Schuberth

Emilio Federico (1904-1972). Italian dressmaker born in Naples. He was one of the magnificent nine who were invited by Bista Giorgini to show on the Florence runway on 12 February 1951, the event that served to establish and legitimise Italian fashions. He owed his notoriety to an innate sense of performance, communication and dressmaking skills that he learnt from the Neapolitan school. In the early 1930s, he worked in the Montorsi studio, where he was in charge of the underwear section with its delicate combinations of silk and lace. In 1938 he opened a milliner’s shop with his young wife in Via Frattina. He received so many commissions from his customers that in 1940 he decided to set up an haute couture studio in Via Lazio, moving, a year later, to Via XX Settembre.His style was unique; he loved luxurious fabrics and embroidery and had an innate ability to mix techniques and materials. He dressed the classic but romantic woman: small waist, sizeable bust, and round shoulders. His sumptuous style mixed elements from the 19^th century with Hollywood. Loved by queens and stars of the cinema, his clients included Soraya, who had fled Persia with the shah, for whom he designed, in a single night, a wardrobe that was worthy of a true empress. King Farouk of Egypt was a regular customer, who used to have Schuberth dress his wives and lovers. Maria Pia of Savoy commissioned him to make part of her wedding trousseau. He also dressed Brigitte Bardot and Martine Carol. The soubrettes loved him, and he created dresses for the grand finale of musical shows. He made the most of the dresses worn by Wanda Osiris, Elena Giusti, Silvana Pampanini, Valentina Cortese, Lucia Bosé, Silvana Mangano and Lorella de Luca in the film Poveri ma belli [Poor but Beautiful]. Sofia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida were also loyal clients. In 1949 he showed at the Palazzo Grassi during the Venice Festival. His studio used to be visited by various dress and costume designers, for example, Jon Guida, Costanzi, Pascali, Pellizzoni, Balestra, De Barentzen, Lancetti, Guido Cozzolino (known as Gog), Ata De Angelis, Folco, and Miguel Cruz. In the 1951 film by Metz and Marchesi Era lui sì, sì, he plays himself as he does a dress fitting for Sofia Loren who is just starting out on her career. He used to turn up to society events accompanied by twelve exquisitely dressed and made-up models. He liked to flaunt jewelry, not to show off but to attract the media’s attention. He took part in the popular television programme Il Musichiere both as a costume designer and participant, singing Donna, cosa si fa per te. In 1957, he signed a deal with Delia Biagiotti, the mother of the fashion designer Laura, to export her ready-to-wear line to the American and German markets. He launched the perfume Schu-Schu with a publicity campaign endorsed by René Gruau. His archive of designs has been given by his daughter Gretel to the University of Parma to the department directed by Arturo Carlo Quintavalle.