Archivio di Stato

Roberto Capucci’s creations are on line in the Web Site of the Archivi della Moda del Novecento, promoted by Direzione Generale per gli Archivi del Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali. The aim of the Web Site is, “…..exclusively cultural, to preserve an historical heritage in which the memory of fashion is concentrated and to involve in a simple and friendly way restricted to specialized audiences such as archivists, bibliographies, iconographies, audiovisual sources kept by the industry, from training schools, from agencies and magazines”.
 «We are honoured to be partners of this prestigious project, and we thanks the Consorzio Baicr and Dr. Roberta Orsi Landini – expert in History of Costume and Textile - and Dr. Mariaelisa Nannini - Responsible of the Roberto Capucci Foundation Historical Archive - » says Enrico Minio Capucci - General Manager of the Foundation - . «We have issued more than one hundred dresses, so our Historical Archive is visible to the whole world; » he continues «I am greatful to the Ministero dei Beni Culturali, to the Direzione Generale degli Archivi and to the Sovrintendenza Archivistica del Lazio that have always supported us; we are also grateful to the Direzione Generale per le Biblioteche, gli Istituti Culturali ed il Diritto d’Autore because from now on the Roberto Capucci Foundation has been accepted  within the organizations operating in the field of Culture».

[ > see Beni Culturali]

Museo di Santa Giulia

A selection of pieces of the Historical Archive of the Roberto Capucci Foundation is hosted in this site, recognized by Unesco as World Heritage, in the exhibition"Roberto Capucci e l'antico. Omaggio alla Vittoria Alata". The exhibition, promoted and organised by Comune di Brescia and Fondazione Giacomini Meo Fiorot-Musei Mazzucchelli and with the cooperation of Fondazione Brescia Musei, is held in the Museo of Santa Giulia that, from June 25 of this year has been included into the prestigious and precious list of the sites considered World Heritage of Humanity, as part of the serial site "I Longobardi in Italia. I luoghi del potere (568-774 d.C.)".
Santa Giulia is an extraordinary compound which holds , amongst other important historical/artistic heritage, the Vittoria Alata, bronze statue of the Ist century, symbol of the city of Brescia. Roberto Capucci has created his own version of the Vittoria Alata: a unique creation in georgette in three shades of green and mauve, with belt and underskirt in mikado of the same color, which recall the chromatic suggestions of the mauve that covers the ancient bronze.
Thirthy sculpture-dresses which illustrate different themes of inspiration are exhibited: architectural hints but also ideas suggested by the ancient costume, by natural elements and the rotation of seasons. The exhibition, curated by Massimiliano Capella and Francesca Morandini, is divided into five sections : The antique. The architectural orders. The seasons. Fire, Earth, Air, Water and the Vittoria Alata.

[ > see Brescia musei]
[ > see Musei arte]

Reggia di Venaria

The Halls of Art of the Reggia di Venaria host an unique exhibition on the history of italian fashion, organized on the occasion of the celebrations of the 150 th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy. The exhibition is organized by the Consortium La Venaria Reale and by the Committee Italia 150 – under the Patron the Italian President -, of the Tirelli/Trappetti Foundation Rome, under the artistic direction of Gabriella Pescucci and Franca Sozzani, and the consultancy of Dino Trappetti. The layout is by Michele De Lucchi, who realised the Roberto Capucci Foundation’s Museum at Villa Bardini in Florence in 2007.

The historical-scientific coordinators, Clara Goria e Andrea Merlotti, have chosen to divide the exposition into two sections: the first refers to the period between the birth of the unitary State and the birth of Italian fashion, the second is from the seventies till today and it’s the result of choices of Franca Sozzani, director of Vogue Italy.

It is a tour in the Italian style from 1861 till today, from women of the Renaissance till the artists of Futurism, from movie stars to contemporary designers, in an exhibition that includes nearly 200 dresses including ‘Oceano’, a creation of Roberto Capucci made in 1998 for the World Expo in Lisbon 2000, by request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The uniqueness of the sculpture-dress ‘Oceano’ is represented by the complicated workmanship of taffetas plissé in 37 shades of blue: the incredible colouristic flow chosen by the Maestro makes the sense of movement and inspiration to water perfect.

