Titled Fotogrammi di moda italiana (Frames of Italian Fashion), the exhibition features 41 original dresses by celebrated designers, including Fernanda Gattinoni, Renato Balestra, Emilio Schuberth, Sartoria Peruzzi, Annamode Costumes, Irene Galitzine, Laura Biagiotti, Armani, Valentino, and Guillermo Mariotto.
"The influence of Italian designers grew significantly after World War II when American filmmakers began working in Rome due to lower production costs," explains Marialuisa Pappalardo, director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Prague. "This period, often called 'Hollywood on the Tiber,' showcased the extraordinary skill of Italian craftsmen, and actresses started wearing these creations off-screen as well."
Italy quickly became a trendsetter for Hollywood and beyond. For instance, Fernanda Gattinoni's designs for the 1956 film War and Peace gained international acclaim when worn by British icon Audrey Hepburn. Three of these dresses are part of the Prague exhibition. Like La Dolce Vita, the film won an Oscar for its costumes and even inspired one of Christian Dior's collections.
"Together with the exhibition's curator, Stefano Dominella, we selected dresses that illustrate Italian fashion's influence on pop culture from the 1950s to today," says Pappalardo. "That's why we included costumes worn by both iconic actresses and contemporary stars like Beyoncé."
The exhibition also highlights a Czech connection. On display is the brown and black flowing dress worn by Czech model Eva Herzigová as Olga Picasso in the 2004 film Modigliani.