Federico Forquet – PatternVault

Mirella Petteni photographed by Helmut Newton in Venice, 1966 — Mirella Petteni in Venice, 1966. Photo: Helmut Newton. Image: Tumblr.

Happy Mardi Gras! To celebrate the last day of Carnival, here’s a look at the star of Helmut Newton’s 1966 Venetian shoot: Italian model and socialite Mirella Petteni Haggiag.

Born in Bergamo, Mirella Petteni moved to Milan to work as a model. As the wife of film producer Robert Haggiag, Petteni was also a society figure with residences in Venice, Tuscany, New York, and Rome’s Palazzo Mengarini. (See T magazine.) She retired from modelling to become an editor at Vogue Italia.

Mirella Petteni in *Queen*, August 1966. Photo: Helmut Newton. Image: Sweet Jane.

Petteni can be seen on many Vogue Couturier Designs by Italian designers.

Mirella Petteni in Pucci — Image: PatternVault shop.

Vogue 1397 by Pucci, March 1965 retail catalogue. Image: Pinterest.

Petteni also appears in a Vogue holiday editorial that includes two Vogue Special designs (Vogue 6084 and 6054):

Vogue 6084 and 6054 as worn by Mirella Petteni in Vogue, 1963 — In Vogue 6084 and 6054, *Vogue*, December 1963. Photos: Irving Penn? Image: Youthquakers.

Here she wears Galitzine’s halter and culotte:

Mirella Petteni in Vogue 1393 by Galitzine — Vogue 1393 by Galitzine (1964) Image: Etsy.

Here, in Pucci’s bestselling cape-jacket ensemble, Petteni’s aspirational hair is an added bonus:

1960s Pucci pink ensemble pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1394 — Vogue 1394 by Pucci (1964) Image: Etsy.

In white dresses from Fabiani and Forquet:

1960s Forquet 2-piece dress pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1402 — Vogue 1402 by Federico Forquet (1964). Image: Etsy.

1960s Fabiani dress pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1866 — Vogue 1866 by Fabiani (1967) Image: Etsy.

1960s Fabiani dress pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1899 — Vogue 1899 by Fabiani (1968) Image: Etsy.

Sorbet colour-blocking from Pucci:

1960s Pucci culotte pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1865 — Vogue 1865 by Pucci (1967) Image: Etsy.

1960s Pucci dress pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1955 — Vogue 1955 by Pucci (1968) Image: PatternVault shop.

In Forquet’s short, half-bias evening dress:

1960s Forquet dress pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1957 — Vogue 1957 by Federico Forquet (1968) Image: Vintage Pattern Wiki.

Here she poses with Benedetta Barzini in early Valentino:

Benedetta Barzini and Mirella Petteni in Valentino, at Agnese Bruguier's apartment in the Palazzo Borghese, Rome, 1968 — Benedetta Barzini and Mirella Petteni in Valentino, at Agnese Bruguier’s apartment in the Palazzo Borghese, Rome, *Vogue*, September 1968. Photo: Henry Clarke. Image: tumblr.

Mirella Petteni in Queen, August 1966. Photo: Helmut Newton — Mirella Petteni in *Queen*, August 1966. Photo: Helmut Newton. Image: tumblr.

Tania Mallet photographed by Brian Duffy for British Vogue, 1963 — Tania Mallet wears Mary Quant and James Wedge on the cover of British *Vogue*, October 1, 1963. Photo: Brian Duffy. Image: eBay.

Model and Bond girl Tania Mallet (b. 1941) was born in Blackpool to English and Russian-English parents. (Her mother, Olga Mironoff, was Helen Mirren’s paternal aunt.) She began working as a model in the late 1950s after taking a course at the Lucie Clayton Charm Academy. You may recognize her from her role as Tilly Masterson in Goldfinger (1964).