Author: Federico Poletti

ITALIAN TALENTS IN THE WORLD: SEBASTIANO PIGAZZI

Posted on by Federico Poletti

Born in 1996 and with an international upbringing, Sebastiano Pigazzi is becoming increasingly well known thanks to the series And Just Like That 2 with Sarah Jessica Parker, where he plays the role of Giuseppi, the boyfriend of Anthony Marentino (Mario Cantone). After important experiences with directors such as Luca Guadagnino, Sebastiano has also been in other productions such as the fourth season of For All Mankind, an Apple TV+ series, in which he is present in two episodes, and starred in his first film where he plays the right-hand man of Al Capone in 1920s Chicago. A talent to follow and with a rising career, which we decided to reward with the NEXT GENERATION AWARD in Venice. 

Sebastiano Pigazzi
Total look Gucci

Let’s start from the moment you realised that, following in the footsteps of your grandfather Bud Spencer and your great-grandfather, this would become a job, as well as a passion. 

Maybe I’m still kind of realising it, but I’d say I figured it out in high school when I starred in a Shakespeare play, Much Ado about Nothing. I got a lot of compliments then: for such a small, insecure boy, it was that push that helped me say, “Okay maybe I could do this”. Which unfortunately led to a battle.

I read that your family tried to talk you out of it…

Well, rightly so. In my opinion, no family should push their child to be an actor. My parents were worried about all the no’s I might hear… 

Where did you study acting?

A little in high school and a little in New York, where I took several courses and met my favourite teacher. Then I attended the Beverly Hills Playhouse in Los Angeles, a theatre and acting school where numerous actors have trained. 

What was your first real role?

My baptism of fire was with Luca Guadagnino in the series We Are Who We Are, followed a year later by the film Time is Up by Elisa Amoruso, with Bella Thorne and Benjamin Mascolo.  

Sebastiano Pigazzi
Total look Emporio Armani

«It’s great playing different roles. I don’t have a preference, I like being able to work with this mix of characters that are a bit different from each other»

In Guadagnino’s series you have a role that’s not very easy, with nude scenes…

Yes, let’s just say it’s one of those experiences that make you realise how much you love this job. You do everything to achieve a result, even sacrificing your needs or your way of being. So on the one hand it was very difficult, but on the other it opened a door that let me get rid of so many fears.

Were there any productions that were important for you before And Just Like That?

I played a part in a Paramount series, The Offer, which essentially describes how The Godfather was filmed. Then I made my own short film as a director and actor. I’ve shot other things that will be coming out soon but were actually filmed before And Just Like That. One of these is an independent film with a good cast, in which I have a leading role.  

Sebastiano Pigazzi
Pants Calcaterra, tank top Intimissimi Uomo, tie Fiorio

You’ve gone from dramatic roles to more histrionic ones, like in And Just Like That.

Yes, it’s great playing different roles. I don’t have a preference, I like being able to work with this mix of characters that are a bit different from each other. 

Is there a particular character you’d like to play that you haven’t yet?

Lots and lots of them. I’d really like to play Biff in Death of a Salesman. Or any character who’s really different than who I am would certainly be welcome.  

How did you join And Just Like That?

In the simplest, most classic way possible, because sometimes that’s just how it happens: with a self-tape. It was the first time in my life that just one was all it took. 

Total look Louis Vuitton, socks Intimissimi Uomo
Total look Louis Vuitton, socks Intimissimi Uomo

In the series your character is a poet, so in a way also similar to you and a bit your nostalgic side.

Yes, I wrote a lot of poems when I was younger, I was a touch melancholy. But beyond that, I must admit that there aren’t many similarities between me and the character. It’s true that it’s often seen on the streets of Rome, but we’re rather unalike in many ways.

What was the hardest thing you had to overcome on that set?

The hardest thing was trying not to say, “Oh my God, I’m on set with Sarah Jessica Parker and everyone else”. You have to try to minimise the context a bit. If I stop to think about it, I have a small part of 25 years of television history on my shoulders. 

Will you also be present in the new series?

I don’t know yet, but I hope so. Nothing can be said right now because of the strike.

Sebastiano Pigazzi
Total look Paul Smith
Total look Paul Smith
Total look Paul Smith
Total look Paul Smith

Living in Los Angeles, you experienced this momentous strike firsthand, what do you think about it?

It’s definitely an issue that has to be solved, artificial intelligence is a big problem. Actors are receiving much less money in America due to streaming. When technology changes, the contracts with which actors and everyone else are paid should also change. Those with contracts stipulated with more independent productions might feel the effects a bit less.

The Hollywood actors and screenwriters have been striking for many months now, perhaps the longest ever organised.

Yes, it started around 10 July, so it’s been going on for several months now. The writers have been on strike since around April/May. This situation has also destroyed the industry around the studios: consider the various bars, restaurants, etc. In a way we are experiencing the same situation as ten years ago when there was the strike for the rights to DVDs. Today the issue is about streaming rights.

