THE LR FASHION SHOWS

This elegant event, much loved by the ladies of Milan, enjoyed great success again this year, receiving the stamp of approval from its followers who flocked into the venue. The runway presentations gave the audience a chance to admire 140 wonderful outfits, all flawless in their vibrant elegance while still maintaining a refined simplicity

At the beginning of April, the Cagliari Rinascente organised a fashion show to present the Spring/Summer fashions, which not only received considerable attention in the local press, but also stirred up interest among Sardinian ladies, who now view this Rinascente event as the most important appointment for each new season. The strong personality of the presenters was a defining aspect of the event. The catwalks welcomed models bearing names of Cagliari aristocracy

The space was actually too small, with only around 400 seats while the demand for tickets reached over one thousand. The admission tickets were sold, as previously, by the “Dame di carità di S. Vincenzo di Castello”, at a cost of two hundred and fifty lire, and were completely sold out two days before the event. In this way, the shows also took on a charitable dimension. The fashion show was a complete success. The ladies in the audience said that they honestly believed that the Rinascente collections were as good as the best ateliers across Europe, but at two or three times less the price

American fashion makes its way to Italy with a fashion show organised by Rinascente at the Duomo Hotel in Milan. This news thrilled thousands of ladies and young girls, with the advert explaining that US fashion consists mainly of simply cut outfits with the miraculous ability to give (or restore) a youthful feel to women’s silhouettes

On the Tea Room stage, there was a spectacular presentation (complete with lighting effects, speakers and refined music) of the Spring/Summer fashions, with two hundred outfits including various Rosenfeld creations […] Modern Italian women are moving quickly towards off-the-rack outfits that allow them to keep up with the latest in fashion at all times without spending a fortune. This is the most marvellous wonder of our time – these prêt-à-porter outfits that are simple in form and free of any fancy frills and rigid structures that weigh down the outfit (thus having a youthful style), give their wearers a bold, successful and intelligent air. […] Thanks to the American ready-to-wear collections, mothers and daughters can both dress in a similar fashion from morning to evening, each looking more graceful and youthful

Silvana Bernasconi

Light blue hornets and large butterflies with rainbow wings were able to fly over a green field that a creative scenographer had put in a vertical format to cover the walls of the tiny stage, providing the backdrop to the Summer fashion show of Elle Erre at the Milan Rinascente store and at the Teatro Manzoni theatre. The Elle Erre Summer collection was based on the theme of carefree joy and innocence in a cheery kaleidoscope of fabrics, perfect for their very affordable and appealing prices and their youthful style

The Rinascente fashion show has turned into an established local event in Milan. It is no longer merely an in-house show: it is a spectacle, at the Teatro Manzoni theatre, with a high-spirited opening night and being an unmatched success among the public. An orchestra, a backdrop, and a stage that reaches out into the stalls are used, with an important and ever-changing star of the show: Elle Erre fashion. […] The leaflet offered to women states that “Ready-to-wear is synonymous with practicality. It gives elegance, usefulness, nonchalance, and comfort to women. It offers freedom. The expression “off-the-shelf” only has meaning in an industrial sense. It does not affect women, for whom ready-to-wear is an essential base on which to craft their own personality

For Summer 1956, Rinascente presented (in front of a packed, invite-only audience), a series of summer outfits and swimwear. The presentation, which took place in Milan at the Teatro Manzoni theatre on 26, 27 and 28 April, and at the Teatro Sistina theatre in Rome on 3 May, was received with great enthusiasm by the audience, and the event’s success was supported by the charm and gracefulness of the models

Fashion is in Italy, London, Germany, and New York, but wherever it is, there must be - and there always is - a little bit of Paris

Edmonde Charles-Roux (editor-in-chief of Vogue)

From 6 to 24 April, we hosted Paris at Rinascente: the “Vogue Boutique” event allowed all women to let their imagination run wild, opening the doors to that magical and mysterious world that is the creation of Haute Couture

Over 2000 people attended the fashion show at the end of May in a large city theatre, organised by the Cagliari Rinascente store. Corrado was there to present the “Beach Fashion” collection, which was met with great success. All visitors were given a complimentary gift at the entrance to the theatre

Over 4000 people attended the Spring-Summer collection presentation on 14 April, in two shows in the Hall of the Hotel Cavalieri Hilton in Rome, an event conceived by the Rome Rinascente store

A large audience crowded into the Teatro Ariston theatre in Cagliari on the evening of 24 October for a fashion show where Rinascente presented the latest looks for Fall/Winter. The show, hosted by well-known presenter Nuccio Costa, gave attendees a look into the whole range of women’s clothing from the Rinascente collections, from practical and simple casual dresses for the home to fancy cocktail dresses and evening gowns. Particular emphasis was placed on the fur coats, especially the more casual styles, and an extensive range of accessories. Also, eight children modelled a wide range of ready-to-wear outfits for the younger generation

When you attend a fashion show, admiring the models who take to the runway in a completely natural manner and sporting the ever-popular shirt-dresses, as well as the more whimsical outfits that define the new season’s fashion, you do not realise how much stress the event causes the organisers.

In fact, the preparation that goes into an haute couture show creates an electric atmosphere due mainly to the fear that the collection will not be to the public’s taste or, even more importantly, to that of the fashion experts and critics. And it is a mistake to think that the “princes of fashion” are now so confident in their own creations that they are not afraid when the time comes to present them: the more famous a fashion house is, the more intense and electric the atmosphere is before the premiere. There is a tradition to uphold and maintain, there are public and press expectations, and, also, success or failure depends on many external factors which are nigh impossible to control. It may happen, in fact, that in the room there are some of the so-called “misery makers”, who managed to slip in despite careful surveillance; or that the collection (however well organised) does not immediately convey a sense of the new or that their novel quality is not recognised; or that the outfits are not showcased in a way to merit acclaim. But the danger that the “big names” fear most is that of being copied; therefore, anyone who enters the hall where a show is held must testify to their occupation and specify where they work and for whom.

A collection can be presented in two different ways. Each outfit is chosen according to the type of model who will wear it and completed with accessories, or (and more commonly) it may be worn and presented without any particular concern for the personality of the model, and finished off with details just as the model steps onto the runway. Generally, this second working method is more popular as it is more emotive so to speak.

One almost unresolvable problem is that of the connection that the model can make with the public or not, which often determines the success of an outfit. This is why fashion designers create their outfits by thinking of the model as a specific type of woman.

The only fashion creator of today who does not do this, and is recognised as such worldwide for this, is Balenciaga, who instead chooses models that do not represent a specific archetype, because he believes (supported by his creative ability) that an outfit should be beautiful regardless of the woman who wears it. No amateur or non-expert can imagine what it means to present a collection. However, a few hours in an atelier during the days leading up to a show is undoubtedly an experience that everyone should try

Luis Hidalgo