Disco designer and disco king Elio Fiorucci dies
Olesya Iva
On Monday, July 20, at the age of 80, designer Elio Fiorucci died, whose name is forever associated with the era of disco and pop art, as well as the invention of stretch denim, infantile fashion and a revolution in the promotion of things. Fiorucci said about himself: "I am a merchandiser, not a fashion designer." In 1967, Elio founded a store in Milan, which he called none other than "an amusement park with fashionable novelties." They sold eccentric stuff straight from "swinging London": bright Ossie Clark dresses and Biba mini-skirts, kitchen utensils, fluorescent hair dye, platform shoes. In fact, Fiorucci recreated the legendary London-based Biba store in Italy and, in his example, launched his own clothing line in 1970. It must be said that Biba and the Fiorucci store were successful examples of the first concept stores.
Fiorucci was one of the first to understand that people tend to buy everything that is bright and vulgar. He sewed a collection of neon fabrics with animal prints, shiny Lurex and plastic. The entire assortment of the Fiorucci store - from shirts to lipstick - could have been entirely fluorescent, and in a week - with a decorated zebra print. The logo of his brand Italian made a recognizable image of two dreamy angels, he decorated them with T-shirts and mugs, which did not prevent Fiorucci from doing frank, erotic advertising campaigns.
Elio literally invented and popularized the things that still make the cashier to all world shopping centers: classic five-pocket stretch jeans and sweaters with infantile prints and inscriptions he sold at affordable prices. In addition, Fiorucci pioneered successful pop collaborations: collaborated with Walt Disney Productions, Vivienne Westwood, Jean-Paul Gautier and Andy Warhol - together they promoted a line of denim and funny T-shirts. At some point, the artist Keith Haring painted the Fioruccia boutique in Milan.
The Italian has always kept abreast of pop culture, which, like nothing else, influences fashion trends. In 1983, the Oscar-winning film "Flash Dance" was released, the heroine of which, Jennifer Beals, instantly captivated the audience with her dance to Michael Sembello's song "Maniac". Elio immediately released fluorescent tights, leggings and leggings, which became not only a hit at the parties of “Studio 54”, where the Italian was a regular, but also asked in the 80s the fashion for sports things for aerobics. Boutique Fiorucci in New York was called "daytime Studio 54" for territorial proximity to the legendary club and because its regulars went to Fiorucci - Madonna, Cher, Andy Warhol and other celebrities.
In the early 1990s, when the disco movement diminished in popularity, the Italian brand Denim Edwin bought the company Fiorucci. In 2003, the designer launched the Love Therapy line, which specialized in infantile products for adults and children. In recent years, he led the brand name, created bright sneakers in collaboration with Superga and T-shirts with Naomi Campbell, and also collaborated with IKEA and Hyundai.
Elio Fiorucci can be seen in the film "Studio 54" with Ryan Phillippe in the lead role and in the documentary film about denim "Blue Gold: American jeans".
Photo: courtesy of Elio Fiorucci