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Nov 16, 2023

Franca Sozzani’s Iconic Wardrobe Is On Display (And For Sale) In Milan

By Federico Chiara Franca Sozzani, legendary editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia

By Federico Chiara

Franca Sozzani, legendary editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia from 1988 until her untimely death in 2016, had inimitable taste. Sozzani made fashion but did not follow it, or at least she was not possessed by it. Her mantra was style. Personal and based on combinations of vintage and contemporary pieces, it differentiated her as much from the other editors-in-chief as from the fashionistas. The difference was her charisma, which distinguished her every choice.

As her sister Carla Sozzani explains, "Franca's style had two periods: the first was very sober and somewhat androgynous, characterised by many Alberto Biani garments that became almost her uniform. Although there is not much left of that period, apart from a few Caraceni jackets, her son Francesco Carrozzini likes to remember her mostly this way." And that's how we think of her at the turn of the 1990s and 2000s: she often came to the newsroom wearing tapered, dark pants and a white shirt, perhaps a wide one, with humble Friulane shoes on her feet and carrying small shantung bags.

Part of Franca Sozzani's selection of dresses on display in Milan.

By Hannah Jackson

By Emma Spedding

By Alice Cary

Sozzani, wearing one of the dresses on display, and her son, Francesco Carrozzini, at the New York premiere of Franca: Chaos and Creation in 2016.

"Then she changed her style. Around 2010, coinciding with greater media exposure, she began to wear more feminine, varied, colourful, floral garments. The slipper was replaced by half-heeled Manolo shoes. She wanted to move completely away from a fashion look, mixing old Saint Laurent, bow blouses and below-the-knee skirts. Ultimately she changed the clothes but not the personality," Carla continues.

At gala soirées after 2010, Franca surprised with her choices, from maximalist prints to feathers and statement jewellery. She was, always, iconic.

Now a selection of her clothes, accessories, and works of art is on display at the Fondazione Sozzani in Milan from September 15 to October 30. Another selection in the same location is being offered for sale for charity.

With Linda Evangelista in 2014 at Vogue Italia's 50th anniversary party.

By Hannah Jackson

By Emma Spedding

By Alice Cary

At Fendi Roma's 90-year-anniversary welcome cocktail at Palazzo Carpegna in 2016.

The edit includes clothes she loved to wear designed by Azzedine Alaïa, Prada, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Valentino, Miu Miu and Alberta Ferretti; accessories by Fendi and Louis Vuitton; and shoes by Manolo Blahnik. Franca liked to unearth vintage pieces when browsing in flea markets and specialty stores. "The discovery of a vintage piece," she once said, "is a magical moment. You become the owner of something that is only yours. Automatically you are different, you create your own style and you are inimitable."

That love of vintage was a passion shared with Carla, who explains, "It was Vern Lambert, a great vintage fashion expert, who infected us. We would go with him to London and scour the flea markets looking not only for clothes but for blankets, curtains, pillows – something completely unique and personal to take home.

"Among my favourites on display, but not for sale, is a teal Alexander McQueen dress with feathers, which is immortalised in so many of Franca's photos," Carla continues. "Among the items for sale are dresses Azzedine Alaïa tailored for her, Valentino skirts, Prada and Saint Laurent dresses, as well as a blue python Miu Miu coat that looked really great on her."

By Hannah Jackson

By Emma Spedding

By Alice Cary

Franca (in Valentino) and Carrozzini in Venice in 2016.

At the Hotel des Iles Borromees for the wedding of Pierre Casiraghi and Beatrice Borromeo in 2015.

By Hannah Jackson

By Emma Spedding

By Alice Cary

Part of Sozzani's selection of dresses on display in Milan.

Also on sale are several works of art and photography from her private collection, signed by artists she loved and sometimes even discovered, including Vanessa Beecroft, Peter Lindbergh, Mats Gustafson, Steven Meisel, and Takashi Murakami.

To further encourage the digital circular fashion ecosystem—and in collaboration with the leading NFT phygital Web3 platform dedicated to art and fashion, SPIN by Lablaco—a special selection of 25 pieces is complemented by an NFT label that allows the history of the garment to be read and its ownership transitions to be traced. Each garment is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the Franca Sozzani Fund.

All profits from the sale will go to the Franca Sozzani Fund for Preventive Genomics at Harvard Medical School. The fund's goal is to achieve the best results in preventive genomics research and advocacy so that everyone, regardless of ethnicity or socioeconomic background, can have access to personalized strategies to promote health.

With Carrozzini at home in a private moment.

By Hannah Jackson

By Emma Spedding

By Alice Cary

Part of the selection of Sozzani's clothes on display in Milan.