The eclectic knight. “A Fornasetti item has the power of changing the vibration of any place. A room can be very beautiful, but also rooted in real life. Place a Fornasetti in there and the room acquires a completely different aspect”. This is how, in 2005, Philippe Starck described the dreamlike side of the masterpieces of Piero Fornasetti, (Milan, 1913/1988). His son Barnaba continues the research started by his father and contributes to the success of an artist that revolutionized the interior design concept; a “style changer”, Fornasetti, that “for a long time was ostracized. Far from the strict rules of modernist rationalism, bearer of a narrative and theatrical design that reached the highest peak of modernity, recovering at the same time the classical codes. Piero Fornasetti was put on the borders by a system that didn’t forgive his eclectism”: this is what Silvia Annicchiarico writes in the book Citazioni Pratiche, edited by Electa and curated by Barnaba Fornasetti. If Piero Fornasetti had been a director he would have been Fellini, if he had been a band, the Beatles, and if he had been a modern artist he would have been Damien Hirst. And if he had been a fashion designer?

Fashion of Art. From 2010 the philosophy of “fashion of Art” started to spread. The most popular brands diversified their communication strategies incorporating other worlds, making them compatible with fashion. One of the first coexistences of art and design is the glass and steel  slide designed by Carsten Holler for Prada Milan headquarter. Among the most recent there are Dolce & Gabbana’s haute-couture (in Naples) and Alta Sartoria Uomo (in Palermo) fashion shows: they chose two art cities, not “fashion” cities, like Milan or Paris. But let’s consider the “tradition of fashion” and fashion in the strict sense and ask ourselves what will remain of this decade 2010/20.  The phenomenon of the millenials will go down in history; the innovation is not the proposal of a harmonious masculine/feminine and feminine/masculine ideal that has already existed from Jim Morrison on, and that was resumed by Hedi Slimane in 2000: the innovation is in the extraordinary ostentation that, translated in numbers, has taken Gucci back to the top of the most sold brands. Hats off to Alessandro Michele. In the end, in memories will remain the multitude of accessories that has supported and supports fashion’s budgets. Little-great pieces of contemporary art, from eyewear to shoes and bags.

Autumn in Barcelona: time for great art exhibitions, time for long walks along the Barceloneta, thanks to the warm temperatures. Dressed like an artist: paisley with pop touches. Ph. Claude Rizzolo, Styling Alessandro Calascibetta.