Between 1973 and 1974 Italy was facing a period of “austerity”. On sundays, in Milan the traffic used to be blocked, the municipality was pushing people to use public transports as an anti-crisis measure: I remember the forced holiday atmosphere and the scraffy way of dressing. Nowadays, there are many alternative solutions in menswear which at that time was almost a non-existing concept. I believe in maintaining a proper appearance as an atidote to this general depressing mood. If it’s true that creativity rises again strenghtened by crisis, then designers are being pushed to create some really epic collections. If at that time style wasn’t giving men much choice, today the situation is radically changed.; There were not many colours in menswear before, a part from the bottle-green and the classic reddish-brown of the polos by Lacoste and velvet trousers by Besozzi. Not even printed jackets and shirts were in use. I love the beauty of mixing and matching warm shades on printed fabrics, traditional designs can be extremely stylish and also add an elegant, unconvetional touch. Picture taken with Instagram, the original photo is by Davide Cernuschi, from an Harper’s Bazaar Uomo editorial, 1997.

Ph. Larry Scott, styling Alessandro Calascibetta, grooming Luca Lazzaro.

Ph. Manfredi Gioacchini, styling Alessandro Calascibetta.

The art of fashion photography has been under discussion ever since, especially when it has male sobjects. Making an exception for celebrities, which are a world apart, the debate is about if the best choice is to portray models or common people.The choice of the model is based on his body structure and ability of expression, in order to better embody the dress that has been chosen for them by the fashion editor. Sometimes, on the other way around,  the sobject chooses the dress for himself, just as if he was walking into a shop, in that case is more difficult to get a good shot. However, since the first issue of “L’uomo Vogue” (1968) has been published, through all the Io Donna for men editions till the very last Dolce&Gabbana fashion show (which are preferring young and less young non-professional models for this season instead of David Gandy) many people do appreciate a less refined  and more close to reality approach to fashion. Last but not least, even my readers are asking for “common people” to be portrayed in fashion editorials and they’ll be satisfied soon. The result is depending mainly on the potographer’s skills and also on the fashion director’s artistic sense. It is for posterity to judge. In the picture Ivan Gatti by Andrea Gandini for Io Donna 2010.

Prima sfilata di Tom Ford per Gucci, presentata a Firenze. Il designer si impose con una collezione controcorrente. In tempo di minimalismo e total black propose colori violenti, anche negli accessori, riprendendo materiali come il mohair, più vicini all’abbigliamento femminile. Nella foto il top model svedese Marcus Schenkenberg sulla cover di Harper’s Bazaar Uomo del luglio 1995, fotografato da Judson Baker.

First fashion show of the collection of Gucci designed by Tom Ford, presented in Florence. The designer came out with an upstream collection. In time of minimalism and total black, he suggested violent colors, even for the accessories, recovering materials such as mohair, closer to womenswear. In the photo the Swedish supermodel Marcus Schenkenberg on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Men of July 1995, photographed by Judson Baker.

Classicismo firmato da stilisti di moda: le boutique dei top designer, infatti, non vendono solo i pezzi più fashion e questo total look ne è la prova. Il trench-coat è di Prada, l’abito di Dolce&Gabbana e la cravatta di Hermès. La foto di Toni Thorimbert è tratta da Max dicembre 2010.

Classicism signed by fashion designers: boutiques of top designers, in fact, do not just sell the pieces most fashionable and this total look proves it. The trench coat is from Prada, Dolce & Gabbana dress and Hermès tie. The picture is from Max Magazine, December 2010, ph. Toni Thorimbert.