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Mariano Fortuny
Mariano Fortuny y Mandrazo
(1871-1949) was born in Granada in Spain, and moved to Venice in
1889.
This eclectic character had
interests
that went from painting to photography, from
theatrical
stage
designing to the creation of colours,
from fashion drawing to lighting.
In 1907 he created his first
pleated silk dress, which he called "Delphos", homage to the
name of Delfi's charioteer, inspired to the chitons of crimped linen of
ancient Greece.
The gathering of the silk was made
by hand, dampening the material and fixing it with stitching, and then
maintaining it in a heated environment. The dress was then adorned
with ribbons with Murano glass blown beads.
Since then, there was a transition from the
typical woman's dress which had a very large skirt, to a dress which
was worn by
slipping it on from the head, taking shape only on the human body.
This is how Fortuny became the first
authentic fashion designer, giving his contribution to the freedom
of the body and to the revolution in woman's clothing.
Fortuny used only natural colours,
and for his designs he took inspiration from Carpaccio's and
Memling's painting, and at the same time from his own collection of
fabrics.
The manufacturing of Fortuny fabrics
on the island of Giudecca continues to produce cottons of great
importance and of evanescent colours.
The Fortuny museum in Venice
recreates Mariano Fortuny's home, with his upholstery, his paintings, his
furniture, and allows the visitor to taste the passions and interests of a
great artist of the Belle Epoque.
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