ISSN 2421-2679 104 Annamode Costumes Tailoring Foundation Archives Simone Bessi

satisfi d the ever-growing demands for elegance from upper-class ladies involved in Italy’s economic boom; the other ready to Annamode Tailoring respond to the increasingly more frequent demands for costumes from Cinecittà film he Allegri sisters’ atelier (Annamode) was born studios. in 1946 in an Italy emerging from the social, economic and human tragedy of World Wart TII, thanks to the initiative of Anna Allegri, a twenty- five-year-old, upper-class Florentine, whose sartorial creations conquered the Roman aristocracy, before being followed by costumiers involved in the neorealism of Italian cinema. With the arrival of younger sister Teresa in the early Fifties, Annamode became a hub of style and ideas that combined two activities: one that

Fig. 1 Annamode Costumes ISSN 2421-2679 105

Fig. 2 Sophia Loren in Marriage Italian Style, directed by Vittorio De Sica. 1964.

Fig. 3 Scarlett Johansson in A Good Woman, directed by Mike Annamode Costumes. Tailoring Foundation Archives Barker. 2004. Among the great European filmographical and theatrical costumiers, Annamode is the For more than twenty years, we have been filing one that best embodies the athletic dualism accessories into our “AMDB” software for the various of fashion and costume. For most of its jobs carried out over the years, or taken from our history, it has had two souls, combining original clothes and accessories Archives, dating from work in the fashion and high fashion sectors the seventeen hundreds to the 1980s, thus allowing with that of the show business sectors, for the perfect starting point for any kind of work one moving easily from cinema to printed wishes to take on in the different epochs with an ample matter, from theatre to opera without variety of cuts and sizes. Ongoing investment in research forgetting television. Since 1950 Annamode and development ensures that producers and directors has outfitted hundreds of films. Though receive the highest possible quality, professional service impossible to list them all, some of the more and use of eCostumes, the fi st online archive of its kind memorable include: De Sica’s, Visconti’s dedicated to fashion and costume: “ Where an Actor “Rocco and His Brothers”, Pasolini’s “The Becomes the Character”. Witches”, Benigni’s “The Little Devil”, Sofia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette” to name a few. Actors and actresses of the caliber of Liza Minnelli and Ingrid Bergman in “Ninà” (a Matter of Time), Maria Schell in “White Nights”, Charlotte Rampling in “The Night Porter”, Scarlett Johansson and Helen Hunt in “A Good Woman”. Our couture produces unique models with a high level of crafts anship, from sketches and models or photos through the traditional method that consists of preparing the canvas, the tests, the studio, the correction of the canvas and measurements. We carry out work on the fabrics and scene elaborations in order Fig. 4 From left o right: Anna and Teresa Allegri. 1964. to render as authentic as possible the Première film The Carpetbaggers by Edward Dmytryk. fin shed product. Elaboration on the raw fabrics or fin shed garments is carried out by hand in an artisanal way, like many of the decorations that can be added to the garment, such as pleats, embroideries and even silk-screen prints with vintage designs to be reproduced on the fabrics themselves. ISSN 2421-2679 106 At The Service of Creativity is organized into educational modules designed for costume designers as well Once through the warehouse door, a journey through as film, theatre and opera professionals. time begins, with period clothes, costumes and Annamode courses describe how to make accessories of every period; reverse journey from set costumes – defini g everything from modern day to the prehistoric, from the fig leaf to the how to dress an actor, to cutting and astronaut’s spacesuit. A world of costumes made over sewing a costume. As these techniques a period of seventy years, protected from dust and are passed down through generations, hygienically perfectly preserved. Annamode believes it imperative that they Our new 3.000 square-meter open space ensures the are preserved and transmitted to inspire easy sorting and preparation of costumes chosen from future generations. Thus maintaining the over 200.000 in our warehouse, which is divided into uniqueness, quality and excellence in the period sections according to the historical date of the textile industry that has defined Italy for costumes. Authentic period clothing and accessories centuries. from the mid-1700s to 1980. Costumes for cinema and stage designed during 70 years of Annamode creations. Original drawings and paper models. Costume sketches Museum Collections and original movie posters. Texts, magazines and documents related to costume and fashion design. Over A selection of clothes and costumes of the years, thanks to the continuous making and buying the collection are not available for hire. of authentic clothing, from every corner of the globe, Annamode uses this resource for historical the stock continues to renew and expand, allowing for reconstructions and for exhibitions. a wide choice to suit any project. All our products are coded and stored in a database. Simone Bessi

Fig. 5 Costumes for cinema

Annamode Cultural Heritage

The “Annamode Foundation” was born in 2012 thanks to Teresa Allegri. The purpose of the Foundation is conservation and valorisation of the accumulated patrimony during the its history, promoting cultural initiatives and activities suitable for promoting knowledge of it, in Italy and abroad. Moreover, the Foundation promotes training and development of young and new talent through seminars, workshops and educational outreach programs aimed at high school students, as well as university coursework relevant to fashion and “Made Fig. 6 Red brocade woman dress. Original, 1920. 1920-1940 Collection Annamode. in Italy” culture. Th s unforgettable experience allows participants to gain a unique perspective into the largely unknown world of high artisanry. Training ISSN 2421-2679 The Foundation partners with public and Source of creativity: A wealth of original clothes 107 private institutions to promote temporary and accessories and stage costumes, real works of art and permanent exhibitions both inside made available as a source if inspiration for interested Annamode’s historic headquarters and at companies, fashion professionals: designers, style outside venues. offices stylists, researchers, experts, museums, teachers and students.

Historical memory: A fundamental step for a broad vision of the history of fashion and costumes, the Archives preserve and promote company records, inspirations, values, and historical innovations, rich in great works of the artisanal tradition that is Made in Italy. Creative stimulation: Discovering models, vintage Annamode Costumes. Tailoring Foundation Archives materials, fabrics, interiors, fin shing touches, substructures and accessories. The very lifeblood of Fig. 7 Authentic dress in exposition. creative and technological innovation in the fi lds of Annamode Foundation, Rome. fashion, costumes, art and, more in general, culture.

Annamode Archives Creative Handcrafted Work Phases

The Foundation houses an archive used by trend costume designers, forecasters, style experts, creative directors and students alike. Organized in detailed catalogs with a photo of every costume and accessory, each one is preserved in special numbered fabric containers accompanied by a form detailing its historical context, provenance, type of fabric, condition of the garment and any modifi ations made. The Annamode Archives are a source of inspiration for those who interpret the present and create the future. A source of creativity where one may draw from those who have handed down clothes that made fashion history and tell of the period in which they were made. A wealth of ideas and experiences of irresistible charm and incalculable cultural value.

Fig. 8 Accessories for stage costumes ISSN 2421-2679 108

Sitografy

Annamode Costume, https://www. annamodecostumes.com/annamode_ realization.php Foundation Annamode, http:// fondazioneannamode.it/en/ activities?view=archive eCOSTUMES Catalog, https://catalog. annamodecostumes.com Simone Bessi Museum Collection, https://www. annamodecostumes.com/annamode_ collezioni.php