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”.
It reminds me… He was not charming, nor good-looking. But sometimes he was wonderful. Lucio Battisti appeared very rarely even in the golden years of RAI. He barely took part in only one Festival of Sanremo, in 1969 in a duet with Wilson Pickett with Un’avventura. First and last time. Lucio Battisti never made concerts, the only live appearance was in 1972 for Teatro 10, in a duet with Mina. Battisti’s voice could reach high keys, a kind of falsetto, sometimes nearly touching the bad note; but the timbre was deep, heartfelt, enchanting, touching. Among the very few pictures of him, if we don’t include those shot for the albums’ covers (but since 1979 he didn’t want to appear even on them), those by Cesare Monti, shot in his country house during his free time, stand out. In his free singing (canto libero, from one of his song), Battisti wrote the most beautiful pages of italian pop music and transmitted a sense of privacy and nostalgia, a lonely inspiration that infected other great songwriters like De Gregori and Fossati.
Mars in furs. Be realistic. A man in furs is a pop-star habit. It’s not strange if they’re worn by Elton John. Or if it’s an artist, or an actor, that shows off an animalier blazer. The fur on a man passes by (almost) unnoticed when we see it worn by show-business men, artists, trendsetters or eccentrics intellectuals. In the 70s it was in fashion, and was worn by “common” (meaning unknown) men. But they dared, at most, to wear lined shearling or coats with fur lapels. Today it’s an “aesthetic challenge that’s worth trying” (as written by the colleague Michele Ciavarella on Style). Is it right? Maybe. My point of view: if we’re talking about eco-fur, ok, let’s try. Or rather: you try. If it’s real fur, of any kind of animal, I choose the Facebook option for those who don’t want to join those annoying group chats: “Leave the conversation”. Rock Hudson on the set of the movie Lover Come Back by Delbert Mann, 1961.
The double-breasted suit designed by Corneliani: fitted shape, “crispy” donegal fabric, slim fit trousers. And tie with geometrical pattern matching with the symmetrical effect of the suit’s fabric. Worn by Luca Argentero, Ph. Rankin, Styling Alessandro Calascibetta.
Alessandro Calascibetta has been active in fashion since the late 80s. He started off his career at L'Uomo Vogue, after that with Mondo Uomo. Afterward, he became Fashion Director at Harper's Bazaar Uomo, and in 2000 founded Uomo which he directed until 2003. Following that, he started collaborating with Rizzoli. Since january 2015 he is the Editor in Chief of Style Magazine, and still remains as Man Fashion Director for Io Donna and Sette.
