The art of matching. Selecting the proper accessories that matches your look seems easy, but even a little detail can ruin everything. To reduce the risks, respect the rule that want every accessory, from hat to socks, to be in pendant with the outfit; and no mistakes allowed even concerning the fabrics: there are also rules about matching different materials in the proper way. For example: don’t match cashmere with shearling, yes to shearling with tweed. Rather is better to opt for a complete change of fabric: nylon hat with camelhair coat. But personality is required, as well as for wearing red socks with a blue suit or sneakers with jeans: this is so obvious that the sneakers have to be really, really special. But if you have classic tastes, stay classic: blue with blue and denim only with desert boots.

Italy-France 1-1. France/Italy: the eternal conflict between two very similar cultures, between two countries that, after all, respect each other but often understand each other. In spite of the intellectual inclinations that we have in common, the love for art, gardening, food, design and fashion, just to mention a part of them, we think that french people are too snobbish and they think that we are too rowdy. There’s a little bit of truth in both cases, indeed…But their “snobbery” comes from the awareness of a sense of national union and cohesion that we – unfortunately – don’t feel so much. In this column we usually talk about fashion; let’s stay on the topic. Feminine fashion comes from them. The pret-à-porter from us. Fabrics are italian, but the skill and the genius of Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior are a milestone and, to this day, a model. The haute couture in french, while mensfashion comes from Italy. Nobody wins, nobody loses. But the natural elegance of our cousins has no equals in the world. They have a natural, almost unaware, style. They don’t show off like us, but you can notice them at a long distance. Maybe it means something. Ph. by William Klein from the book Paris+Klein (Contrasto Due).

Borsa Berluti

L’eccellenza Berluti (designer: Alessandro Sartori): la lavorazione dei pellami. La borsa da viaggio in pelle Venezia, ricca di minuziosi dettagli e trattamenti per dare l’effetto vissuto, è un esempio di pregevolezza assoluta.

A cura di Angelica Pianarosa

Foto Michele Gastl