Tirelli tailoring house, founded in Rome in 1964, has contributed to 17 Oscar wins for Best Costume Design, including notable films like 'Casanova', 'The English Patient', and 'Titanic'.
ADVERTISEMENTAt Rome's Tirelli tailoring house (Tirelli Costumi), six decades worth of Italian and international film costume history has been created.
Established in November 1964 by Umberto Tirelli, the atelier has been the hub behind 17 Academy Awards for Best Costume Design, with its latest endeavour, Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, nominated for the prestigious statuette in the upcoming 96th Academy Awards.
It's no wonder it has earnt the nickname "Oscar's tailor's shop" for its unparalleled contribution to cinematic costume design.
At the Tirelli tailor’s shop, several Oscar-winning costume designers have created their own garments, attracted by Tirelli’s rich collection from which they could take inspiration to recreate the costumes of a specific historical period.
Among them are Theodor Pištěk, who won the Academy Award in 1984 for Costume Design in Miloš Forman's film Amadeus, Gabriella Pescucci, who won the Oscar for Best Costume Design in 1993 for Martin Scorsese’s film The Age of Innocence, Milena Canonero, who won several Oscars working with Tirelli tailor's shop, and Ann Roth, who won the Academy Award in 1996 for the costumes of The English Patient.
In 60 years, the tailor’s shop has created more than 300,000 costumes that are now stored in the 7,000 square metre warehouses in Formello, near Rome.
This year, costume designers Janty Yates and David Crossman are in the running for their work on Napoleon.
Trappetti is hopeful that they'll be recognised, although he had some notes for director Ridley Scott.
“I must say one thing, that the film is shot very darkly, and I am surprised that the costumes were noticed, because you hardly notice the costumes," he says.
"But maybe it will win! Let's add another medal to the medal collection. Of course, the Oscar is not won by the tailor's shop, the Oscar is won by the costume designer, but the tailor's shop has the merit and the honour of having participated to make it win.”