[ > see Venaria Reale]

A volume with photos and video titled “Marcello Fara legge Roberto Capucci”, has been published by GLI ORI, Pistoia, in April 2011. It was edited by the photographer himself, with a preface by Enrico Minio Capucci, interviews to Roberto Capucci and contributions of professors of art history, of architecture, of semiology of the image and of cinematographic language. It is presented in a red-lined silk box.

Fara tells us: «The images, collected in quatrains, put Roberto Capucci’s sculpture-dresses in direct correspondence with the light and the geometry of crystals, the colours and silkiness of flowers, the water colour effects, the evanescent mutability of clouds, the mysterious elegance of a butterfly. The dress, in its tailored structure, is dissolves itself on the mirrors, takes on new forms breaking up for levels, geometric lines, colour and liquefied light, as a true artistic creation even before becoming couture. The video gives us a dream vision of Capucci’s colours and materials».

The exhibition “Abiti, architetture del corpo” is a tribute to the great know-how of the Biella territory and is presented in the event “Artigiani d’Italia, il genio e la creatività” curated by Patrizia Maggia, sponsored by Confartigianato and CNA - Associazioni Artigianali del Biellese -, and supported by the Camera di Commercio di Biella and the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Biella. The aim of this initiative is to underline the excellence of Biella in the manufacture of woolen fabrics that are considered the finest in the world, a real mix beetwen craft and art, where technology and knowledge are transmitted from generation to generation. The exhibition hosts a sculpture-dress of  Maestro Capucci, the evening coat in casentino plissè ‘Mahasaraswati’ created in the project Tessile & Sostenibilità, that has been presented in May 2008 at the Corsini Garden in Florence. The vision of the Roberto Capucci Foundation is to relaunch the Italian Quality and to bring out the importance of the natural fibres.

[ > see Time Art Centro di Arti Applicate V. Kandinskij, CNA - Associazione Artigiani del Biellese - e Confartigianato. ]

This philanthropic and cultural initiative promoted by the Roberto Capucci Foundation and by the Galleria Nazionale D’Arte Antica di Palazzo Corsini is based on a perfect balance between grace and beauty. The exhibition “Era di Maggio” – devised by Angela Negro, Director of the gallery and by the maestro Capucci – hosts 11 sculpture-dresses created by Roberto Capucci between 1981 and 1992, they are set like rare gems or precious and exotic flowers in the fascinating location of the historical roman palace. Wonderful collecting roses will be also exhibited in the small garden of Palazzo Corsini for three days; the selection includes the precious  ‘Rosa Capucci’ invented by the famous nursery and garden centre “ROSE BARNI” in Pistoia. The ‘Rosa Capucci’ is an example of aesthetic perfection, it is reach in petals like a peony and emanates an intense scent, colours’ variety goes from pearly to deep shades of pink. In 2000 the ‘Rosa Capucci’ won the silver medal on occasion of the competition “La rosa dell’anno” in Monza. May 24th a meeting between Roberto Capucci and students of fashion and arts institutes has been organized, the workshop will focus on plissé techniques.

[ > see Galleria Nazionale D'Arte Antica di Palazzo Corsini]

In this exhibition, created on occasion of the 150 years of the Unification of Italy, promoted by the Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri, Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali Direzione Generale per gli Archivi, Archivio Centrale dello Stato in collaboration with Bocconi University and Istat,  two very special creations, realized by Roberto Capucci in 1965, chosen for their characteristic innovation, are exposed. The embroidery of phosphorescent beads glows in the darkness, a magical visual effect! Due to this surprising effect, at the time of the presentation in Paris in 1965, the Maestro obtained the cover of the famous LIFE magazine.
(Catalogue Ed. Archivio Centrale dello Stato Roma)

[ > see Archivio Centrale dello Stato]

