Emauel Ungaro was born on the 13th February 1933, he was the son of Italian immigrants, who fled from Francavilla Fontana in Southern Italy to escape Mussolini’s fascist dictatorship. His father worked as a tailor, and gave his young son a sewing machine, and taught him the trade.  Ungaro moved to Paris in his early 20s to launch his own career in fashion. He initially worked for a well-known men’s tailor, called Christiani before being hired to work under the Spanish designer, Cristobal Balenciaga. 

Emanuel Ungaro pinning up a model in Paris 1968.