The eternal set. It’s one of the iconic architectures of the capital. The Palace of Italian Civilization, in the Eur, restored by Fendi and headquarter of the maison from October 2015, includes also a space for exhibitions and public events. This is one of the many international sociocultural procedures about communication between fashion, architecture, art. The building was designed between 1936 and 1937, and finished in 1940, for the Universal Exposition that never took place. From the “peplum” to The Last Kiss by Muccino, the building and its surroundings have been the set for hundreds of movies. About the picture I chose, the great book Eur, si gira, by Laura Delli Colli, says: “For the fellinian episode “The temptation of Dr Antonio” in Boccaccio ’70, the filmmaker imagined a busty Ekberg on the advertising billboard “Drink more milk”. It had to be only a picture, but during the making of the movie, Fellini changed his mind and wanted Anita in the flesh”.

The best hat for every season. … Continua a leggere →

Pure extravagance. Irreverent, eccentric, determined, special, different, self-referential. The man of this week neglects the conventional codes, breaks the bon-ton rules and aims for transgression. A man, but also a woman, like in the reference picture: she’s the model Georgie Hobday portrayed by Rankin. Yes, she could be a woman because I chose unisex outfits…Or even, menswear outfits that can be worn by women too. Sure, it takes the proper attitude for a kind of fashion that has nothing to do with the classic/formal and I “invented” on purpose for this column, matching blazers with printed shirts. I imagined an odd character, I drew on my photographic archive of hundreds of celebrities that I clothed in odd way and I had fun.

Revival. Chinatown is one of the best American movies of the 70s. It won the Oscar Award for the screenplay by Robert Towne but it should have deserved to win also for the direction by Roman Polanski and for the performances by Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, the two main actors, and by John Huston as actor in a supporting role. This movie is 40 years old but it looks more recent: the rhythm is fast, the plot is engaging, the end leaves breathless. The love story between Evelyn and Noah takes shape in the middle of a mistery that is disclosed in the end, leaving the spectator with a bad taste and upset for a irreversible damage, that has no way out. “When it was released it was considered a new-noir; now, many years later, it could be included in the original noir movies” we read on the Chicago Sun-Times, highlighting its modernity. Even the costumes, that trace fashion of the late 30s, are up-to-date: the sunglasses with round lenses, the wide-brimmed hat, light colours in the shades of beige for the outerwear and printed ties. If you’ve never watched it, you have to. If you know it, it’s a masterpiece to rediscover. Jack Nicholson in “Chinatown”

The timeless appeal of the Camel Coat masterly enlightened by Michael Woolley‘s photographic knowledge. Coat by Roberto Cavalli. Iconic hat by Borsalino.