The fashion designer Emilio Pucci was a Florentine nobleman, the Marquis of Barsento, and a fervent sportsman who skied well enough to be on the Italian Olympic team in 1934 at Lake Placid. After WWII, he was discovered on the Zermatt slopes by a photographer, and when shots of his personally designed skiwear appeared in Harper’s Bazaar, he was persuaded to open a boutique, which in time became a fashion empire. He exploited new stretch fabrics, invented Capri pants and became renowned for his brilliant colors and striking patterns, and for ranges of casual and sportswear that combined comfort with elegance. Photograph undated.