Italy: Fashion, Style and National IdentityReflecting Italy’s reputation for exquisite craftsmanship, intricate hand-
worked beading was already long known as an Italian specialization and
this continued strongly in the post-war years. The M.H. De Young Museum
in San Francisco has several fine examples. The earliest is a 1949 cream satin
evening gown by Ferrario.^21 It is decorated with all-over scrolled embroidery
Figure 11.1.Scarlet chiffon gown by Sorelle Fontana, 1953. Source: Fontana
archive, Rome, n. 17/F 1953. Courtesy of Sorelle Fontana, Alta Moda
SRL.
- M.H. De Young Museum, San Francisco, number 1991.83.2a–b. Label reads ‘Ferrario
Milano’. Spaghetti straps are knotted and dropped inside the dress which indicates that the
dress was worn strapless at least sometimes. An American-made underwired strapless bra was
added to the bodice by the original owner.