Along one of Modena's most beautiful streets, Via Ruggera, you would never guess that at number 13, beside the old bakery and pastry shop, there was a secret jewel of a boutique hiding on the 2nd story.
Barbieri Costumi - Costumi D'Epoca
When you walk into Barbieri Costumi you are met with an overwhelming sensation of possibilities. Specializing in "Costumi d'Epoca" Historic Costumes from the Renaissance, 1700s and 1800s, they have expanded their selection to include perfect reproductions from every era including the 1920s, movie characters and geishas!
People come from all over Europe to rent their Carnival costumes from Barbera Casalgrandi, who learned how to be a costume seamstress from her grandmother when she was just a little girl.
Sign up for the RTD Magazine to read the complete interview with Barbera and her husband Luca who joined the family business in 1998, they could fill a book with their stories of characters and costumes!
I cannot believe how much she knows about historic dress, not to mention her skill for every single costume in their bottega was either made by hand by Barbera or her grandmother!
Where to Rent a Costume for Venice Carnival
Some of you may be wondering " What is the Carnivale di Venezia?" Or perhaps " What is the history of costumes and masks?" Or " How is Carnival connected to the Roman Catholic Church and Fat Tuesday?" I've written about all of that before here as a "crash course"!
If you're planning on attending a costume ball in Venice the next time you're in Italy don't miss out on a visit to this historic boutique in the Centre of Modena, renown throughout Italy for their selection. In fact, chances are that a good portion of the people you'll run into in Venice rented their costumes from Barbieri Costumi!
Many of their costumes are museum worthy and in fact have graced many a different gallery exhibit, you can have one for the night for between 40 and 80 euro, a steal if you ask me.
Don't let not knowing where to rent a Carnival costume stop you from fully experiencing the magic of in Italy. Afterall, the point of Carnevale was to become someone else for the month of February to release societal tensions !
Barbera transformed me into a Lady from the 1700s and I can honestly say that the moment she attached my hip padding I was ready for the ball!
Carnival isn't the only occasion where you can dawn a historic costume, throughout the year you'll find Grand Balls in some of Italy's most prestigious and beautiful spaces dedicated to dancing Waltzs from the 1800s. Visit the Società di Danza for class and Ball info!
I've had the occasion to attend many different small carnivals throughout Italy and you can read about how "Carnival is Everywhere" in Italy throughout the month of February here. Most people think it is limited to Venice, however, there are many other important Carnival parades in other cities along with THOUSANDS in small towns and medium sized villages for children.
One of the most unforgettable (and also strange) experiences I've ever had was attending the Carnivale di Venezia in full costume with my husband years ago as part of a large group. You can read about that experience here and see a few close-ups of my beautiful costume.
Expect to find something similar at Barbieri Costumi or go full out and get yourself a top costume with petty-coat and ring.
Do not expect to find MASKS at Barbieri Costumi, that is an entirely different tradition. Barbera has THOUSANDS of costumes and has rented HUNDREDS at a time for lavish weddings set in Renaissance Italian castles! (**OH MY GOODNESS CAN YOU IMAGINE!**)
Sign up for the RTD bi-monthly magazine for the full tour and an interview with Barbera to hear her incredible story. She knows every single costume's size by memory along with the period to which it belongs.
Barbera and Luca's historic bottega in the centre of Modena is a never ending labyrinth of lush velvet and trim and you cannot help but be transported to another era!
For INFO, APPOINTMENTS AND UPDATED VISITING HOURS
Barbieri CostumiVia Ruggera 13, Modena (MO), Italy
Phone: +39 059 217422
Email: [email protected]
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HAND MADE - The Artisan Series
This article is part of the HAND MADE series dedicated to sharing and translating the stories of Italian artisans.
As part of this series I have interviewed both Fashion artisans such as La Vacchetta Grassa, La Gioja and Emilia Fontana and also producers of some of Italy's most exceptional products such as the Acetaia Malagoli Daniele (Balsamic Vinegar) and The Tenuta Nunzi Conti creators of Chianti Classico Wine. You can also join the GIVEAWAY to win three bottles of Chianti this month!
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