The third most important museum of the U.S.A. gives hospitality to “Roberto Capucci: Art into Fashion”,  the  first anthological exhibition dedicated to the Maestro in the United States, cured by Dilys Blum Senior Curator of Costume and Textiles. The exhibition is an important appointment, after many events taken place during the years; between 1956 and 2003, creations by Roberto Capucci have been protagonist on occasion of individual and collective events in the most important cities of the United States. The exhibition “Roberto Capucci: Art into Fashion”, organized by the Philadelphia Museum of Art and by the Roberto Capucci Foundation is located in the Dorrance Special Exhibition Galleries at the first floor of the Museum. More than 80 creations, original drawings and sketches, a monumental selection which includes wonderful sculpture-dresses, underlines the singleness of sartorial work by Roberto Capucci explaining through a powerful visual impact, the characteristics of the style and the original sensibility of the Maestro. The exhibition shows all the aspects that place Capucci’s creations above trends, above Fashion. The exhibition hosts the dresses created at the beginning of his career, when Christian Dior defined Roberto Capucci the best Italian fashion designer as well as famous sculpture-dresses, for example the ‘Colonna Dorica’ and series of sculptures from 2007 honoring the city of Florence. A limited edition of Mini-Capucci’s, by request of the Museum, has been created in the creative laboratory of the Maestro to re-confirm the Capucci griffe on the American market. The 6 mini-creations use the same proportions and the same fabrics of the original creations on a small scale (in the ratio of 1 to 40), they will be sold in the Shop of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and on-line.

[ > see Philadelphia Museum of Art]

The wonderful and monumental hall of one of the most prestigious library in the world, which preserves ancient and rare volumes, contains “for a night” the exhibition of artistic and decorative works: dresses, jewels, shoes and design works are masterpieces of high craftsmanship exhibited in a poetic atmosphere to represent the Italian creativity and the excellence of the made in Italy. The creations by Roberto Capucci exhibited on occasion of this elegant show are private clients properties.

[ > see LIMITED/UNLIMITED 2011]

The volume “1960 L’anno dei re a Napoli il ballo a Palazzo Serra di Cassano, le Olimpiadi, La Dolce Vita” published by Mondadori-Electa has been presented at the Palazzo Ruspoli, the volume includes a text signed by Roberto Capucci and new drawings created by the Master.
The precious volume curated by Francesco Serra di Cassano, Masha Prunas Hobart, Amedeo Palazzi, Peter Glidewell e Fabio Nicolucci, tells the story of the Olympic Games played in Rome in the 1960 and describes the linked events through 200 images.
On occasion of the Olympic Games the sailing races were organized in Naples and was reopened the wonderful Palazzo Serra di Cassano closed for mourning and for a challenge to the Borbonic dynasty in 1799, after the period of the Neapolitan Republic. The Palace was repaired after devastations caused by the war.
On occasion of the reopening on September 3 1960, the Dukes Francesco and Elena Serra di Cassano organized a famous ball. The ball was attended by over a thousand guests among which aristocrats and heads of States, protagonists of financial and cultural worlds. Roberto Capucci created 11 new and extraordinary drawings inspired by ball fashion of the 60’s, they are exhibited at the Galleria Rucellai in the Palazzo Ruspoli.

[ > see Palazzo Serra di Cassano]

Brescia, January 18 - March 20, 2011
"Il Teatro alla Moda. Costume di scena. Grandi Stilisti"

Fondazione Giacomini Meo Fiorot - Musei Mazzucchelli

The aesthetic universes of fashion, arts and music are the scenery and the premise of this extraordinary exhibition promoted by the Fondazione Roma, Altaroma and the Musei Mazzucchelli di Brescia. The Director of the Musei Mazzucchelli Massimiliano Cappella is the curator of this exhibition which collects dresses created for famous theatrical exhibitions, opera shows, and ballets by some of the most famous Italian fashion designers. 14 charming creations by Roberto Capucci belonging to the stars of opera Raina Kabaivanska, Katia Ricciarelli, Stefania Bonfadelli and Anna Caterina Antonacci are exhibited, these fabulous creations have been dressed on occasion of prestigious performances. At the exhibition are also shown an original design by Roberto Capucci and a drawing by Stefano Canulli . The drawing is based on costumes created by the maestro Capucci for the Norma by Vincenzo Bellini in the 1996. Roberto Capucci’s creations are able to suggest elaborated mise-en-scene, Capucci is a master in the art of representation, he understands the communicative power of dresses and he uses this power with excellent results. Roberto Capucci says: “the charismatic effect of a show and the power of attraction created by colors, atmosphere, songs and action depend  on the ability of all figures involved into a performance:  the director,  the scenery designer, the costume designer and the actors. A show can be considered well done when it is able to create a dreamlike dimension, when the audience after the performance needs to speak about it”.

