Rara Avis. Moda in volo - Fashion in Flight

In the mid-16th century, Cardinal Alessandro Farnese began to set up a splendid garden of delights inspired by the memory of the ancient Roman horti on the Palatine hill, once the heart of ancient Rome. The Horti Farnesiani complex was enriched and completed in the following years by members of the Farnese family until the wedding of Odoardo Farnese and Margherita de’ Medici in 1628: the two splendid Baroque aviaries designed to house rare birds from exotic places date from this time period.

The two pavilions of the Uccelliere Farnesiane are now hosting (until 21 July) a unique exhibition that draws inspiration from the genius loci, the spirit and vocation linked to this place. It is an astonishing immersion in a small, mind-blowing cosmos, amid projections of idyllic landscapes, sounds and noises of nature, with a succession of extraordinary clothes and accessories rich in impalpable, multicolored feathers that come from some of the most famous fashion houses in the world, making the human and animal worlds dialogue.

The marvels on display include Maria Grazia Chiuri’s majestic white swan dress for Christian Dior (Cruise, 2022); Alexander McQueen’s black swan dress for Givenchy (fall-winter 1997 haute couture); Dolce&Gabbana Alta Moda’s rooster and pheasant feather corset dress (Florence 2020 Collection); and the outfit, with parrot bolero, from Jean-Paul Gaultier’s first haute couture show (fall-winter 1997). Specifically designed for the exhibition is the dress “Vittoria del colibrì” (Victory of the Hummingbird), made by Tiziano Guardini in nonviolent silk and dedicated to the theme of sustainability. Finally, the section “Le ALI, irreALI, reALI” hosts the “avian” accessories that belonged to journalist and fashion lady Anna Piaggi, including a bag-cabinet with canaries and winged hats by Schiaparelli and Philip Treacy.