Correva l’anno 1957. E, nel cuore verde dell’Umbria, nasceva uno dei maestri house dello scenario italiano: Antonio Ferrari, alias Ralf. Dotato di un talento singolare e innato, Ralf iniziò a esibirsi, fin da molto giovane, nei locali più alternativi nella sua regione; poi, col passare del tempo, riuscì a salire sulle consolle dei club più prestigiosi del resto d’Italia e di molti paesi esteri. Vero artista della selezione musicale, Ralf spazia dalla deep house alla tech house, creando passaggi coinvolgenti che dànno vita ai party più frequentati del momento. La sua italianità non gli scorre solo nel sangue, ma la si può riscontrare anche nella creatività che lo caratterizza e che lo induce a inserire classici made in Italy nel corso delle sue performance: è (pure) così che Ralf sorprende le migliaia di persone che ogni volta raduna intorno a sé, facendo intonare loro, per esempio, “O’ sole mio”… addirittura sulle spiagge di Mykonos! Affezionato alle proprie origini umbre, Ralf ha creato a Perugia una realtà chiamata “Bella ciao”, una sorta di fabbrica musicale dove poter ascoltare e ballare i set di dj famosi e no, oltre che un trampolino di lancio per emergenti selezionati personalmente da Ralf. Migliaia di filmati sul web hanno immortalato i momenti più cool delle sue esibizioni, ma  – ovviamente – molti altri ce ne saranno in occasione  delle sue prossime date, che offriranno a tutti noi l’opportunità di dire: io c’ero! Testo di Alessandro Doria

It was 1957 and in the green heart of Umbria a master of Italian house music was born: Antonio Ferrari alias Ralf.
Being born with natural talent Ralf has been performing since he was very young at the most alternative venues in his area. Over the years he managed to play for the most prestigious clubs in Italy and many other countries abroad. He’s a real artist in selecting music, from deep house to tech house he’s been creating catchy melodic passages heating up the most popular parties of the moment.
His ”italianity” is not just running through his blood, it’s also in his peculiar creative visions. He has the tendency of including in his performances some classic Italian songs:  that’s (also) how he likes to surprise the thousands of people gathering around him each time…  making them sing,  for example, “O’ sole mio” even on the beaches of Mikonos!  Proudly Umbrian, Ralf has created in Perugia a different reality called “Bella ciao” a sort of music factory where it’s possible to dance and listen to music sets by famous (and not famous) djs, other than being a good springboard for new emerging talents who have been specially selected by Ralf himself. There are thousands of videos on the web of the coolest moments from his performances and there will be obviously many more to come since he’s been releasing new tour dates, offering everyone the chance to say: I was there! Text by Alessandro Doria

SHOP THE LOOK

Giacca patchwork in pelle Maison Martin Margiela, dolcevita in lana Les Hommes,

pantaloni in pelle CoSTUME NATIONAL HOMME,

cintura in pelle con applicazioni in metallo HTC Hollywood Trading Company.

Style Magazine esce con un’edizione speciale dedicata alla Cina: Italian Style. Il magazine verrà sia distribuito in Italia che consegnato insieme al visto a tutti i turisti cinesi in visita nel nostro paese; i dati dell’incoming cinese nel 2011 sono raddoppiati rispetto all’anno precedente (260.000 visitatori cinesi nel 2010). Il servizio moda contenuto all’interno di Italian Style che vedete in queste foto, è di Dennison Bertram, lo styling è di Alessandro Calascibetta. Fashion Editor assistant Andrea Porro e Angelica Pianarosa. Capelli di Luca Lazzaro per W M Management e Make-Up di Branislav Nikic. I brand presenti nel servizio fotografico sono citati nei crediti anche in lingua italiana.

Style magazine will be out with a special Issue dedicated to China: Italian Style. It’s going to be both distributed in Italy and consigned to Chinese tourists together with their visa; 2011 data based on Chinese incoming in our Country has doubled, compared to the previous year (260.000 visitors in 2010). The fashion shooting included in Italian Style has been shot by Dennison Bertram; styling is by Alessandro Calascibetta, assisted by Andrea Porro and Angelica Pianarosa. Hair by Luca Lazzaro @ W M Management and Make-Up by Branislav Nikic. All fashion brands in this shooting are also mentioned in Italian.

Video Marco Adamo Graziosi and Maria Host – Ivessich

A freshed photo by Michael Woolley that centers the shining-lightening of the current spring summer. The trench is by Burberry Prorsum.

Dinner in Versilia.

There are fashion pictures and photos of actors and actresses hanging on the walls just like at Paper Moon in Milan, the Via Bagutta restaurant which since the 70s  has become the meeting place for all fashion insiders. We are in Tuscany, more specifically in Massa, Versilia..totally different atmosphere and habits and a wholesome yet quite special menu, to avoid the obvious. Convitto it’s a refined 50s style restaurant,  recommended twice in the Gambero Rosso’s Guide: not the typical restaurant as they also sell design pieces, clothes and accessories (everything in the restaurant it’s available to buy, from the chandelier to the chairs). The high standard fashion selection includes coats, denim and footwear: it is basically the only “boutique” in the area where’s possible to find Church’s Shanghai shoes, which have been realized in the same shape of those worn by Galeazzo Ciano, when he was Italian Consul in China. On top, the Convitto restaurant in Massa, Versilia.

When fine art photography made us dream.

Objective beauty exists and is the antidote against the confusion reigning over fashion  photography-related standards. The quality of fashion photography does not depend on good taste in clothing, as we may not like a dress but when the picture it’s good its value will last through the years. Otherwise I can’t explain why older photographers are still role models and why social networks keep on suggesting old pictures as symbols of beauty and prestige. Today fashion photography is going in a different direction, it became more important to shoot the best selling pieces and the styling has lost its importance. Companies just want to see their starched clothes without a soul, there’s also a lack of technique: we are far too easily satisfied, we dream less and fashion gradually looses its status because all campaigns in the end look almost the same. If you take a look at the picture in the middle by Paolo Roversi(a 20 years old Valentino ad campaign), you’ll see how he managed to create intensity and a three dimensional effect “just” using the right light. The model David Boal, the velvet maxi coat and a striking styling did the rest. We still have lots of beautiful clothes and men but photographers like him, not so many. Valentino ad campaign from 1993: picture by Paolo Roversi.