Touches of colour to change personality. The subject of colour in menswear has been took on, exploited and enhanced by every fashion journalist, depicted in every way by fashion editors: we keep on doing it because red, yellow, turquoise, orange, blue, mustard and saffron yellow carry on dictating the pop trend for men. Designers offer several ideas that light up fantasy: we really want to break up grey or blue with a coloured pull, maybe matched with the briefcase. While colours of suits and coats – in the majority- stay on traditional, knitwear, shirts, ties and a lot of leather accessories brighten up the outfit and suggest new ideas. In this multicoloured scenario, the sportswear plays at home; and, infact, the outdoor wear does its best in the surprising fusion between colour – usually associated to technical fabrics like nylon and lycra – and fine fabrics, generally used in casual-chic wear. An example? The beautiful sweatshirt made of cotton piquè (the fabric of polo shirts) by Lacoste and protagonist of the published picture. The shot effect, intentionally overexposed, enhance the garment’s fashion content but tricks us about the quality of fabric that is, indeed, really elegant. In this picture by Francesco Bertola for max.gazzetta.it, the songwriter Giovanni Caccamo wears a total look by Lacoste.

In a fashion shooting production, the stylist mixes clothes and sets them on the basis of his creativity. The fitting of the picture I’ve choosen for this week seems to be a risk: it’s known that two overlaid jackets actually don’t represent an applicable outfit but, in situations like this, wherein the subject has a thin build and blazers are made by soft and unlined wool, the final effect is really interesting. That man reader, little used to editors’ flair and fashion’s oddity, doesn’t have to think that these suggestions have to be taken to the letter: stylist’s skill stays in catching the reader’s attention on fabric’s beauty, prints’ opulence and – why not – photographic effect, that in this case is worthy to be included among those shots that will leave a style mark in fashion photography. In this shoot by Miano, side light creates shades on the actor’s (Fabio Tameni) face and on clothes (by Paul Smith), giving back that magic that only good photographers can give. If you feel like browsing books about great masters – from Irving Penn to Mario Sorrenti- you’ll find the same charm, the same splendour. And the same elegance. Fabio Tameni in Luigi Miano’s picture for Max.gazzetta.it. Clothes by Paul Smith, October 2012.