Sorelle Fontana: from painting to dress

Two painting prizes sponsored by Sorelle Fontana in 1958 and 1959 led to the creation of the most beautiful and artistic dresses

Sorelle Fontana Portrait (1955) by Arturo GhergoFondazione Micol Fontana

Sorelle Fontana: From Painting to Dress

Sorelle Fontana was the first Maison in the fifties to bring Italian High Fashion in the international markets, promoting the 'made in Italy" all over the world.  Based in Rome, Sorelle Fontana's clients included Hollywood's most famous actresses and royalty. Two painting prizes in 1958 and 1959 were sponsored by Sorelle Fontana and lead to a beautiful collaboration between artists and fashion:"paintings became dresses".

Painting Prize Sorelle Fontana Fontana dedicated to "Flowers (1953)Fondazione Micol Fontana

1958: The theme of the competition was Rome Fountains

In the picture:
Zoe Fontana sketching after a Luigi Montanarini paint.

Painting Prize (1958)Fondazione Micol Fontana

Jury of the 1958 Painting Prize

Painting Prize (1958)Fondazione Micol Fontana

In 1958 the theme of the prize was "Rome Fountains"

Painting Prize, 1953, From the collection of: Fondazione Micol Fontana
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Dress
1953

The theme of this dress was inspired to poppies just as in a paint by Eliano Fantuzzi

Particular of the signature by Eliano Fantuzzi (1953)Fondazione Micol Fontana

Detail of the dress

In the dress there is the signature of Eliano Fantuzzi

Painting Prize Sorelle Fontana - Model with the dress inspired framework of Maestro Nuvolo (1958)Fondazione Micol Fontana

Nuvolo (Giorgio Ascani) winner of the Prize, inspired the dress shown in the picture

Dress made with printed silk fabric with abstract patterns of silk factories Bedetti and Pedraglio (1959)Fondazione Micol Fontana

"Nuvolo" dress

Here is the dress inspired by "Nuvolo" as is today in the Fondazione Micol Fontana

Detail of the signature by Nuvolo (1958)Fondazione Micol Fontana

And again, on the dress, the signature of the artist.

Painting Prize Sorelle Fontana - Dress inspired by Mimmo Rotella's painting (1958)Fondazione Micol Fontana

Now is Mimmo Rotella the artist that inspired the dress shown

Painting Prize - Mimmo Rotella wheel (1958) by Mimmo RotellaFondazione Micol Fontana

MImmo Rotella: Oil and Collage

Painting Prize (1958)Fondazione Micol Fontana

The writer Alberto Moravia e the art critic Carlo Giulio Argan, President of the Jury, with the model wearing the dress inspired to the paint by Piero Dorazio

Painting Prize (1958/1959)Fondazione Micol Fontana

Signatures of the artists who participated to the first edition of the prize

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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