Albini in 1971, photographed by Gian Paolo Barbieri

Gualtiero Angelo Albini (3 March 1941 – 31 May 1983), known professionally as Walter Albini was an Italian fashion designer who eventually started his own eponymous fashion house and became known for his gender fluid designs, with his collections featuring both male and female models.[1] In 2023 the rights to his fashion house were bought by Bidayat an investment company created by Rachid Mohamed Rachid.[2][3]

Early life

Albini was born on 3 March 1941 in Busto Arszio, Italy as Gualtiero Angelo Albini.[4]

After graduating from the Istituto d’ Arte per il disegno di Moda (Institute of Art, Design and Fashion) in Turin (where he was the only and first male student)[5] at age 17 he moved to Rome and started making sketches of fashion shows for different magazines and newspapers.[6] In 1961 he moved to Paris, France and continued making fashion sketches.[7]

Personal life and career

During his time in Paris he met Coco Chanel and worked alongside Karl Lagerfeld.[8] He left Paris in 1965 and moved to Milan.

For his Autumn 1972 at Milan Fashion Week, Albini designed for five different houses (Basile, Callaghan, Escargots, Misterfox and Sportfox) and displayed the collections all in one show, which occurred at the Sala d'Ora in the Circolo del Giardino and featured hundreds of models.[7][9]

His Autumn/Winter 1973-74 show was held at the Caffè Florian in Venice.[8]

Death

Walter Albini died on 31 May 1983 at age 42. His cause of death is presumably of AIDS.[10]

Revival

In 2023 the rights to his fashion house were bought by Bidayat an investment company created by Rachid Mohamed Rachid who is the chairman of Valentino and Balmain.[2][3] Bidayat also purchased the personal Walter Albini archive of Barbara Curti which the majority of was collected by her mother Marisa Curti, the archive includes pieces of clothing, costume jewellery, drawings, photographs and more.[11]

Legacy

Albini has been credited as being the start of brands showing collections in Milan and not in Florence.[12]

In the 1988 book Walter Albini, lo stile nella moda, Karl Lagerfeld said that Albini had “splendid, perfect, impeccable drawings,” and that “He has been surpassed by others with more financial skills, but few can say to have his talent,”.[13]

Alessandro Michele stated that Albini was an inspiration for his F/W 2016 Menswear collection for Gucci.[14]

Albini was featured in three episodes of the 2019 TV Show Made in Italy, he was played by Gaetano Bruno. The show was directed by Luca Lucini and Ago Panini.[15][16]

It was announced in an interview by WWD that Carla Sozzani was planning an exhibition for May 2024 at the Museo del Tessuto in Prato, Italy.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Bidayat to relaunch Walter Albini". Vogue Business. 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  2. 1 2 "Could Alessandro Michele be the Creative Director Behind Walter Albini's Return?". Hypebeast. 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  3. 1 2 Pengarna. "Founder". Bidayat Group. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  4. ↑ Guia (2023-05-19). "5 things about Walter Albini every fashion student should know | I'M FIRENZE DIGEST". Istituto Marangoni Firenze Digest. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  5. ↑ "DESIGN STUDY: WALTER ALBINI". Bagtazo. 2015-12-30. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  6. ↑ "Albini Walter (1941 - 1983)". fashion.mam-e.it. 2015-01-06. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  7. 1 2 Mallon, Jackie (2016-03-30). "Fashion's Unsung Designers: Walter Albini". FashionUnited. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  8. 1 2 "Il grande ritorno di Walter Albini, padre spirituale della moda italiana". ELLE (in Italian). 2023-05-13. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  9. ↑ Dazed (2010-01-26). "Prime Mover of Fashion". Dazed. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  10. ↑ Petkanas, Christopher (2010-10-12). "The Great Heap Forward". T Magazine. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  11. ↑ "Walter Albini Relaunch Confirmed". The Business of Fashion. 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  12. ↑ "The rise of Milan's fashion, from 1971 to today". nss magazine. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  13. 1 2 Zargani, Luisa (2023-07-21). "Carla Sozzani on Walter Albini, Pioneer of Italy's Ready-to-wear". WWD. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  14. ↑ Rysman, Laura (2016-01-19). "In Milan, Gucci Celebrates the Delightfully Weird". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  15. ↑ Anderson, Ariston (2019-03-12). "Behind the Scenes With Directors of Fashion-Focused 'Made in Italy' TV Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  16. ↑ "Why is it so hard to talk about fashion in TV series?". nss magazine. Retrieved 2023-09-08.

Further reading

  • (1988). Walter Albini, lo stile nella moda. Zanfi Editori.
  • Frisa, Maria Luisa; Tonchi, Stefano (2010). Walter Albini and His Times: All Power to the Imagination. Marsilio. ISBN 8-8317-9968-1
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