Third Golden Age Transformed Post-War Italy

Pitti Palaca’s Sala Bianca in Florence became an important setting for international fashion shows

AMHS members may recall that, due to the pandemic, we had to cancel our luncheon meeting planned for March 22, 2020, with author and Italian culture expert Carla Gambescia. Carla recently gave a virtual talk from her home in Chappaqua, N.Y., about Italy’s “Third Golden Age” during which she covered some of the topics she would have addressed at our meeting. The First Golden Age was the Roman Empire. The Second Golden Age was the Renaissance, a 250-year period of artistic creativity beginning in 15th century Florence. Carla explained that what can be called the Third Golden Age occurred when Italy “rose like a phoenix” from the ashes of World War II. In less than 15 years, Italy experienced an almost unimaginable transformation — largely due, in a nutshell, to “celluloid alchemy.” Carla cited a recent worldwide survey of 20,000 people that rated Italy as #1 in influential culture, #1 in fashion, #1 in great food and #2 in most sexy (Brazil was #1). Carla’s book, “La Dolce Vita University: An Unconventional Guide to Italian Culture from A to Z,” is a series of brief essays about all things Italian.

Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg in the iconic Trevi Fountain scene from La Dolce Vita.

She noted that, after World War II, one movie director, Federico Fellini, stood out for his classic films such as La Dolce Vita, 8½ and La Strada. His distinctive, surrealist style blended fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. Perhaps his most iconic scene was in La Dolce Vita with Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg in the Trevi Fountain. The film made the Trevi Fountain a must-see destination for visitors to Rome from all over the world. Now, on the 100th anniversary of his birth, Rome is naming part of the Lungotevere Tiber roadside after Fellini. In fashion, Carla said that back in Renaissance times, Isabella d’Este was considered the Jacqueline Onassis of her era, but that Italians were generally viewed as makers of the fabrics, but the French were considered to be the designers. Italy held its own with accessories, handbags and shoes. But this began to change in the 1950s, as American actresses began to favor Italy.

Around that time, Giovanni Giorgini saw an opportunity, and in 1951, he realized the potential for making the stunning ballroom (Sala Bianca) of Florence’s famous Pitti Palace into an important setting for international fashion. In the years since, fashion shows in the White Room have played an important role in promoting an international quality of fashion, making the Pitti name world renowned. Very unique was Emilio Pucci, a member of one of Florence’s oldest noble families. He designed ski wear in the U.S. and swimwear too. His colorful creations were “eye candy” exuding youthful energy. And he was the first to sign his garments on the outside. Meanwhile, Brioni was making exquisitely tailored men’s suits, worn by Marcello Mastroianni. And even this year, Brad Pitt wore a bespoke Brioni velvet tux on the red carpet. Another luminary was designer Giorgio Armani, who went to medical school to study anatomy. Since 1974, he has designed for men and women with style, elegance and practicality in mind. Then there was Gianni Versace, who Carla said was seen as “Pucci’s heir.” She noted that there’s a saying, “Armani dresses the wife, Versace dresses the mistress.”

For home furnishings and furniture, “aesthetic pragmatism” described the elegant, functional objects for home and office. All this goes to the idea of “spezzatura,” which she defined as “effortless mastery.” And just what you would expect from the land of “la bella figura.” And of course, the Vespa, Carla explained, embodied the freedom and spirit of la dolce vita. It provided beautifully styled yet affordable transportation, but it also became a cultural icon, epitomized by Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn in the movie “Roman Holiday.” As to food and wine, Carla said this took longer to catch on than did fashion, but Italy toppled France in the realm of food too. High-end restaurants in the U.S., began to feature Northern Italian cuisine. The growing interest in eating healthier food, fresher ingredients and the Mediterranean diet, all helped popularize Italian cuisine. Olive oil replaced artery-clogging French butter, and Lidia Bastianich replaced Julia Childs.

The farm-to-table movement favors authentic Italian cooking. And now “cucina povera” — the Southern Italian cooking of pasta, bruschetta, polenta — is having a moment. Winemaking in Italy goes back thousands of years, but since 1963, a wine classification system began with a set of quality standards (DOC and DOCG). And while French wines for many years were the most popular, now Carla said it’s a “coin toss” between French and Italian wines.

Italy experienced an almost unimaginable transformation — largely due, in a nutshell, to “celluloid alchemy.”

So while the First Golden Age of the Roman Empire showed engineering and organizational genius, and the Second Golden Age of the Renaissance showcased artistic and cultural genius, the Third Golden Age of post-war Italy is a triumph of marketing genius and lifestyle. Instead of conquering territory, Italy captured the hearts and minds of the world. Through attraction and persuasion, Italy presented an alluring new vision of how to eat, how to dress and how to get around. And despite the ongoing pandemic, Carla said in conclusion, the spirit of “Andra’ tutto bene” is strong, and when the crisis is over, she believes Italy will be as it was or even better.