A great photographer and a memorable cover.Toni Thorimbert for Donna the super-slick avant-gard magazine founded by art director Flavio Luchini in 1980. The picture (on the left) is from the book Paperback, from a 1991 editorial where the subject was The Evening. Just like any other Toni’s picture, this one has a lot of energy :the models, just as they were dancing, seem not to care if they are making a mess with the dresses, creating a sense of peerless realism: it’s interesting to notice how this photographic approach can melt the austerity of a flawless look as a tuxedo. But even far from fashion sets,  it is possible for that nonchalance to be applied in everyday’s life, chosing a different way of “wearing the evening”, for example, matching black and blue.

Let’s pretend I don’t know who the man in the picture is. I wouldn’t find him handsome or particularly interesting either.Then I find out he’s Anthony Hopkins and I change my mind: the VIP persuasive power. Be careful though, it’s a damn thin line between comfort and scruffiness, one’s got to be aware of that even walking the dog on a sunday morning, imagine for other occasions. Everyone is free to wear whatever they feel like, just remember that a cartain casual way of dressing, which has been deceiving us for years with the illusion of appearing younger, could be persuading a distracted passer-by to leave you some spare change: “here, good man have a coffee!”.
In any case I am talking to the twenty year olds too, they also cannot escape the clochard effect. Dowdiness it’s not good for them either. In the picture on the right , Anthony Hopkins on set in Rome, by Rino Barillari.

AN ARMOUR NAMED TRENCH

The proper name is trench coat, a water-resistant piece of clothing that can replace your coat. The first one was realized by Burberry in 1901, commissioned by the English War’s Ministry. Since then, it seems like the trench became very popular among people involved in the justice system (or at least in the collective immagination), from the movie “Casablanca” till Antonio Di Pietro, unconvincing model for an italian GQ editorial of some time ago. The list can go on and on, from Bogart to the Honorable, Colombo and Sheridan, Alain Delon in “Tony Arzenda”, Michael Cane in “Dressed to Kill”, Donald Sutherland in “The eye of the needle”.The trench do have a warlike appearance: considerable lapel, military insignias, the waist belt, the double breasted buttoning and the over the knee lenght, always. All of this features together can give you a feeling of self-protection and an assertive allure. Only one flaw: it keeps you too warm in the spring and not worm enought in the winter. But here’s a trick: all you need is a removable padded or woolen internal lining, that you can put on and off according to the weather. On top, actor Filippo Timi is wearing a trench coat shot by Stefano Babic. Instagram picture from Max magazine (2008).