Is there anything more quintessentially Venetian than a gondola? Well yes, perhaps: a gondoliere, or gondolier, to say it in English. We all know these colorful figures, so familiar to all those who visited La Serenissima at least once in their life, with their black pants, straw hats, and striped shirts:  but have you ever wondered why they are dressed that way? Where does the uniforme del gondoliere come from?

We should take a step back to understand. During the golden years of the Venetian Republic, gondoliers were privately hired by the most important – and wealthy – families in town for their own gondolas. Back then, their clothes were in line with the baroque style that was en vogue, with its damask coats, gold buttons, and wide trousers that’d tighten at the knee.