The white suit is a must have for the male summer wardrobe, but it’s also an iconic garment, that brings us back to past. In particular, the total white has been loved by many celebrities, in that period from the end of the Fifties to the mid Sixties. Visconti, De Sica, Mastroianni, Pasolini, Gassman: black and white movies from that era, that showed a growing Italy in a thorny historic period, during which the working class also dressed with elegance and decency, depicted men full of fascination, with a unique and unattainable style. Both actors and film-makers were “chic”: from that point of view, everything was more special. Today there’s a lack of “good manners”, certainly not of clothes. It needs to retrieve a certain way of behave, it’s not true that “today there are not the clothes of the past”, instead there are not the manners of the past: a good suit is not enough, without politeness and charme. This year there are thousands of white suits, in a large variety of models and fabric: choose yours but, then, wear it with the proper attitude. Actor Fabio Troiano in a total look by Giorgio Armani. Picture by Marco La Conte for Max.gazzetta.it.

Search on Google for Paul Newman and Marlon Brando’s images. Then search for Ray Petri, the man who realised tens of remarkable editorials for I-D and The Face in the 80s and invented the stylist profession. “Ray, who thought it was hard to look good wearing anything but jeans, Ray who replaced Marlon Brando’s rebel leather jacket with the black synthetic one worn by the pilots of the Us Air Force” (from Repubblica, 2007). Newman and Brando loved to wear denim with white socks as much as Petri did. Although fashion it’s change and transformation by definition. Fashion is surprising. At times fashion can be excess, extravaganza, so while organizing a fashion shoot sometimes it is worth taking risks and then deal with consequences! Just like a designer working on its fashion show also a stylist working for fashion magazines can cause outrage: try to “suggest” wearing white socks under an haute couture suit and insults will rain down although the objective beauty of Gianluca Fontana’s picture is indisputable. If you despise the idea of socks that are not blue or grey, especially in combination with such a suit, you are not entirely wrong. But you’re not entirely right either. Picture by Gianluca Fontana for Style magazine. Suit by Kiton, loafers by Bally.

When fine art photography made us dream.

Objective beauty exists and is the antidote against the confusion reigning over fashion  photography-related standards. The quality of fashion photography does not depend on good taste in clothing, as we may not like a dress but when the picture it’s good its value will last through the years. Otherwise I can’t explain why older photographers are still role models and why social networks keep on suggesting old pictures as symbols of beauty and prestige. Today fashion photography is going in a different direction, it became more important to shoot the best selling pieces and the styling has lost its importance. Companies just want to see their starched clothes without a soul, there’s also a lack of technique: we are far too easily satisfied, we dream less and fashion gradually looses its status because all campaigns in the end look almost the same. If you take a look at the picture in the middle by Paolo Roversi(a 20 years old Valentino ad campaign), you’ll see how he managed to create intensity and a three dimensional effect “just” using the right light. The model David Boal, the velvet maxi coat and a striking styling did the rest. We still have lots of beautiful clothes and men but photographers like him, not so many. Valentino ad campaign from 1993: picture by Paolo Roversi.

I have been writing on many occasions about the importance of a good styling to pull off a successful fashion shooting. When shooting menswear a good styling is even more essential, because everyone knows that being extravagant in womenswear it’s allowed but when men try to be original and fashionable they are usually looked upon with suspicion and classified as laughable. This doesn’t happen abroad, in countries like Great Britain, France and many others in the U.S. the melting pot of races and costumes it’s peacefully accepted as part of everyday life. The result of the intersections between colors and fabrics from different cultures can be outstanding. In order to “bring” to Italian magazines the beauty and distinctiveness of collections designed by those who have been inspired by the exoticism of the East(Etro is one among many), we should get into a more liberal and open minded mood just like those countries. Would it be too weird for Italian readers to combine fabrics with different patterns? Yes. So we opted for a combination of Paisley and chamois leather clothing which is an original look indeed, however it would be nice to follow the waves of fashion and look towards the future with less prejudices. Duster coat/dressing gown by Etro.

While writing this column I have been thinking many times about the beauty of certain fabrics and patterns used in menswear. The most consolidated traditional references embody the history of costume, they are a precious heritage which has been guiding and influencing men’s aesthetic choices for over a century. Menswear: so very different from womenswear, it’s a more conventional world where changes occurs gradually as they remain strongly anchored in tradition. One of the latest “little revolutions” in menswear involves the use of classic and warm fabrics for sportswear: an option that has been blocking the invasion of nylon and other cold syntetic fabrics. The real innovation consists in the fact that the fabric’s design makes the whole outfit look a lot more elegant and classy. Patterns like Prince of Wales , pinstripe and tartan (kilts always have tartan patterns), pied-de-poule and pied-de-coq (a kind of little square with a “hook” similar to a spur) have been used also for casualwear. Quilted jackets and shiny down coats are over: let’s welcome the new sportswear, which makes it possible to beat the cold weather and feel comfortable even riding a scooter yet maintaining an exquisitely modern and refined look. Picture by Andrea Gandini, sport jacket by Fay(F/W 2013)