'Gypsy Soul' for American Vogue, April 1992, Lensed by Bruce Weber

We travel back to American Vogue, April 1992 and the fashion story ‘Gypsy Soul’, styled by Grace Coddington and photographed by Bruce Weber. Actor Rossy de Palma took the spotlight with model Claudia Mason./ Hair by Didier Malige; makeup by Bonnie Mailer

De Palma is a successful actor, well known for her roles in films by Pedro Almodóvar such as Law of Desire, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Kika, The Flower of My Secret, Julieta, and Parallel Mothers. The last film [2021] Parallel Mothers saw de Palma in a supporting role with Penelope Cruz and Milena Smit. Cruz is another of Almodóvar’s leading ladies.

In Europe — especially Italy — gypsies became a very serious problem in cities like Florence and Rome.

Fashion Inspo in a Global Crisis

In the early 1990s, Italy saw new arrivals of Romani families [called gypsies] in Italy, residing in encampments on the outskirts of cities like Florence and Rome. Public discourse in Italian media frequently linked the visible presence of Romani women and children in historic city centers and transit hubs to unauthorized vending, panhandling, and urban pickpocketing, amplifying social friction.

The Romani women traveled in packs, trying to isolate women tourists in Italy from their groups, friends or family members, with a frenzied, fluttering around her, very disorienting ‘soft attack’. People weren’t injured — as the goal was to steal her handbag — but people began carrying large umbrellas in cities like Florence to strike the gypsies during the attacks. It was impossible for the police to keep the situation in check.

From Gypsy Style to Haute Couture Homeless

It’s true that gypsy style impacted fashion in the ‘90s — in the same way that designer John Galliano did an entire 2000 haute couture collection for Christian Dior, inspired by homeless people. The runway show featured distressed garments, accessories made from tin cans and whiskey bottles, and clothes wrapped in newspaper print. It caused quite a controversy, but few of these dustups cause lasting damage. And it’s generally discussed as an example of the designer’s exceptional creativity.

It’s not a criticism that AOC is leveling at Vogue over this idyllic fashion story, compared to the real world experiences of all the people involved. What is there to say!!! When the text reads that gypsies are “cavorting” and Anne is beating them off with her big umbrella as they wanted her passport, cash and cards, it’s just proof that fashion media can be downright ruthless in what constitutes a good story to sell magazines. Oh, and detached from reality.

With Trump, we call it a total lack of empathy. In fashion, it’s just good business. For clarity’s sake, AOC is not Trump Country.