Emanuel Ungaro, Italian-French couturier, dies at 86

Emanuel Ungaro, the renowned designer celebrated for fusing Italian artistry with French sophistication, has passed away at the age of 86. He was born in 1933 in Aix-en-Provence to parents from Apulia who escaped fascist Italy. Ungaro began his tailoring education under his father Cosimo and was sewing on a machine by age five. In 1955, he relocated to Paris, initially working in a small atelier before spending six years at Balenciaga, where he learned the master’s architectural style. He established his own Parisian atelier in 1967, during a cultural upheaval. Ungaro’s designs, known for their structured yet sensual forms, celebrated femininity. He famously remarked, "I like the definition of a designer who loves women." His muses included icons like Jackie Kennedy and Catherine Deneuve. In the 1980s, he became a pivotal figure in French couture and collaborated with the Italian company GFT for prêt-à-porter. The house was sold to Ferragamo in 1996, and Ungaro extended his contract until 2004, when he retired. AEFFE took over the brand in 2012, with Fausto Puglisi and Marco Colagrossi as creative directors. Ungaro is remembered for his innovative techniques, including invisible seams and geometric draping, and he expressed concern over the decline of skilled artisans. He is survived by his wife Laura Bernabei and daughter Cosima.