seeking the Sforzas

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The Sforzas ruled the Duchy of Milan during the Renaissance years from 1450 to 1535. They wielded their power through intrigues, military machinations, advantageous marriage alliances and brute force. The Sforzas strengthened their power in an arranged marriage to the vainglorious Borgia family (Giovanni Sforza to Lucrezia Borgia, the marriage was late annulled). Renaissance man,Leonardo da Vinci served Ludovico Sforza and painted family members, mistresses all. The Sforzas-rock stars of the Renaissance.

The infamous Sforzas are intriguing indeed, however the Sforza I seek is an entirely different one, though the two are connected. The opulent Renaissance portraits of the Sforza family are abundant-all in splendorous raiment.

Frammento di velluto/ Historisches Museum Berna

Well-now we are getting somewhere-

 Ludovico Sforza, ‘il Moro’ (the dark). Here is a man obsessed with wearing a startling variety of imprese (heraldic emblems) all at once, until his dream came true and he became Duke of Milan in 1494, when he suddenly took to more sober dress. He’d made it! (from HALI.COM)

The Milanese weavers and spinners had been imported by the first Duke from other areas- cutting the cost of the elaborate textiles. It didn't hurt that the Duke offered tax exemptions and big benefits to the artisans. An exhibition this winter Silk Gold Kermes Secrets and Technology at the Visconti and Sforza Courts in Milan highlights the Sforza's love of alto basso velvets and golden boucle with textiles and portraits side by side.

Though the Sforza beauty is subjective. Their wardrobe is not. The heavenly textiles were not just fashion of the day, but critical in the Sforza image they projected. The opulence in the textiles is evidenced in the large embossed patterns of silk and velvet. Complex layers of pattern, encrusted jewels bordering edges or belting narrow waistlines- all elevated the house of Sforza- Image was everything-the opulent velvets helped.

The Sforza I seek is a fabric, (of course)

Clarence House makes the divine VELLUTO SFORZA, in green, blue, red, beige and black. It should be familiar to textile addicts. It seems to pop up in all the finest rooms showcased in all the finest magazines. But wait- Pierre Frey houses SFORZA as well. The French fabric dynasty prefers "Velours" and prefers the French colour palette as well- verde, blu, carmine, viscone, nero. The fabrics- made in Italy- are identical with no distinction-except for the language. The content of both- cotton and bemberg.

it's SFORZA for Aerin Lauder-

photograph by Fernando Bengoechea (HB)

Both Elle Decor and British Vogue feature Christine D'Ornano's London home in their April issues
SFORZA -without its identity revealed. Could it be a Sforza relative?

 Jacques Grange & Sforza.

 image by Pierre Passebon 

from the Jacques Grange Interiors book

 ahhhh My own Sforza by Clarence House in black.

So-in looking at SFORZA for a project my only hesitation is the colourway selection. The Green/Verde may work-but I would prefer something with a bit of zest.
ENTER- Lee Jofa's SUNFLOWER (no that is not SFORZA in Italian-alas-it sounds less-Italian), but nonetheless it does have zest! Sunflower- made in India- is still priced like Sforza (over the moon), looks like it for the most part. Where it differs- and there in lies the RUB-& I say most appropriate to Velvets- is the content. Logically the silk and cotton with a hint of viscose make it more luxe perhaps, and it even has a soupcon of metallic at 2%. Silk is typically the preferred content-adding more sheen. Velvets always lure me-and then they present their problems. In this case the original with its cotton and bemberg has a lower lustre- The SUNFLOWER's silk content along with the metallic is adding shine. Surely the Sforza family was covered in silk? Am I comparing the Sforza to the NEW Sforza cousin unjustly ? Do I object to the addition of Metallic-adding a spot of opulence? (no, not if played down in its use with other fabrics)

Why then, can't I embrace Sunflower-distant kin to SFORZA?

Allegory of the Sforza

Family's Coat of Arms. 

Biblioteca Estense, Modena Italy

Lee Jofa's SUNFLOWER

in three of it's six colours

CASSIS, CIDER, TOBACCO

(all textile fragment images are from the exhibition noted in the text)
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