Italian designer Giorgio di Sant' Angelo is renowned for his colorful and unconventional creations. Born a nobleman in Florence, Italy, the son of a Florentine count, Sant' Angelo spent his childhood growing up with his grandparents in Argentina. While studying law in college, Sant' Angelo explored a variety of creative mediums such as ceramics, painting and sculpture. This artistic eye led to a scholarship for a six month apprenticeship with Pablo Picasso. It was from Picasso that Giorgio says he received his most important life lesson: to trust your creative instinct and constantly be trying new things. Encouraged by these words, Sant' Angelo sent in a short animated film he had made to Walt Disney who was very impressed. In 1962, Disney offered him an opportunity to move to California to work at his animation studios.
Unhappy in Los Angeles, Sant' Angelo relocated to New York City where he started designing textiles, furniture, as well as creating a line of chunky plastic lucite jewelry called "ArchitectJewels". His jewelry caught the attention of then Vogue editor Diana Vreeland who hired him as a stylist for the magazine. Opening his first ready-to-wear business in 1966, Sant' Angelo started experimenting with knits and the development of bohemian and native american inspired prints. His usage of stretch fabrics is considered one of the most important contributions to modern day women's wear. Sant' Angelo's first runway collection in 1969 featured brightly colorful tie-dyed fabrics perfect for the "summer of love" hippie generation and became extremely popular among icons and performers such as Lena Horne, Bianca Jagger and Faye Dunaway.
One of Sant' Angelo's most memorable ensembles was worn by Veruschka in a 1968 editorial photographed in Arizona's Painted Desert titled "The Magnificent Mirage". Her outfit included a gold chain bikini along with some improvised fur and fabrics swaddled around her head and body. Leather, fringe, feathers and beads also became a signature part of his designs. Sant' Angelo thought of himself as “not a fashion designer but an artist who works in fashion—an engineer of color and form". His work truly represented that ideal. Sant'Angelo passed away in 1989.