The spectacular craftsmanship of Sorelle Fontana

Discover 21 beautiful embroidery samples from 1950 - 1990s

Portrait of Sorelle Fontana Sisters (1965)Fondazione Micol Fontana

The uncompromizing craftsmanship of Micol Fontana

Since its foundation, in 1943, the Fontana atelier became an important reference point for the Roman aristocracy. Besides the style and workmanship, what marks the creations by the atelier are the romantic lines, inspired by nineteenth-century style, along with embroiders, strass and pearls applications. Here you can find some of the highlights of the creations of the atelier from the '50s to the '80s.

Floral embroidery (1950s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1950s: Embroidery sample on black silk velvet

Small degrading flowers are made of macramé and applied with rhinestones.

Floral embroidery (1950s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1950s: Embroidery sample on silk organza fabric across the board
The fund is in turquoise sequins. The pattern is floral sprays made with bronze wire, while the flowers and leaves are in white chenille and raffia "rush stitch".

Floral embroidery (1950s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1950s: Embroidery sample on antique white shantung silk fabric
The flowers are made with gold trimmings and ivory raffia, with big rhinestones and hemispheres of nacre.

Floral embroidery (1950s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1950s: Embroidery sample on ivory silk Mikado fabric
The stylized tulips are made with a center in the velvet ribbon; corolla, branches and leaves are embroidered with crystals, jais pink and micro beads.

Floral embroidery (1950s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1950s: Sample of embroidery handmade hydrangeas embroidered on silk faille fabric
The flowers are made with Valenciennes lace of various shades of pink and the central with rhinestones. The leaves are long short stitch with soft cotton with green and silver jais.

Floral embroidery (1950s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1950s: Sample of embroidery handmade white stylized decorative pattern in ivory silk faille fabric
The round big elements are made with a silk velvet ribbon and gold wire with the center of pearls and rhinestones. The branches are made with canes and micro crystal jais.

Floral embroidery (1950s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1950s: Sample of embroidery handmade on ivory silk satin fabric
Stylized pattern with flowers in sequins, pearly half canes and rhinestone cabochon joined by gold metallic thread, whit small crystal jais .

Floral embroidery (1950s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1950s: Sample of embroidery handmade on tan silk organza fabric
The floral pattern is a band on a basis of gathered tulle. Canes, crystals, black and silver sequins are used to realize this complex embroidery, while metallic elements and crystals form the flowers petals.

Renaissance Embroidery (1954)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1954: Renaissance embroidery
Handmade Embroidery of faille silk champagne. Renaissance abstract pattern made ​​with golden trimmings cordon, ribbon and wool cotton threads, half metal balls and mini sequins silver, small olive and silver-colored metal balls .

Floral embroidery (1960s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1960s: Floral embroidery
Sample of embroidery handmade on aquamarine linen fabric. The decorative motifs are made with blue silk and ivory crocheted, applied with relief effect and embellished with beads, teardrop crystal, small rhinestones and metallic golden elements rosette.

Geometric embroidery (1960s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1960s: Geometric embroidery
Sample of embroidery handmade embroidery of black tulle fabric. Based on embroidered across the board with metal wire gradient from black to gray are applied bright jais , faceted beads, sequins and “moonlight” rhinestones, opaque drops and crystal.

Marine embroidery (1960s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1960s: Marine embroidery
Sample of embroidery handmade on silk organza fabric, across the board. Based entirely embroidered with iridescent pink sequins and big polka dots in white nacre sequins.

Geometric embroidery (1960s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1960s: Sample of embroidery handmade on silk gauze fabric
Floral pattern degrading board. The bouquets are made with raffia and colored beads while the flowers are made with blue half canes and central with pearl. The leaves are obtained with jais surrounded by raffia.

Geometric embroidery (1960s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1960s: Geometric embroidery
Handmade embroidery on lavender linen fabric. Navy inspiration for the decorative pattern made with real coral elements, beads, shells and special fantasy nacre.

Marine embroidery (1970s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1970s: Marine embroidery
Sample of embroidery handmade on wool crepe fabric. Decorative pattern made with hand-painted real shells in the background colors, applied with knurled canes, beads and sequins.

Geometric embroidery (1970s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1970s: Blouse
Blouse entirely embroidered by hand on silk crepe fabric. The geometric motifs, golden plastic material, are applied with jais and interspersed with canes, transparent sequins clear "moonlight", beads and metallic floral elements.

Abstract geometric embroidery (1970s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

Geometric embroidery (1970s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1970s: Geometric embroidery
Sample of embroidery handmade fuchsia on silk gauze fabric. The top edge is made with a blend of golden cannotiglia, geometric metal elements, toggles, sequins, squares and cabochons rhinestones.

Floral embroidery (1970s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1970s: Sample of embroidery handmade on pink silk gauze fabric
The flower petals are made with gold sequins with "relief" effect, beads and central with rhinestones. The stems are in metallic gold thread. Interestingly, at the side, embroidery pencil drawing yet to be completed.

Geometric embroidery (1970s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

Geometric embroidery
Sample of embroidery handmade on organza fabric across the board. Geometric pattern with panels obtained with pink sequins nacre and brown sequins mordorè.

Oriental embroidery (1980s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1980s: Oriental embroidery
Sample of embroidery handmade on crepella of green wool fabric. The embroidery is inspired by the classic oriental motifs made with colored mini canette beads and gold, across the board.

Oriental embroidery (1980s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

Jacket entirely embroidered on crepella green wool fabric. The embroidery is inspired by the classic oriental motifs made with colored mini canette, gold beads and green sequins, across the board.

Floral embroidery (1980s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1980s: Blouse
Tunica entirely hand-embroidered on silk crepe flowers fabric. Printing fabric colors suggested embroidery in black, red and silver sequins, emphasizing the floral theme.

Floral embroidery (1980s)Fondazione Micol Fontana

Sample of embroidery handmade on silk flowers crepe fabric. Printing fabric colors suggested embroidery in black, red and silver sequins, emphasizing the floral theme.

Credits: Story

Selezioni, testi e montaggio a cura di

Massimo Bevilacqua
Luisida Caligaris Papa
Maria Cristina Giusti
Mario Lami
Roberta Lami
Luisella Rastelli
Monica Rech
Amelie Soffietti

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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