Bikinis And Hair, Florence-Style

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31269, 16 January 1967, Page 2

Bikinis And Hair, Florence-Style

(NZ.P.A .-Reuter—Copyright) FLORENCE, January 15. Hair, flowing to the thighs in Lady Godiva style, may be a revolution in beachwear this summer.

But the “hair” is of gold and silver straw and it covers, not the nudity of the medieval English lady who rode naked through the streets of Coventry, but tiny, gay bikinis.

It was suggested by the Florence boutique Valditevere at the opening of the Florence spring summer collections last night, and proved that Florence designers can still laugh although their workshops, materials and creations were ruined by the November floods. Gay sunshine colours, flowery mini-skirts and vivid harem suits were a startling contrast to the still rather dingy, dark city which is fighting its way back to its brilliant normal self after the disastrous floods.

Orange, lemon, apple green and all azalea shades were the favourite colours used by the six widely differing ready-to-wear and knit-wear houses which showed last night Giovanna Ferragamo, daughter of the famous shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo, foreshadowed the Oriental look expected to emerge from the Rome high fashion collections next week with dazzling at-home pyjama suits with harem pants and long Punjab tunics.

Many of her evening pyjamas were embroidered all over in hot orange and yellow shades. Albertina, a well-known Rome knit-wear house, mixed shocking pinks and mustard yellow in dresses and suits which had slightly flared skirts with an occasional burst of pleats. Lydia of Rome plunged with calf-length day and town dresses in cotton and linen—and set watchers wondering whether this line would crop up again in the Italian showings or whether it was just a flash in the pan. Zinzone Ventanni, of Rome, which specialises in teenagers’ clothes, showed shortskirted dresses, often in sack or trapeze shapes, with lots of flowers appliqued or embroidered around the neckline, hemline and sleeves.