Luciano Soprani was an Italian fashion designer known for his tailored, colorful men's suits

Suit (clothing)

In clothing, a suit is a set of garments made from the same cloth, consisting of at least a jacket and trousers. Lounge suits are the most common style of Western suit, originating in the United Kingdom as country wear...

 and silk

Silk

Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...

 evening gown

Evening gown

An evening gown is a long flowing women's dress usually worn to a formal affair. It ranges from tea and ballerina to full-length. Evening gowns are often made of a luxury fabric such as chiffon, velvet, satin, or silk...

s.

Early life

Soprani was born in Reggiolo

Reggiolo

Reggiolo is a town in the province of Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. As of 2007 Reggiolo had an estimated population of 9,185. Carlo Ancelotti is a native of the town, and Formula One racer Lorenzo Bandini is buried there....

 in 1946 to a family of farmers in the province of Reggio Emilia

Province of Reggio Emilia

The Province of Reggio Emilia is one of the eight provinces of the Italian Region of Emilia-Romagna. The capital city, which is the most densely populated comune in the Province, is Reggio Emilia....

. After studying agriculture

Agriculture

Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

, he decided that he was more interested in fashion, and in 1967 he joined the local firm of Max Mara

Max Mara

MaxMara, or The House of MaxMara, is a luxury Italian fashion house known for its ready-to-wear clothing. Established in 1951 in Reggio Emilia by Achille Maramotti...

 in Reggio Emilia

Reggio Emilia

Reggio Emilia is an affluent city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 170,000 inhabitants and is the main comune of the Province of Reggio Emilia....

. He stayed there for nearly eight years, before moving to Milan in 1974. As a freelancer, he worked with labels such as Heliette, Basile, Nazareno, Gabrielli and Gucci.

Business

In 1982 he set up his own label, while continuing to work for other houses such as Gucci. He was also wardrobe designer for the 1990 film Wild Orchid.

In 1992 Soprani fell out with his Japanese business partner, Onward Kashiyama Co., Ltd., who owned 70% of Luciano Soprani SpA. Soprani dissociated himself from the company, whilst seeking to regain use of the trademark.

He died of throat cancer

Head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that start in the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity , nasal cavity , paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas , originating from the mucosal lining...

in a hospital in Milan, on 23 October 1999.

His friend Dilio Ortigoza succeeded him as designer at the company, to be followed by Alessandro Turci in 2002. Studio Soprani was acquired by the perfume company Satinine S.p.a., and renamed Luciano Soprani S.r.l. in January 2006.

External links

• http://www.lucianosoprani.it Official site