On September 3, 1951 was celebrated a Palazzo Labia the "Bal of the Century", that "Bal Oriental" wanted by Don Carlos de Beistegui y de Yturbe, which attracted thousands of jet setters from all over the world. A masked ball that involved Dior, with Dalì, but also the very young Cardin and Nina Ricci, creators of the costumes for the guests who came to Venice for the occasion. An event worthy of the glories of the Venetian eighteenth century.
For the occasion, the photographers of Cameraphoto, the Venetian photographic agency founded in 46 by Dino Jarach, they immortalized every moment.
Today Vittorio Pavan, current curator of the impressive Cameraphoto Archive (the historical part alone boasts over 300 filed negatives) and Daniele Ferrara, Director of the Polo Museale Veneto, reproduce the images of those historic events at Villa Nazionale Pisani in Stra, the "Queen" of the Venetian Villas, which, and it is no coincidence, is embellished with wonderful frescoes by Giambattista Tiepolo. Artist who dominated the memorable 1951 party from the ceilings of Palazzo Labia.
His collections were admired all over the world. Dior introduced a new line every year and this was eagerly awaited by everyone, because it completely changed fashion, indeed it was dictated by the Parisian couturier of Avenue Montaigne, a Maison that had been born just 5 years ago and where it already employed over a thousand collaborators .
In 1950 he had imposed the Vertical Line, in '51 – as documented by the images exhibited in Villa Pisani – women could only dress in the Oval: rounded shoulders and raglan sleeves, fabrics modeled until they became a second skin. An indispensable complement, the cap, for which Dior was inspired, that year, by the headdresses of the coolies, therefore in the Chinese style. For autumn, he created the “Princesse” line instead. In the images of Cameraphoto the beautiful models dressed by Dior live in a splendid Venice, which becomes the protagonist together with the images, with churches, canals and palaces.
The second part of the exhibition is dedicated to Gran Ballo di Palazzo Labia, the social event of the century, because all the beautiful world came to Venice on 3 September. The invitation of Don Carlos, popularly referred to as The Count of Monte Cristo, reached a thousand people. Dior, with a group of young tailors and with Dalì, was busy creating the most fascinating dresses, all recalling the eighteenth century of Goldoni and Casanova. Costumes for people but also for greyhounds and other dogs that often accompanied their masters.
The torches that mythical night illuminated the Dukes of Windsor, the Grandees of Spain, the Aga Khan III, King Faruq of Egypt, Winston Churchill, many crowned heads, princes and princesses, hosts of millionaires, artists such as Fabrizio Clerici and Leonor Fini, stylists such as Balenciaga and Elsa Schiapparelli, protagonists of the jet set such as Barbara Hutton, Diana Cooper, Orson Welles, Daisy Fellowes, Cecil Beaton (whose images, published by Life, made the world dream), the Polignacs, and Rothschilds. To welcome them, in the midst of clouds of dancers and Harlequins, the landlord who, walking on platforms 40 centimeters high, dominated dressed as the Sun King. He was the heir to an immense fortune created in Mexico. He lived between Paris, where he owned a house designed by Le Courbusier and decorated by Salvador Dalì, and a castle in the countryside. He had bought and restored Palazzo Labia and was now offering it to his friends.
The exhibition, which can be visited until 3 November next, contributes to the enhancement of the Camera photo photographic archive, declared of exceptional cultural interest by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities.