Sebastiano Pigazzi
Total look Moncler X Pharrel Williams, shoes Hogan

But thanks to streaming platforms, there have been more productions and many more possibilities for youth like you in recent years…

Yes, platforms have given young people so many possibilities. Surely with so many more funds, they are also in a position to experiment and do more interesting things. 

What series and movies have inspired and excited you?

I don’t watch a lot of series, I have to be honest, but years ago I watched Black Mirror and I really liked it. I thought it was interesting. As for films, I’d say Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals, although it is very underestimated and nobody ever talks about it, and The Father with Anthony Hopkins.

Speaking of fashion, I know you make and customise jackets.

EIt’s a hobby to pass the time. I was looking for a classic jacket, but not a boring one, with a slightly more eccentric touch. I couldn’t find one, so I made it; then I made another one, then I made twenty.

Total look Versace
Total look Versace
Total look Versace

So you also have a certain dexterity?

Unfortunately no, but I have three tailors here in Rome who are working day and night.

Is there a site where you sell these jackets?

I have a site, but I never launched it. I also have the photos ready, but I haven’t ever put anything up for sale (he laughs).

What’s the name of the site, if you’re willing to say?

SEPUU. At some point I think we’ll have an auction with other brands. Everyone in the family calls me “Sepuu”, practically since I was born, I think for the Chilean writer Luis Sepúlveda. It’s a kind of childhood memory.

Total look Alexander McQueen
Total look Alexander McQueen

 Let’s just say that you’re not ready for this “fashionable coming-out” yet.

 Exactly… I’m shy in many situations (he laughs).

What passions do you cultivate between Italy and Los Angeles?

I practice a lot of sports, tennis, basketball, swimming (not at a competitive level). Then I also like cooking, writing and directing, when I have the opportunity. Now I’m about to direct a play in Los Angeles. It’s a show I wrote for a clothing brand, which asked me to create a short work of about 25 minutes. It will come out towards the end of October. 

So you’re very prolific, you write a lot…

Yes, the gears are always turning, I write a lot and it’s wonderful when all the projects take shape. If it happened more often it would be even better.

Sebastiano Pigazzi
Total look Dolce & Gabbana

Credits

Editor in chief Federico Poletti

Photographer Davide Musto

Stylist Martina Antinori

Grooming Marta Ricci– Simone Belli Agency

Photographer assistant Cristina Proietti Panatta

Gaia and the Art of Being Yourself

Posted on by Federico Poletti

Gaia’s a free spirit and an artist who invites us to reflect on the rhythm of life, to take our time in the frenzy of the daily grind, enjoying every single moment: «When everything is buzzing around me, I slow down. I feel, I feel how much life there is in a single moment», Gaia sings in Estasi (Ecstasy).

Raised between Brazil and Italy, the countries of origin of her mother and father, Gaia Gozzi continues her path full of success while remaining true to herself. Her courage in going down unconventional paths and her music full of spirituality are a real source of inspiration for the new generation. 

Gaia
Gaia
Total look Pucci, boots Anja Zecevic

«I think it’s important to find your rhythm and understand the importance of taking a break»

Let’s talk about your last trip to the Amazon and the message of following the rhythm of nature, going slower… These are all very current concepts in a fast-paced society like ours.

I think it’s important to find your rhythm and understand the importance of taking a break. Not everyone can afford to go to the Amazon; I’d obviously recommend it to get recentred, but it wasn’t simply the trip that helped me. The experience helped me see how internally, I had to create that relationship with myself to understand when I have to stop, when I have to say no. These no’s are also fundamental for the longevity of my plans, to be able to be aware of my instrument and not exploit it, depleting it before its time. I think that we are given certain energies at birth, and we mustn’t finish them all right away. If we think about music history and history in general, many musicians tend to overdo it in the kind of life they lead. I’d like to be a musician for as long as possible.

Gaia
 Total look Sportmax, earrings Nove25

«My way of flowing in life is connected to my feelings. That’s what I consider spirituality: listening to my instincts, making my internal conversation more and more intimate, sincere and direct»

Indeed, it’s easy to get lost in the world of entertainment…

Yes, the more you’re given, the more chances you have to see thousands of people singing your music, but also the more clearly you’ll lose something, which can be your health, relationships, etc. So balance has always been one of my primary goals. I strongly believe in trying to have a ‘healthy’ approach to this profession, even if there haven’t been many similar examples. Also because in order to be great you have to work, to be there, to be in it. I’ve seen so many people fall so easily into depression; I too have experienced very intense moments of emotional lows. That’s why it’s important to find your balance in everything.

A feature of your music that’s quite peculiar is the presence of a certain spirituality.

Yes, spirituality is definitely part of my life in general; it will blur into the music and overflow into that as well. My way of flowing in life is connected to my feelings. That’s what I consider spirituality: listening to my instincts, making my internal conversation more and more intimate, sincere and direct. I strongly believe that there’s a common conscience that guides us towards what we should do, be, etc. I’m always very, very careful trying to do something that my ‘higher self would do.’ So yes, I wouldn’t be able to flow in life and in music, which is my way of expressing myself, without an intimate relationship with the intangible. So I put it in the songs.

