An opaline strand of hair peeking out from underneath a Stephen Jones hat, sweet pink powdered cheeks, heart-shaped lips drawn on in vivid lipstick: was Anna Piaggi a human being or a china doll straight out of a Tim Burton movie? Born in 1931, the Milan native always wanted to become a fashion journalist- a profession that at that time existed only in her dreams. But a journalist she became nonetheless, for Vanity Fair and Italian Vogue in the 70s. Whimsical was what Piaggi aimed for, and with her distinct taste for shawls and kerchiefs, she definitely made her mark. “She wasn’t pretty,” said friend and protector Karl Lagerfeld. “She was worse than that.” Indeed she was. She could have easily passed for Calliope, goddess of eloquence, with her unique style that inspired a number of designers such as, most recently, Marc Jacobs in his Fall/Winter 2012-2013 collection. For what is a garment if not the external mutism of internal expression? In 2006, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London payed tribute to this exceptional individual who was, in her own way, an artist. She was a collector as well: more than 2,865 ready-to-wear and couture pieces as well as 265 pairs of her shoes were put on display for the exhibit.
She had a certain secretive expertise; with her extravagant pieces, she was able to tactfully put together outfits that perfectly walked the line between too much and not enough. “Everything is in the mix.” And no article of clothing, not even her eccentric veils, was considered too beautiful or too “ramshackle” for Anna Piaggi. No one before her had ever dared keep their older pieces or buy new ones second-hand. By doing so herself, she unconsciously launched the “vintage” look.
Very little was every really known about this glamor icon, who stacks up perfectly against the likes of Isabella Blow, Daphne Guiness, or Anna dello Russo. But at the age of 81, Thanatos finally came to reclaim the terrestrial Greek goddess. Anna Piaggi, once called “an exotic bird perched above fashion” is today perched in an eternal paradise above the entire world.
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