wore it to the grammy awards ceremony on February 23, 2000, it became instantly iconic. For spring summer 2020, the dress was brought back to the runway, with an updated look worn by no other than JLo herself to a standing ovation.
Tom Ford at Gucci: In 1994, the designer took the creative reins at the Italian house. The brand struggled after the departure of Dawn Mello, but facing much criticism, Ford created a new Gucci era of scandal and provocation, along with some iconic of the most memorable pieces from the ’90s.
Schiaperelli lobster dress: In 1937, Elsa Schiaparelli called on surrealist artist Salvatore Dali to draw a lobster for an evening dress. a gigantic lobster is portrayed on the front of a white dress, right between the thighs. With this shifting of the white dress, traditionally linked to a purity and delicacy, with an overtly sexual perspective, Schiaparelli rawly interrogates the concept of good taste.
La Dolce Vita: One of the most memorable cinematic moments is the fountain scene in “La Dolce Vita”. Sylvia, played by Anita Eckberg, and Marcello wade into the trevi fountain in Rome, creating a dramatic and romantic scene and certifying that Sylvia's black dress will never be forgotten. Designed by Piero Gherardi, the strapless velvet gown with a sweetheart neckline was a truly magical fashion moment.
Fendi's show at The Great Wall of China: After more than 12 months of careful planning and preparation, Fendi’s creative director, Karl Lagerfeld, made fashion history by hosting the world's longest-running runway show on the 1,500 mile long Great Wall of China.
The Dolce & Gabbana FW15 show: This show was the first of its kind. With the theme “Viva La Mamma'', the collection celebrated Italian families and mothers. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana sent pregnant models and model mothers with their children down the runways. And of course, both mother and daughter wore Dolce & Gabbana designed pieces.
Roman Holiday: The 1953 film, starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, was greatly influential in both fashion and its portrayal of Rome. Featuring a princess running away from her duties on a Vespa, driving past the colosseum, and eating ice cream on the Spanish steps, the film is a love letter to the Italian city of love, and remains an influential and iconic film for all time.
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