THE POSTCARDS
The postcards that the bearded lady reads are from the 1920s, discovered by the hundreds in an old box in Daniela’s family cellar. They pertain to the correspondence of a couple, Emma and Mario Bortesi, she an nurse, and he a soldier, who wrote to each other during Mario’s time at the front.
The postcards that the bearded lady reads are from the 1920s, discovered by the hundreds in an old box in Daniela’s family cellar. They reveal the heartfelt correspondence of a couple named Emma and Mario Bortesi. Emma, an nurse, diligently sent postcards to Mario while he served as a soldier at the frontlines.
Emma’s postcards, filled with nostalgia and affection, were a daily chronicle of her life away from Mario. Though she wrote with regularity, Mario’s responses were less frequent. The addresses on Emma’s postcards varied, reflecting Mario’s changing whereabouts, while Mario’s messages were consistently sent to Emma in Genoa, her place of residence.
Alongside the postcards, several photographs of the couple were also found in the box. Sadly, they didn’t depict them as youthful as imagined, but it was still delightful to have a glimpse of what they looked like. Through the photographs, they had faces and expressions, and it felt like we came to know them a little.
Emma’s smiling face exuded warmth, while Mario embodied the archetypal image of a steadfast and dedicated soldier. Regrettably, we were unable to ascertain whether this deeply devoted couple had any descendants. Stored in the cellar of Mario’s namesake grandson (Daniela’s grandfather), it is plausible to imagine that it was only the two of them throughout their lifetime.
We selected these postcards due to the beautiful expressions of love they conveyed. They served as a profound source of inspiration, emanating an intimate and passionate spirit. Placing them in Luca’s hands for the photoshoot, allowing him to read them, evoked a deeply emotional and moving interpretation.
THE WARDROBE OF THE BEARDED LADY
The turban that Luca wears is a unique blend of two pieces. The jeweled embellishments and feathers are sourced from a contemporary turban, while the main part of the turban, in a champagne color, is a vintage handcrafted piece from an Italian tailor (De Robertis, Milan) made of luxurious silk in the early 1900s.
Turban fashion gained popularity in Europe through the influence of designer Paul Poiret. The inspiration for combining roses with the turban emerged from Poiret’s frequent incorporation of roses in both his personal and stylistic creations. He even named his daughter Rosine and dedicated Maison Rosine, a cosmetic division, to her. Poiret’s enduring fascination with roses led to the creation of his iconic fragrance, “La Rose De Rosine.”
While drawing inspiration from Poiret, I intentionally preserved the corset element, which Poiret himself disliked due to its stiffness and lack of modernity. Our bearded lady, already exuding an air of exoticism and I decided to embrace a more classic look for her that embodies the feminine stereotype of the era.
