Emanuel Ungaro

Emanuel Ungaro was born in 1933 in Aix-en-Provence, France, of Italian origins. His father was Cosimo Ungaro who was a tailor who fled fascism in Italy in order to raise his family in France. Although he was expected to join the family tailoring concern, he left for Paris in 1955 and went to work for another small tailoring concern. Three years later, Ungaro joined Balenciaga, realizing a long held dream of becoming a couturier with the Master.

In 1961, Ungaro joined Courreges, designing many of the 1960s metal outfits of that house. Courreges was a leading couturier of the 1960s and Ungaro's designs were very popular there.

Four years later, Emanuel Ungaro opened his own salon, and his debut was received with a lot of success, Twiggy and Penelope Tree were photographed by Avedon wearing Ungaro masks. Other popular outfits were leather jackets with hot pants, and pop socks, also the quilted leather jackets with jockey caps and thigh-high boots, and chain mail dresses with metallic bustiers.

From 1970 onwards, Ungaro's work became far softer and a lot less rigid. His clothes were made in boldly printed fabrics which have now become his trade-mark. He also paid great attention to detail in order to enhance the colours, patterns and textures of clothes.

In the same year, Ungaro also introduced his first perfume "Diva". The design of the bottle was inspired by one of his draped garments.

During the 1970s Ungaro introduced long trousers, pastel leather coats, drawstring dresses, elasticized shirring on jackets and many very sensuous fabrics. He inherited exquisite workmanship from his mentor Balenciaga and started to reinforce a silhouette which would be later on be specifically recognized as his own. Ungaro also showed modernistic geometric renderings of the Kimono, with wide sashes at the waist and necklines slashed to the sash.


In the 1990s Emanuel Ungaro managed to maintain his own style, but also moved out into lacy and feminine designs, as well as using animal prints for many dresses, in combination with laces. Several of his outfits used geometric prints as well as intricate embroidery inspired by historic clothes. He has been assisted by his Florentine wife Laura in recent years. Today, Ungaro has a very flourishing atelier as well as branches spread out all over the world.

In 1996, Ferragamo took over financial control of the Emanuel Ungaro house. Emanuel Ungaro has continued to design couture for his own house, but the Spring of 2002 was his last for ready-to-wear collection. He has now passed the torch to a young designer named Gianbattista Valli (born 1967).

The Style of Emanuel Ungaro

Ungaro was the son of a singing tailor, and music has always been his inspiration. His designs are often created to an accompaniment of classical music in his salon. This has led to his well-known genius for drapey and flowing gowns. His Italian upbringing and love of the country side, has led to his use of a wide range of exquisite colours. The colours are very bright, floral, and always sparkling.

Ungaro also uses a wide range of fabrics, prints and textures with an impeccable cutting technique. As far as embellishments are concerned, he has, in recent years, made use of more lace and intricate embroidery on his garments.


 

Find fashion by Emanuel Ungaro @ the following eshops: