ApritiModa 2025: Mina and Italian Fashion in the 1960s in the Barilla Caroselli Commercials

On the occasion of the 2025 edition of ApritiModa and in collaboration with the Magnani Rocca Foundation, the Barilla Historical Archive presents, within the context of the "Fashion and Advertising in Italy 1950-2000" exhibition, a conference-show on the dresses worn by Mina between 1965 and 1970 in the more than fifty Caroselli commercials filmed for the Parma-based pasta company.

Tied to the fashion of the moment, yet never ordinary, endowed with an uncommon mimicry and acting ability, with her exceptional voice she would voluptuously and elegantly caress the pasta boxes or enthrone herself on gigantic packages to recommend quality purchases to those great cooks, the Italian housewives.

Mina, directed by great directors such as Valerio Zurlini (1926-1982), Antonello Falqui (1925-2019), Piero Gherardi (1909-1971), and Duccio Tessari (1926-1994) - who did not shy away from momentarily leaving cinema or TV for the world of advertising - performed her songs, often repeated in different versions and settings; she sang live at La Bussola in Viareggio, recorded in the studio, and became a regular fixture for Italian women.

The message gradually became more refined, graphically perfect, and soon merged with surreal sets, whimsical dresses, bold camera angles, and aggressive, dynamic editing.

And it is precisely the dresses, designed for her by Fellini's great set and costume designer, Piero Gherardi, that will be the subject of the exhibition organized by the Barilla Historical Archive for ApritiModa 2025. They will allow us a dive into the 1960s and into the extraordinary creative powerhouse that was Italy at that time.

On Saturday, October 25th at 3:30 PM, within the context of the "Moda e Pubblicità in Italia 1950-2000" exhibition, it will be possible to attend a presentation at the Magnani Rocca Foundation in Mamiano di Traversetolo (Parma) dedicated to Mina's dresses used in the Barilla Caroselli commercials from 1965 to 1970. On this occasion, it will be possible to watch a screening of some of the most exciting Caroselli featuring Mina, admire the reconstruction of some of the dresses designed for the singer, and relive the atmosphere of the sets through the magical photographs of Piero Pascuttini (1936-2009), the photographer of Cinecittà's divas, made available by the Barilla Historical Archive. Following the event, guests can visit the exhibition set up by the Magnani Rocca Foundation.

Participation in the conference is free but requires the payment of the reduced admission fee to the exhibition. A reservation on the platform www.apritimoda.it is required.