Celebrity Star Wigs on Display at Italian Embassy
Jane Fonda’s funky “Barbarella” outfits, Elizabeth Taylor’s elaborate gowns and exquisite wigs worn in the film “Cleopatra,” and much more, are on display at the Italian Embassy as part of the celebration of the 2013 Year of Italian Culture in the United States.
The handmade costume and wig creations by Italian craftspeople for the film industry are the real icons, not reproductions.
The exhibition – “Star Wigs: La Mano Italiano Crea” is open for public viewing until May 7 at the embassy, 3000 Whitehaven NW, DC.
Italian Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero introduced the opening night show at an invitational reception that drew several hundred guests. The Dress in Dreams show by Elisabeth Cantone and Francesca Silvestri is a tribute, as stated by the event promotion, “to one of the most important cultural and historial heritages that is not well known abroad and even in Italy: how to create a character in the film industry.”
A purpose of the exhibition is to showcase the intricate skills of the craftsmen and women whose excellence, devotion to details and loving work accomplished in their shops greatly contribute to making certain films works of art.
The exhibits consist of wigs and theatrical costumes from films such as The Leopard, Casanova, Marie Antoinette, Barbarella, Moulin Rouge, Cleopatra and others, created by the Laboratory Rocchetti & Rocchetti, Costume Maison Farani, Peruzzi and The One, with their skilled artisans.
At the embassy reception, Laura Delli Colli, journalist and author of several cinema books, presented the documentary Handmade Cinema, directed by Guido Torlonia and Colli, which includes interviews with famous figures of the Italian film industry.
After the embassy opening, there was a private reception at Cafe Milano.