27/07/2026
Our journey continues—through the study of historical, artistic, and iconographic sources—to rediscover the timeless elegance of Renaissance attire.
We turn our gaze to the fashion of the Venetian nobility during the end of the 16th century and the beginning of 17th century,period when the *Serenissima* reached the pinnacle of its artistic, commercial, and manufacturing splendor.
Clothing served as an expression of social prestige, wealth, and refinement, made unique by the extraordinary quality of the silks and precious fabrics produced in Venice.
The era is easily identified by distinctive sartorial elements, such as the fan-shaped collar (or “Medici collar”).
This is an imposing white lace collar—stiff and open at the front—that rises up behind the nape of the neck.
This style replaced the classic closed cartwheel ruff towards the end of the 16th century.
The combination of gold and sage-green damask brocade with dark velvet central inserts evokes the opulence of the *Serenissima* and 17th-century court fashion.
The stiff, geometric, and b***d bodice creates a characteristic “V” shape at the front. The skirt features voluminous fullness, supported at the hips by the typical undergarments of the period (such as hip pads or early farthingales).
Rich embroidery on the central panel (the *panciera*), sleeves with wide, turned-back white cuffs, and an exquisite hairstyle adorned with pearls and a diadem complete the quintessential aesthetic of the Italian Renaissance aristocracy.
This creation pays homage to the magnificence of Renaissance Venice, reinterpreting the elegance of the *Serenissima’s* noblewomen with historical accuracy and contemporary sensibility—where every detail tells the story of the meeting between art, history, and haute couture.
Dress by Bala Armando
Fabric by Rubelli Group
