Luigi Piccolo on Sartoria Farani's Legacy in Cinema Costume

Sartoria Farani, founded in 1962 by radio speaker Piero Farani in Rome's Trastevere, is a historic costume atelier now directed by Luigi Piccolo. The workshop has created costumes for iconic films including Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet (Oscar 1969), Barbarella, Federico Fellini's I clowns and Casanova, Totò's jacket in Uccellacci e Uccellini, medieval outfits for Benigni-Troisi in Non ci resta che piangere, David Lynch's Dune (1984), and recent works by Sofia Coppola and Tim Burton. Piccolo, who arrived in Rome in 1982 to work at sartoria Gp 11, was recruited by Farani to take over the business. Today the atelier collaborates internationally, notably with Japan, La Scala in Milan, and costume designer Colleen Atwood. Piccolo teaches Cinema History at IED Rome and emphasizes the importance of craftsmanship over fashion. He notes that Italian artisanal tradition is highly sought abroad, with competitors like Cornejo in Spain and Angels in London. The atelier now works mainly for opera and theater due to the decline of Italian costume cinema, though recent exceptions include Matteo Garrone's Il Racconto dei racconti. Piccolo aims to preserve the sartoria's heritage without shifting into fashion.