Women in the Spotlight in the Twentieth Century

The exhibition presents clothes and accessories that belonged to women who stood out during the 20th century and continue to distinguish themselves in different disciplines and fields through which they manifest their creativity. But they are also icons of the taste of their time, some standing out for the creativity with which they created their works or decorated them, others emerging for the imagination and flair with which they wore them.

Each woman has been (or still is) the protagonist for a particular trait, to the extent that some distinctive and salient features of their personalities emerge from their clothing or their creations.

The exhibition unfolds through the halls of the Gallery, beginning with the precious garments made by Rosa Genoni, a socially committed woman and promoter of made in Italy fashion, followed by the splendid tunics designed by Fortuny, specifically for Eleonora Duse, and the legendary dresses of Franca Florio.

Then there are the dresses of Anna Rontani, a novelist who flaunted her wardrobe made of over a thousand pieces.

Also of great interest is the donation of some of Patty Pravo's dresses worn during three editions of the Festival di Sanremo (in 1984, 1987 and 2002). In addition to these diversified presences, there are nine wedding dresses.

Therefore, the exhibition's leitmotif is women: protagonists as collectors of clothing and accessories, models-performers, fashion designers and fashionistas. By retracing the 20th century, a period in which clothing mirrored significant social changes, creative women, used to being in the spotlight, are acknowledged within the historicized male-dominated world of high fashion.

Completing the exhibition is the catalogue edited by Caterina Chiarelli herself, published by Sillabe and enriched with images of the dresses on display with the relative descriptions and a brief biography of each "Woman in the Spotlight".