Vintage Poster Archives
Cappiello Mele Napoli 1902 | Art Nouveau Fashion Poster
Cappiello Mele Napoli 1902 | Art Nouveau Fashion Poster
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A woman in flowing yellow dress and red cape stands beside a gentleman in formal evening attire, their horse-drawn carriage waiting with coachman. The composition depicts Belle Époque elegance against Cappiello's characteristic dark green background.
Designed by Leonetto Cappiello for E. & A. Mele & Ci, the pioneering Neapolitan department store, 1902. The Mele brothers commissioned leading artists to bring Parisian glamour to Italian bourgeois society. Printed by Officine Grafiche Ricordi in Milan, this poster advertised "Novità per Signora" (New for Women).
Cappiello's design exemplifies Art Nouveau's integration of typography and illustration. The green lettering flows naturally into the composition, creating the sophisticated visual identity that positioned Mele as Italy's premier fashion destination.
This archival print preserves the artistry of early commercial design, when department stores hired artists to create their brand identity rather than agencies.
