From the 1950s on, Cortina has become famous as one of the best-loved winter sports resorts in Italy, by virtue of the majestic Dolomitic peaks all around, its extensive skiing area, and the mountain lodges set close to the pistes.
But there is much more besides. Cortina d’Ampezzo’s lifestyle and glamour are in fact the characteristics that make this location popular not just for skiing, but also as a chic high-society resort. Corso Italia, with its elegant luxury fashion boutiques and its traditional but smart venues, has become the focus of social life in the city, and on many occasions it has been frequented by Italian and international celebrities, including artists, film stars, and more recently, successful influencers.
Many other cinema celebrities were conquered by the charms of Cortina after having been there for work, making films in the Ampezzo valley. Some of the sets located in Cortina even ignited great passions between screen stars, as in the case of the film A Place for Lovers (1968, directed by Vittorio De Sica) in which the two personalities acting out their love affair on set were soon doing the same thing in real life. The relationship between Marcello Mastroianni and Faye Dunaway was an idyll that went on for much longer than the filming, in fact lasting for a couple of years and becoming something of a media sensation because Mastroianni was already married; the affair came to an end precisely because of this fact.
Even though the film was not highly appreciated by critics, perhaps partly because Vittorio De Sica was famous and much-loved for his neorealist works, and this swing to a more Hollywood-type style was not universally approved, it is without doubt significant for the attention dedicated to scenography and costumes. In fact, the film is virtually a manifesto of 1960s style, as regards both interior design, for which the mountain chalet rented by the two stars is a perfect example, and the garments and hairstyles. The clothing worn by Faye Dunaway, curated by American costume designer Theadora Van Runkle, is a perfect reflection of the fashions of the day, which privileged lightly bouffant hair styles, short skirts, and a wide use of trench coats, chiffon, pastel colours and pearl colliers.
In other examples, the movie outfits worn by the female stars of films shot in Cortina d’Ampezzo in the 1960s and ‘70s were created by some of the most famous fashion designers in the world:
A skiing resort, a shopping location with a dynamic high-society milieu, a favourite amongst celebrities from the 1950s and often chosen as a set for movies, Cortina d’Ampezzo offers the opportunity of enjoying activities that will enable you to experience the Cortina lifestyle: