While writing this column I have been thinking many times about the beauty of certain fabrics and patterns used in menswear. The most consolidated traditional references embody the history of costume, they are a precious heritage which has been guiding and influencing men’s aesthetic choices for over a century. Menswear: so very different from womenswear, it’s a more conventional world where changes occurs gradually as they remain strongly anchored in tradition. One of the latest “little revolutions” in menswear involves the use of classic and warm fabrics for sportswear: an option that has been blocking the invasion of nylon and other cold syntetic fabrics. The real innovation consists in the fact that the fabric’s design makes the whole outfit look a lot more elegant and classy. Patterns like Prince of Wales , pinstripe and tartan (kilts always have tartan patterns), pied-de-poule and pied-de-coq (a kind of little square with a “hook” similar to a spur) have been used also for casualwear. Quilted jackets and shiny down coats are over: let’s welcome the new sportswear, which makes it possible to beat the cold weather and feel comfortable even riding a scooter yet maintaining an exquisitely modern and refined look. Picture by Andrea Gandini, sport jacket by Fay(F/W 2013)

Some fashion codes should be applied also to men’s bags which have become status symbols just like clothing but even though they are practical accessories, they don’t suit everyone. The ritual gestural expressiveness related to bags (that were initially created only for women) has always been laughed at by mischievous people. It would be enough to follow a few simple rules in order to avoid looking ridiculous. First of all it would be good to abstain from carrying clutches and handbags: they surely are trendy but can also be misleading and other than that I can assure you it’s a passing trend, not worth the cost. If a briefcase it’s too much “Wall Street” and makes you feel obsolete, perhaps you would prefer a distressed leather shoulder bag or a Saffiano briefcase, very handy for carrying your laptop and IPad. If you need something bigger and softer there are some beautiful duffel bags on the market just as capacious as weekend bags. I recommend choosing the right leather, especially if the outfit is fashionable like the one in the picture, it would be good to soften the ensemble with the use of fine yet manly and rough materials like natural croc or suede. Picture by Andrea Gandini for Io Donna, suit and glasses by Gucci, sweater by Hermes, shirt by Burberry bag by Tod’s.

The extraordinary remake of the “perfecto”, re-invented in bast fabric by Lanvin. Photo by Andrea Gandini

His physical attributes remind us of Marc Porel and Mark Frechette, the main carachter in “Zabriskie Point” : I am talking about Marco Bocci, better known as police commissioner Scialoja (from the tv serie Romanzo Criminale) or deputy police superintendent Calcaterra ( from Squadra Antimafia). He’s from Umbria like Filippo Timi, good looking like Alain Delon and versatile like Giancarlo Giannini. He’s also very polite, empathetic and professional on photographic sets. He’s not very tall and that makes it easier for us to “dress him up” in the biggest brands as they never make samples for the lanky ones. He’s gifted with natural charm. He has that look, long hair and a little bit of beard, which remind us of a 70s aesthetic that is coming back into fashion, more for the look itself than for the clothing. He looks very good in jacket and tie but he does prefere a more casual outfit in everyday life, choosing easy and wearable clothing in order not to draw much attention to his figure. Although, he does, have a nice figure.