Glamorous Vintage Hat Draped In Delicate Veiling...From Renowned Italian Designer ca. 1959

The photographs say it all...in vintage mint condition this fabulous hat appears to have never been worn. It is glamorous, theatrical...and very Italian....

Designed by Maria Pia from Venice...her hats were imported to New York for only about 8 years, according to fashion reports from this time.

Yards upon yards of multi-textured, black tulle make up this exquisite late 50s millinery creation...a design with obvious vintage Italian flair.

The hat is sized quite large by all standards since it is styled to drape over and around the head...with room to accommodate luscious, thick hair.

The silhouette of this hat is reminiscent of motoring hats from the turn of the last century...these were draped such as this with long veils that kept the hair, as well as the hat, in place while traveling by automobile.

The veil comfortably wraps around the face in however way you wish to wear it...and then surrounds the neck and ties up like a scarf.

The effect is simply outstanding...and yes, the hat suits most faces.

In vintage mint condition, the veiling and tulle are all impeccable. It is rare to find a hat like this in such terrific, pristine and unworn condition.

Maria Pia, according to fashion articles published during her career, considered herself simply an Italian housewife in Venice until 1958...when she experimented with draping tulle into a glamorous foundation for a hat. Within months, an Italian representative from large New York department store scooped up her designs after seeing them for the first time...and Pia's hats were imported and sold throughout the United States.

Pia's very first millinery designs, according to several fashions news articles from the time, were almost all made from tulle...the later designs incorporated extravagant millinery trims and satins. Therefore, this hat may be appropriately dated to circa 1959.

One cannot help but wonder what Maria Pia's career would have been like had she somehow could have started her career a decade, or two, earlier. Indeed...her designs were immediately popular in both the United States as well as Europe...but she came upon what could have been a brilliant career a little too late. Pia's millinery designs arrived in the fashion marketplace just prior to what was considered a great shift in style...her brilliant work appeared during the decade when...for the first time in centuries...a woman's hat simply wasn't necessary any more.

This hat is considered one of her first and more interesting creations...and should be a joy for both collectors and curators.

It measures 24 inches or 61 cm...and has the Maria Pia embroidered signature label.

**This beautiful hat is in overall vintage mint condition. It is absolutely clean both inside and out. There are no defects typically found improper storage. There are no moth holes, nips, nor unpleasant storage odors. This item is utterly pristine both inside and out...and wearable with tender loving care! This exquisite item comes from a professional collection, in a strictly non-smoking environment.

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Item ID: PIA02202020