An Italian grandmother in the Abruzzo village of Scanno has become a tourism draw simply by wearing the region’s centuries-old dress. Margherita Ciarletta, 94, is the last resident who dons the traditional costume every day, a practice that has turned her into a local landmark and a magnet for selfie-seeking visitors.
Local officials say visitors knock on doors across the medieval village hoping to locate her and then ask to pose for photographs. She told CNN that because she is the last one wearing the costume, people come looking for a photo with her; she adds that sometimes the crowds are overwhelming and can be annoying.
Margherita was born in Scanno and has lived in the same stone house since 1950. Ciarletta wears the same dark wool gown with long black sleeves and a cotton headband, a style she adopted at about 18 and says, "I've always liked this dress, I am proud to wear it."
Traditionally, women in Scanno wore one of two outfits: the simple everyday dress for work and daily chores, and a more ornate version reserved for church and religious celebrations. Margherita wears the everyday attire all the time, alternating among colors from black to dark blue and white.
Local officials are lobbying to have the costumes recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. The garments developed during the 17th and 18th centuries are tied to Scanno’s identity and its history of crafts and regional textiles.
Tourists visit Scanno not only for its cobbled streets, surrounding mountains and historic churches but also to glimpse a living tradition upheld by one woman who has kept the costume in daily use for decades.