Xian, October 1 2010
Daming Palace

Photo by Alessandro Milana

Rome, September 19 2010 - February 7 2011
"Il Risorgimento a colori: pittori, patrioti e patrioti pittori nella Roma del XIX secolo"

Museo di Roma Palazzo Braschi

Rome, July 9 2010
"Il gesto sospeso"

Tempio di Adriano – Piazza di Pietra

Rome, October 6 - November 30 2010
"Cento anni di imprese per l'Italia"

Museo dell'Ara Pacis


Milan, May 5 - June 5 2010
"Cento anni di imprese per l'Italia"

Triennale di Milano

Brescia, May 29 - June 13 2010
"Festival delle Rose"

Fondazione Giacomini Meo Fiorot - Musei Mazzucchelli

Rome, May 12 2010
"Superfici di seta: forme e idee"
Sala Capizucchi Piazza Campitelli, 3

Rome, April 22 2010

Sham Hinchey and Marzia Messina for Roberto Capucci.
Changes and interpretations about sculpture-dresses from Roberto Capucci Foundation Archive"

Museo Boncompagni Ludovisi

February 2010

Important recognition from the ADI - Industrial Design Association

Rome, February 9 – April 5 2010

“Il Carnevale romano”

Museo of Roma – Palazzo Braschi

Gorizia, December 19 2009 – May 1 2010

“Futurismo – Moda – Design.
La ricostruzione futurista dell’universo quotidiano”

Museo della Moda e delle Arti Applicate dei Musei Provinciali di Gorizia 

Bracciano, September 17 - December 13 2009
Until March 8 2010

“Sovrana Eleganza: Roberto Capucci
al Castello Odescalchi di Bracciano”

Bracciano of Rome, Museum of Castello Odescalchi di Bracciano 

Florence, April 9 2009 – January 30 2010
“Vedute di Firenze tra il Seicento e il Novecento”

Villa Bardini – Exhibition Center Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze 

Bergamo, October 3 - 18 2009
“Superfici di seta”

Bergamo Scienza Palazzo Moroni 

Wien, June 24 – September 27 2009
“WIR SIND MASKE”

Museum fur Volkerkunde, Kunsthistorisches

Filatoio di Caraglio, June 27 – October 25 2009
“ROSE. Purezza e passione nell’arte dal Quattrocento a oggi”

Il Filatoio - Via Matteotti, 40 - Caraglio (Cuneo) 

Florence, June 12 – September 30 2009
“THE WAVERING BALANCE”

Bardini Contemporanea: Ristorante e Terrazza Bardini, Villa Bardini

Basel, May 13 – August 30 2009
"ARMOUR & GOWN"

Museo Tinguely, Paul Sacher - Anlage 1

Venice, March 27 - 29 2009
“Superfici di seta: geometrie negli abiti di Roberto Capucci”

Santa Margherita Auditorium Università Ca' Foscari

Florence, October 18 2008 - March 2009
“Elogio del Maestro”

Museum of the Roberto Capucci Foundation, Villa Bardini, Temporary Exhibition Room

Venice, March 6 – May 4 2009
“Roberto Capucci a Palazzo Fortuny”

San Marco 3958, 30124 Venezia - website

From the column "Questioni di Stile" of webzine IMORE

Filatoio di Caraglio, September 28 2008 – January 6 2009
"Fantasie Guerriere. Una storia di seta fra Roberto Capucci e i Samurai"

Il Filatoio - Via Matteotti, 40 - Caraglio – Cuneo

Florence, June 17-22 2008
“La nascita della Moda Italiana nelle immagini dell Archivio G.B. Giorgini”

Museum of the Roberto Capucci Foundation, Temporary Exhibition Room
Villa Bardini - Costa San Giorgio, 2

Florence, May 3-18 2008
Project “Amico Museo” of Regione Toscana
“Lo Scrigno: a sculpture-dress in pure gold fabric”

Museum of the Roberto Capucci Foundation, Temporary Exhibition Room
Villa Bardini - Costa San Giorgio, 2

Florence, May 16 -18 2008
“Roberto Capucci e il casentino:
tra sperimentazione ed artigianalità”

Palazzo Corsini “Artigianato e Palazzo”

Capucci is taking part in this High Artisanship initiative with 'Mahasaraswati,' an original formal evening overcoat that required 36 meters of red and orange casentino plissé.

