Amusing Florentine Fashions

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30960, 17 January 1966, Page 2

Amusing Florentine Fashions

(N.Z.P. A. -Reuter —Copyright) FLORENCE, Jan. 16. The Florence springsummer collection of fashions at the Pitti Palace was held on a light-hearted note last week as international buyers applauded clever and amusing designs by Lucrezia, of Florence.

An exciting feature was her summer holiday clothes. A side-split tunic afforded a generous glimpse of the pants worn beneath and an audacious one-piece swimsuit folded nappy fashion. There were short and long skirts —some draped—and bias cut culottes emphasising the elongated line.

A brilliant array of colours included orange, pellow, sunset red, violet and green. Luxurious silks were used for evening wear and cotton-satin, pique muslin and cotton-jersey for daytime.

Boots were cross-gartered in approved “ancient Roman” style and evening slippers were heavy with coloured sontes and matched by sumptuous jewelled necklaces. Givo of Florence, called her collection “The Egyptian Line,” drew her inspiration from the geometries of Egyptian tunics.

This tapering line embraced glitter-embroidered bikinis, accompanied for evening wear by long linen skirts, or all-in-one pants costumes. “The Sunshine Line” created by the knitwear designer, Albertina, of Rome, featured simple, extremely young and fresh daytime and evening wear, brightened by vivid motifs and colours and furs in lines and squares. The collection was dominated by white with generous flashes of bright green, sunshine yellow, sundown yellow and parma violet. Her skirts are slightly shorter than last season and less shaped with a compromise between high and low waists.

The show opened with an eye-catching riot of brilliant colour by the Inesmarina Boti-

que, of Rome. Casual dresses, trouser suits, culottes and long evening dresses were presented in light soft knits and spring shades. The general effect was a softer, more slender line with bright orange, pistacchio green, yellow and lots of white used for the slightly squared silhouette.

The knitwear designer, Lida, presented short skirts and an easy, slightly belled line with geometrical patterns. Her collection also featured amusing light-knit “cat suits” with hip length pullover sweaters, knitted boots and helmet hats. Black and white or all white predominated in evening models with subtle glitter designs against opaque backgrounds, and a new departure was a mother of pearl lame, exquisitely luminous and iridescent The Rome designer, Romanita, featured two or three-piece suits and skirts well above the knees.

This year dazzling colours replaced the op art patterns of last year, with a tendency to a simpler, more feminine look.