New Vintage. On the right you can see Lew Ayres. The movie that made him a star, All Quiet on the Western Front, is of 1930, the same year of this picture. Ayres, pacifist, during the Second World War tried to enlist in the Red Cross: the military authorities refused. He declared himself to be conscientious objector and he was sent in the Pacific as a paramedic. He almost won the Oscar with Johnny Belinda (1948) but his career was already signed by the “shame”. Man of refined manners, he was refined in dressing as well. In the art of photography, the black and white gives back an unbeatable class. It’s easy to guess that Ayres’ look was in the shades of beige and khaki. His shoes, probably, were black. The modernity of this look is amazing. Despite 30s’ fashion is not a trend of this year’s s/s collections, that timeless style emerges in some shapes, volumes and shades. It won’t be difficult to find a similar jacket. It’s perfect, worn like this, with a pair of dark brogues and the shirt opened at the second button. It might be worth copying this outfit, which is wonderful. The american actor Lew Ayres in a picture of 1930.

Outdoor. The parka with double hood, made of acid green cotton canvas, the round-neck sweatshirt with contrasting hems and the denim shirt. White sneakers with blue stripes and socks with a graphic pattern. An outdoor total look, perfect for the young British actor Matthew Beard (The Imitation Game, An Education) portrayed by Rankin. An alternative way of wearing colours, with a mood of fashionable free-time in contrast with the same old “jeans with grey sweatshirt”. But for the Over 30s (the maximum age allowed for such a strong menswear)? First of all, avoid the acid colours. Prefer sneakers with performing upper and non-colours, like white, black or grey. Trousers have to be mentioned apart, because there are a lot of them, but all the same and it’s easy to choose the usual chino or the denim 5pockets. But how many of them do you already have? If you’d like to buy new trousers for your free time, opt for some special details.

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.

Stringate Church’s f/w 2014/15 con calze Bresciani

Le Shanghai di Church’s, simbolo dello storico marco inglese di calzature di lusso, si rieditano per la stagione f/w 2014/15 con nuovi dettagli: la classica fibbia cede il posto alle stringhe in pelle con nappina. I materiali sempre iperpreziosi: coccodrillo e nabuk. A cura di Angelica Pianarosa, Foto Michele Gastl.

Church’s Shanghai, … Continua a leggere →

This week’s picture, from the book Richard Avedon Performance (published by HNA), appeared on Harper’s Bazaar in 1962. This story was shot in Paris, between Chez Maxim’s and the Saint-Régis Hotel, and it was based on an idea of Avedon that, for its production, made himself directed by Mike Nichols (the director of The Graduate). The shooting would have been a homage/satire to the legendary and troubled love story between Liz Taylor and Richard Burton. In this picture – which staged a false press conference – the american actress/model Suzy Parker wears a Yves Saint Laurent dress. The model that plays the role of Burton is obviously in pure Sixties mood too: black round-neck pullover, dark thin tie and white shirt whit mini-collar. Trousers and shoes also black. So I suggest a total black that refers to that decade, which was certainly – with the Fourties – a period of great elegance. Suzy Parker in a picture by Richard Avedon for Harper’s Bazaar (1962)