Has Italian fashion truly embraced curviness, or is it still caught in a cycle of trends?

Bellissima! by Isabella Campagnol explores how the ideal of curvy Italian beauty, embodied by 1950s movie stars like Sophia Loren, has evolved over time. Research on Italian fashion magazines from the 18th century to the 1920s shows that the slim look prevailed, with curviness almost absent. The Fascist regime shifted this perspective, linking curviness to fertility. The "soft" silhouette of the 1930s continued into the 1940s and 1950s, faded in the 1960s and 1970s, and made a comeback in the 1980s with supermodels like Monica Bellucci. Brands like Elena Mirò and Marina Rinaldi played a pivotal role in promoting curvy fashion, a trend recognized by Italian Vogue and other labels at fashion weeks. Despite progress toward inclusivity, "curvy-washing" still occurs.

Ideal for students studying fashion, faculty teaching fashion, and especially those interested in understanding the evolution of beauty ideals, curviness in fashion, and the cultural and political influences on fashion trends.

Isabella Campagnol is a fashion historian, former curator of the Rubelli Historical Textile Collection, and current History of Fashion teacher at Istituto Marangoni, Milan.