Lubiana, March 20 – May 18 2008
“Roberto Capucci L'Abito: moda scultura”

Ljubljana City Museum - Turjaska Palace

As part of the year of intercultural dialog, Roberto Capucci, a veritable icon of Italian and cosmopolitan artistic creativity and fashion, was invited to Slovenia to put on an exhibit during the Slovenian chairmanship of the Council of the European Union, in cooperation with the Embassy and the Italian Cultural Institute in Slovenia. The Turjaska Palace hosts a selection of forty extraordinary creations, the most particular of which are the twelve awe-inspiring "Architeture in Tessuto" pieces in semi-precious stones and minerals, which were first presented on the 100th anniversary of the Biennale di Venezia in 1995. A table of luxurious fabrics captures the earthy tones of the minerals as the tailored folds reflect traces of light that find themselves trapped in the structures and surfaces of these creations.
The Palace's Vzigalica Gallery exhibited his designs and sketches as forms of architectural studies along with photographs of the Maestro at work, surrounded by his creations. The exhibit also includes metaphysical photographs by English photographer Sham Hichey and Marzia Messina, who specialize in digital imagery.

Florence, January 10 - May 2 2008
“Donna Simonetta and Roberto Capucci –
Friendship is a lifetime journey”

Museum of the Roberto Capucci Foundation, Temporary Exhibition Room
Villa Bardini - Costa San Giorgio, 2

Photographs from the personal collection of Roberto Capucci and the archives of the G.B. Giorgini Foundation.

Moscow, May 24-June 25 2006
“Creare per Vivere”

Pushkin Museum, Moscow

80 sculpture-dresses with designs have been exhibited in the prestigious museum of Moscow during the “Open Festival of Arts” promoted by the Bosco dei Ciliegi organization. Contemporary Russia pays homage to Capucci offering for the exhibition one of the most beloved historical places of the city; the museum has always been an important center where Russian people could meet and come together, it contains work by the most important artists of the Renaissance, Babylonian and Ancient Greek masterpieces. The Pushkin Museum is the place where you can admire the most precious treasure of the world, the collection of Troia.

Wien, March 17 – September 20 2006
“Mozart - Experiment Aufklarung”

Albertina museum, celebration of the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth

The red “Marsina” in tafta plissè, created by Roberto Capucci in 1992, has become the emblem of the "Mozart - Experiment Aufklarung" exhibition, sharing the eminent exhibit hall with a magnificent oil painting by Francesco Guardi, the great Venetian artist.
The show is directed by the Da Ponte Institute and was organized by Albertina Museum in honor of Mozart's 250th birthday. The show also includes two other creations from the Capucci collection: l'"Orchidea nera" from 1987 and "Bouganvillea" from 1989. These three creations were selected by year and by theme from the Archives of the Roberto Capucci Foundation in an effort that focused on representing the fruit of the Maestro’s flashbulb-like intuition, which he would later re-touch with the sense of irony that became his creative trademark. These are the games, provocations, and vivid experiences of an artist-observer, an observer of life and a studier of dreams.

Genoa, April 1 – May 1 2006
“VESTIRE L’ARTE. Gli abiti scultura di Roberto Capucci”
A joint cultural philanthropy initiative by Roberto Capucci and the Associazione Ligure per i Minori - ALPIM

Palazzo della Borsa, via XX Settembre, 44 - Genova

ALPIM is a private association of volunteers that was founded in Genoa in 1989 to help minors in difficulty and their families. The association collaborates with the legally-prescribed authorities through various forms of awareness raising, information and research.
This path-breaking activity involves educators, experts and volunteers who help lead youths down the road to recovery by involving them in various recreational and sports training activities. Each youth, in fact, is inserted in the "Work fellowship and orientation" program with crafts-workers with the help of funding authorized by the Ispettorato del Lavoro.
Both the youths and the artisans receive support from the ALPIM educational team.
Accepting a proposal by Maestro Capucci, ALPIM has decided to welcome an invaluable opportunity to broaden its influence, gather funding for its activities and provide new work opportunities to youths in the field of high-quality craftsmanship.