Guida

John (1897-1956). Fashion illustrator. He is one of the most interesting in the Italian panorama. Born in Naples by an English mother and Italian father, from Naples as well, he made his debut in 1914 as a model sketcher at the Circle of Artists with Sergio Tofano, Bruno Angoletta, and Aristide Sartorio. Between 1914 and 1943 he collaborated with the department stores S by P. Coen & C. in Via Tritone, Rome, for which he also created designs that featured in the Paris and London fashion exhibitions. He also buying sketches by Lucile, Patou, Vionnet, and Lanvin. For the 11 shopwindows he designed models in cardboard 70×100 with watercolor technique, which were renovated twice a week. Eclectic and curious, he gave model sketching lessons. He conceived the magazine Le Mode in Fiore (Blossoming Fashions), inspired by the French magazines. He collaborated with La Donna, illustrating and writing about trends from Paris. His good luck ended with the advent of the racial laws, which caused the closing of the Coen business. In the post-war period he worked for the fabrics’ company Galtrucco and for Schuberth, Antonelli, and Centinaro. His unmistakable style witnessed an important moment in fashion, when, between the 1930s and 1940s during the domination of the French style, an Italian creativity was trying to come out. He died in Rome, poor, helped only by few friends.