Everyone looks ‘bellisima’ at Italian fashion celebration
● Forget French couture; when it comes to true luxury the world takes its cue from Italy.
Last Sunday evening, local fashionistas were treated to a fashion fest from that bootshaped country at the opening of a retrospective fashion exhibition titled 70 Years of Italian Genius, held at the Diamond Walk in Sandton City, Johannesburg.
I find myself sharing an elevator up to the venue with a siren who would not look out of place in a Fellini film. That’s Jena Dover, who, it turns out, is having a mini-wardrobe crisis — she can’t locate the Italian designer frock from the exhibition she’s meant to wear.
As I leave the flame-haired starlet to solve the mystery of the missing dress, I walk into the function area, where I greet singer Loyiso Bala, who tells me he is settling nicely into his new role as channel director of Christian pay-TV channel TBN in Africa.
Then it’s hello to that irascible media personality Kuli Roberts before chatting to model mom Nerina Labuschagne, who is there with her partner, Goldman Sachs boss Colin Coleman.
While Nerina has slipped on a 60-yearold vintage cocktail dress from her gran to mark the occasion, Gugu Motlanthe has taken a more bilateral approach.
The elegant wife of former president Kgalema Motlanthe is wearing a lace blouse from Cape Town designer Stefania Morland, and her tulle skirt embellished with shimmering stars was bought in Monaco.
Out of the corner of my eye I spot a vision in turquoise, and it’s Jena in the now-found pleated halter neck from Salvatore Ferragamo, the Italian luxury house famed for kitting out Hollywood stars in their bespoke shoes back in the 1920s.
“This is a real honour,” says Jena, who has visited the company’s HQ in Florence.
Someone a little more daunted about the silver Gianfranco Ferré original she’s wearing is businesswoman Johanna Mukoki.
“I don’t want anyone greeting me with drinks in this $20,000 dress,” she warns.
Enough about the human clothes hangers, you will want to know about the rest of the exhibition, which was curated by fashion pro Francesco Lofaro. It runs until April 7.
It features 30 chic pieces from 14 designers, including dresses once worn by luminaries such as Sophia Loren, Madonna and Princess Diana.
Strangely, though, I couldn’t find any on display from Gucci, that Italian house undoubtedly the most influential in fashion right now.
We sample a host of Italy-inspired canapés, including grilled eggplant with balsamic pearls, pan-seared duck breast with espresso aioli, and bowls of mushroom risotto with truffle and porcini foam.
But for me, the real food for thought comes from Marco Petacco, the Italian high commissioner to SA, who hosts the occasion.
As he points out: “Interestingly, Italian designers make [the equivalent of] a quarter of the South African GDP just with clothes. That’s mind-blowing.”
I don’t want anyone greeting me with drinks in this $20,000 dress
Johanna Mukoki