The Italian Cultural Institute of Sydney is pleased to present “Birth of a Fashion,” a series of events to celebrate the Divas of early Italian silent movies and the fashion movement that was created by Milanese stylist Rosa Genoni (1867–1954).
Drawing from classical art and handicraft tailoring, Genoni brought Italian style to the fore by promoting a radical transformation of women’s work and fashion’s production. Her most famous models were inspired by some of the masterpieces of art history, including Renaissance paintings and early Greek statuettes. Lyda Borelli, one of the foremost divas of Italian silent film and theatre, chose one of Genoni’s dresses for her most important appearances.
On Thursday 6 March, costume designer Eva Coen will give a talk entitled “Il vestito è la casa. Rosa Genoni and the Divas of Italian Silent Cinema”, followed by the screening of “Satan’s Rhapsody” (Nino Oxilia, 1915). The event will be in English, at the Italian Cultural Institute, starting at 6:00pm. Book here.
On Saturday 8 March, two silent movies starring Lyda Borelli will be screened at the Dendy Cinema in Newtown:
- 4:00pm — “Ma l’amor mio non muore!” (Mario Caserini, 1913), introduced by Susan Potter (Book here)
- 6:00pm—“Malombra” (Carmine Gallone, 1917), introduced by Eva Coen (Book here)
The famous “Tanagra Dress”, created by Genoni for Lyda Borelli will be showcased during the screening presentations.
All films are kindly provided in a restored version by the Cineteca di Bologna.
Born in Milan in 1867, Rosa Genoni was an influential Italian fashion designer, feminist, and social reformer. She played a pivotal role in promoting Italian fashion as a cultural and economic asset at a time when French couture dominated the industry. Beyond her contributions to fashion, she was also a dedicated activist advocating for workers’ rights, women’s rights, and peace
Eva Coen is an Italian costume designer, art historian and applied arts expert and currently professor of Costume and Fashion at Naba Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti. Born and raised in Rome, she holds a BA in Art History from the Sapienza University of Rome and an MA in Contemporary Art from the University of Siena. She furthered her studies in the USA at Harvard University and in France at Sorbonne University. Her career as costume designer started by creating costumes for contemporary dance companies; collaborating with choreographers such as Carolyn Carlson, Nina Watt, Wayne Mc Gregor, Ismael Ivo, Robyn Orlin, and Pina Bausch. For the movie industry, her best works as costume designer include: ‘Respiro’ and ‘Terraferma’ by Emanuele Crialese; ‘Notturno Bus’ and ‘ Lithium Conspiracy’, by Davide Marengo; ‘Things From Another World’ by Francesco Patierno.
Susan Potter is Senior Lecturer in Film Studies, and Academic Leader, External Engagement, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. She is an award-winning queer media historian who researches the relation of film as modern mass medium to the intensification of sexuality since the late nineteenth century. She is the author of Queer Timing: The Emergence of Lesbian Sexuality in Early Cinema (University of Illinois Press, 2019)