Milan in the middle. Milan, that Milan written and interpreted by Lucio Dalla in 1979: “Milano you change many banks, Milan wide legs, Milan that laughs and has fun…”. 36 years have passed by. From May on, the city is in the public eye, it’s the middle of the world. Thinking about Milan, talking and writing about it: this always moves me. I won’t ever change it with any other. Rather, if I have to change my life, I’ll move to the seaside: a small town, surrounded by nature. But the best city remains Milan. For months it will be full of Chinese, Japanese, American, British, French, German people. Someone will even come from Australia, Korea, Russia. Eyes on. “…Milano what a strain…”. Is it going to be a success? I hope so. The legend has it that Italian men are the most elegant. I don’t agree with it, but let’s try to stoke this legend. And wish it could become the truth. The new skyscrapers of Gae Aulenti Square, in Milan.

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.

Free Associations. I quote the guidelines of the Gianni Versace s/s 1985 menswear collection, from the book Gianni Versace. L’abito per pensare: “Since the collection’s feature is the free matching of the garments, as in the case of the outfit shown, we give indications about the different garments and not about this specific outfit”. The matching (or styling) is one of the key strenght of a designer’s conception. Or of his fashion, when it’s represented in magazines’ shootings, and interpreted by the stylist. The combination of stripes of this tartan pattern, matched with the little contrasting polka-dots on the trousers (picture), was one of the many reference codes of Versace: geometrical prints with positive/negative effect. Ideas that, in menswear, are back again, suggested by the most fashionable brands. Ph. by Claus Wickrath for L’Uomo Vogue (1985)

The man in red. Red. The colour of passion. You can find it in every painting of Mondrian, in the square sections of the Rubik’s cube, in the Van Gogh’s fields of poppies, in Tiziano’s paintings. In nature we find it in flowers and fruit. It’s the colour of the sunset. And of the hateful tribal ritual of corrida. Red has dominated for decades the fashion world, in womenswear and menswear: just think about “Valentino red”. It has been the main colour of many collection of Comme des Garçons, Iceberg, Moschino and Versace. In the 90s red has stopped for a few seasons the black invasion of Prada and Helmut Lang. Today it emerges in spots in every variation, from cherry to wine, to the pop-red. In menswear and accessories: its moderated use, filtered by good taste (and wisdom) will give as a result a pleasant look. Only one red accessory, the tie (from themenissue.com)