The knot is tied. The art of knotting a tie (or a bow-tie, or an ascot): a leit-motif which has been handed down for decades on men’s magazines. Vintage illustrations, picture of models tying a knot in front of a mirror, and the list goes on. One thing is sure and indisputable: a beautiful tie badly knotted becomes an ugly tie. What’s more, there’s to be careful about measures. The tie’s width, that mustn’t be more than 6 cms, and its lenght. The end must touch the upper edge of the belt, it musn’t be longer nor shorter. I prefer the tight knot, thin, with that little cleft that in jargon has a bit scandalous definition, so I don’t mention it on this page! Choose prints, bright colours, knitting than the usual silk; give up, at least for this season, the classic regimental and prefer the micro-prints. Finally, match the tie with suits in the same colour or – on the contrary – break with contrasting colours.

In the 70s it was a typical style of the student movements, in the 90s it was a trend and today it’s in fashion again: knitwear used as a jacket or (more fashionable) as a coat. But it has to be thick, heavy, bulky; it doesn’t have to be cashmere necessarily, there are other extraordinary wools. If you like it and if you are sporty and a bit nostalgic, try the cardigans with jacquard motifs, fastened with a zip or – better – with a belt made of the same fabric; the classic leather buttons are ok too. If you are more fashion-oriented, opt for the long cardigan-coats suggested by many designers. Finally, if you are hesitant, well, I suggest you to have at least a turtle neck or a sweater made of  these amazing weaves that seem to be made with the crochet hook.

Polacchini Paul Smith  f/w 2014/15 

Paul Smith prende spunto da uno spirito insieme rocker e viaggiatore, dando vita ad una collezione in cui stampe e colori di suggestione etnica si incontrano con capi grintosi e moderni. La calzatura diventa sintesi di questa storia: il classico polacchino è una tela su cui si rincorrono dromedari ricamati, motivi kilim, e note musicali. A cura di Angelica Pianarosa, Foto Michele Gastl.

Paul Smith draws inspiration … Continua a leggere →

Natural, fantastic. An environmentalist outburst? Escapism wish? Feel of lightness and colour? Between this season’s trend there are lots of flowers, animals and colour, sketched and printed on knitwear, outerwear, accessories. Some of them remind us english tapestry and Hermès ceramics; others remind us the real and imaginary “bestiary” we can find in European art from the Middle Age to the beginning of the 20th Century (just to mention: the artist Fortunato Depero). A contemporary reinterpretation of menswear full of charm and references to figurative art: from the eighteenth-century centaurs by Giandomenico Tiepolo to now, in full second decade of the 21st Century. Many of the creations of that fashion designers inspired by animalier and/or flower power mood are and will remain little masterpieces, iconic objects of an inspired and prolific era of menswear. And they will last in time just like everything that – in its category – represents creativity and uniqueness.

LANVIN

Lucas Ossendrijver esce dal coro –  come del resto è sua abitudine fare – e disegna una straordinaria collezione che gioca un ruolo determinante nel panorama della moda maschile; i suoi volumi e le sue linee influenzeranno il trend anche questa volta.  Il designer spazia con disinvoltura da abiti destrutturati a bomber dalla costruzione “rigida” in raso di seta, facendo combaciare due stili in una sola, omogenea, sofisticatissima idea di uomo. Bellissima sfilata.

PAUL SMITH

Sir Paul – a sorpresa – abbandona per questa stagione i riferimenti estetici del rock/pop e individua un nuovo menswear più incline al dandismo. Per abiti e giacche usa infatti il raso di seta delle vestaglie, amplia la larghezza dei pantaloni e la collezione diventa immediatamente fluida e ricca.

SAINT LAURENT PARIS

Il poncho, i camperos, la giacca/bolero ricamata in oro: chi è l’uomo Saint Laurent Paris? Un personaggio di “Kill Bill”? Di “Paris Texas”? E i giubbotti con le frange? “Easy Rider”? Un pot-pourri di citazioni cinematografiche di grande effetto. Ma c’è qualcosa di più importante da sottolineare: Slimane ha capito che sfilare una collezione streetstyle non paga più. E, questa volta, aggiunge una dose massiccia di lusso e opulenza. Slimane resta fedele a sé stesso ma rilancia il suo cliché street-wear puntando ad un target decisamente più alto.