Two of the most important craftsmen of the Venice’s Carnival meet this weekend at the 6th edition of the Tricontinental Craft Fair which hosts the Tenerife Fairgrounds: alberta lombardiwhich has made some of the masks worn by the party queens of this region of Veneto, and Stefano Nicolaowho not only rents his costumes to visitors in his famous atelier but has also designed costumes for blockbusters such as the film Pirates of the Caribbean or the series Outlander.
alberta Y Stefano They are Venetians from true. She loved carnival since she was little because it gave her the opportunity to dress up as a princess to go to school. After finishing her studies in arts, she realized that she could make her passion her job and she has been making masks for 38 years, which are sold mainly during Carnival, but also as souvenirsgifts and decoration during the rest of the year.
In the case of Stefano, specialized in design and historical recreations. He spent years working in different parts of the world but in the 80s, when the Venice Carnival was celebrated again after Mussolini’s ban (which almost made this party disappear), Stefano decided to return home to create the first atelier and the most important: has more than 15,000 suitsis the company that rents the most during carnivals and, during the rest of the year, makes costumes for the cinema, theater and opera.
The really difficult thing would be not knowing the work of Stefano Nicolao because her wardrobe is present in such popular movies as Marco Polo (1982), Elizabeth I (1998), The merchant of Venice (2004), Marie Antoinette (2005), Casanova (2005), Twilight (2009), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2005-2006) or The Turist (2010).
In the world of Carnival, this famous tailor dresses the queen, who is the one who stars in the ‘Flight of the Angel’ act that every year appears on all the televisions in the world: a young woman goes down a kind of zip line from the bell tower of San Marcos, which represents the beginning of the festival. These days you can see at the Fairgrounds the suit she made for the queen of 2020, which is orange and “more fanciful and modern” than the rest of Venetian costumes, which generally “must respect historical rigor, which places them between the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.
The usual thing in Venice is the rental of suits, something that can cost around 80 euros per day, although it depends on the quality of the garment. many of the dresses cost thousands of euros and all of them are unique, made with quality materials such as satin, velvet or silk. And all the shoes are leather. “Although in the Canary Islands the Carnival is also very touristy, the presence of the local public is more noticeable. In Venice, on the other hand, it is difficult to find Italians on the streets during the three weeks of balls and parades, which is why most of the costumes are rented. Only a few Venetians have inherited clothes in their homes”, he explains.
Venetian masks within reach of every pocket
Alberta Lombardi, through her brand Beba Creazioni, is one of the five Venetian artisans who are dedicated to making masks. In his case, he has specialized in female masks, although he also has some classic ones for men: those of the plague and those of the harlequin. His pieces are made of papier-mâché, they are made to measure and at all prices, which depend mainly on the hours of work: “The simplest ones are made in one hour and cost 15 euros, while the most elaborate ones take 40 hours of work. and they can reach 1,000 euros”.
The advantage of the masks being handmade is not only in choosing the colors and decoration, but also in being able to adjust them to the size and proportions of the face. Among the materials we find trimmings, feathers, velvet, bells, satin, sequins… everything you need to succeed in Venice Carnival events such as the contest to Maschera piu bella or to join the flirtation of the eyes during the night dances in the palace.
Both Alberta and Stefano admire the fantasies of Chicharrero Carnivalher because the rhinestones on our queens remind her of the trimmings she makes for her masks and him because of the large dimensions of the costumes as well as the artistic freedom they represent: “It is very noticeable how the weather influences the creations, the Carnival of Tenerife is hotter, that is why it is more open. In Venice it is very cold and it is necessary to wear suits with several layers and also coats”shares the tailor.
