“Life in death” was born from a personal experience of mine a few years ago, when, during a bereavement, I perceived that a person’s style had been totally ignored in the choice of clothes. After watching the film “The Cannibals” by Liliana Cavani, where we saw corpses left unburied in the streets of Milan, I understood how important the ritual of burial is, its profound meaning but also how standardized and alienating it is.
I therefore began to reflect on the dressing of the deceased, I delved into the Italian tradition and I noticed how, unlike other cultures, there is very little sensitivity on this topic. And, by talking about it with other people, I discovered how taboo it is.
There is little and reluctant talk about the topic, but today there is a “dress code” for the deceased, decided by no one knows who. But it seems unbreakable, despite the fact that in Italy many customs have been overcome over time. But not this one.
Men are preferred to dress in formal clothes, suits, black, gloomy, while women in suits and skirts, never short, “obviously”.
It is impossible to see sumptuous, shiny or flashy clothes, or even simply colourful.
Or tight or provocative clothes.
Why this?
Perhaps it is connected to the ritual which is dark, gloomy, of respect towards death. But I don’t think that standardizing and dressing everyone the same or following the same ritual for everyone is respectful of the singularity and diversity of each of us.
The intent of my project was to subvert these “imposed” criteria for dressing.
Sensibility is the key word to describe Life in Death. I had a 2m long casket built because I found a transparent, safe, delicate environment elegant and interesting, rather than a dark, impenetrable, heavy wooden coffin.
I tried to best express the identity of the “deceased” in the story. Sensitivity to identity, because death does not erase memories and cannot erase who we are.
This is the message I would like to reach the observer and it is the concept of the shooting and the video I created.
Art direction + styling: Giulia Lacalamita @laca.ttiva
Fashion powered by archivio loiacono, di Amelianna Loiacono @archivioloiacono | Lessico Familiare @____lessicofamiliare | PWC Milano @pwcmilano ECP @ecp.selection | Perlesexy @perlesexy
Photography: Lorenzo Marzi @hippatodahoppa_
Video-maker: Lorenzo Marzi + Francesca Bernardello @hippatodahoppa_ + @francesca_bernardello
Make-up: Beatrice Torchio @babsiscutie
Song: Gosh – Jamie xx
Models: Alessandro Muscogiuri at Sociopath @emmatuedio + Alice Cupri @alicecupri + Letizia Cagnola @typo.le + Alessandro Borsone at Persona Milano @alessandro.borsone
Extra: Matteo Rocco Frasca, Lucrezia LaBanca, Noemi Loiacono, Mea Pendrangon, Ilaria De Pergola, Carlo Tenti, Michele Prisco, Andrea Lacalamita, Tommaso Grasso, Matteo Iervolino, Gaia Pappalepore, Maddalena Penello, Lucia Papiri, Annachiara Rabito, Matteo Zaneboni, Alberto Castellano, Gabriele Carrera
Location: Art Finestreria Studio di Claudia Ponzi @art_studio_finestreria
Setup first room: Gabriele Carrera @gabriele_carrera_
Setup second room: Fabula di Luisa Elia @luisaeliaarte
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