Gaia
Gaia
Total look Issey Miyake, boots Anja Zecevic, earcuff Mam Originals

«Music has always been so important to me, and I always thought it would accompany me throughout my life»

When did you realise that music was your calling, and that from there it would also become a profession?

Music has always been so important to me, and I always thought it would accompany me throughout my life. I was a bit afraid to consider it a hypothetical job as a child because I was very shy. So it was entirely at odds with my nature, and I felt like it was such a big dream, perhaps I didn’t want to erode it. Despite my fears it went well, thanks to the process of discovering myself, the fact that I started travelling very young, so I had many experiences that forced me out of my comfort zone. I went to university for a while, to then see this option as real and viable.

As a child I always sang at home, especially in the bathroom, my main stage. I would stand in front of the mirror and sing the songs of my favourite artists. I also did a lot of research on YouTube, I watched everyone’s live shows; it was something I kept private, or between my family and me (of which one, at one point, couldn’t bear listening to me any longer, she says laughing and looking at her mother Luciana). Then I went to live in Germany when I was 15 and started singing with my friends here and there. I went to the United States when I was 17, and I was in the choir at school there. I had my first attempts as a soloist and so I started to open up the relationship with the audience and feel more comfortable.

A few months after I returned from the United States, my mother and sister signed me up for X Factor. I went, I signed my first record contract, and everything started from there. At times it was a somewhat slow (or balanced, I prefer to see it that way) path with setbacks and dilated moments, which however were fundamental. I was in a phase of searching for my identity, I was trying to introduce all my cultures into music, without making a potpourri that was overly complex, distant or mechanical. I was trying to pinpoint my signature style.

Those years were fundamental, they still are, because they gave me the foundations of a creative freedom that I wouldn’t have been able to touch or even graze had I immediately taken off, ‘exploded’ and been forced to work following a certain type of path. They wanted me to become a fairly standard ‘pop project,’ perhaps easier to work with than what I do now but, returning to the concept of spirituality and the fact of remaining as authentic as possible, I think it’s really the only way to make my plans work in the long term. I’m happy with the path I have been on and continue to follow. 

Gaia
Coat, puffer jacket and trousers Tommy Hilfiger, corset Maucerieffe, earcuffs Mam Originals, shoes stylist’s archive

What elements of Italy and Brazil can you identify in your personality?

My Brazilian side is definitely the more spiritual, mystical side and I also love to dance, sing and party anywhere. This is a decidedly Brazilian side of me. Italians are also very festive to tell the truth. They’re both extremely passionate places, so there’s a common denominator from this point of view. My Italian side is the one that’s a little more concrete. Not that the Brazilian one is not concrete; Brazil is an open-air museum, it’s all nature, and when nature is so imposing, perhaps it puts you back in your place more easily. The rhythms are easier, and they follow a different beat.

In Italy, on the other hand, especially living in a city like Milan, I realise that I’m more inclined to implement things, to keep the focus. I also have a very determined side; if I want something I get it. I managed to find a balance between these two elements, between a life in the midst of nature, life and not just work, and the moments when I know I have to push and be completely focused. Then you also eat well in both places (laughs). Yes, probably my more practical side is extremely Italian. I also say this because I see my father, who is Italian, very objective and my mother is instead more of a ‘wood fairy.’

Perhaps you got your sense of style from your mum?

Yeah, mum’s a real aesthete. Taste, fashion, creativity in general fascinate me; they awaken a sense of beauty in me that I like. My sign is dedicated to beauty (I’m a libra) so I like harmony, beauty. Mum definitely spoilt and educated me in this regard, because her archives are really a source of inspiration. 

You also often work together…

Yes, we’ve already worked together a lot. Now I think we’re both understanding our goals more and more, so we’ve gone our separate ways. Then we happen to work together, first and foremost to keep relationships clean and healthy, because before being colleagues at work we must be mother and daughter. It has been wonderful sharing work experiences with her. It’s not always possible, especially for the type of work we do. 

Gaia
Top Animula Embroidery, necklace Mam Originals

«I think intentions are fundamental in every context we touch in our lives»

It’s great that beyond image, fashion is also a message for you.

For me it’s that above all, because I think if it was just aesthetic, I would probably feel bad about myself and I wouldn’t be able to justify it with my way of seeing things. If instead there is a message, a motivation, a reasoning behind it, then everything takes on a more magical aura. You see it in the shots, people feel better wearing something that’s been chosen for them to make them feel good, maybe the clothes and the brand are more in line with their way of thinking. A series of elements then make a shot, make a fashion shoot a magical job. It’s not just about making people sexier and more beautiful.

I think intentions are fundamental in every context we touch in our lives. Everything is political: how you act, how you feel in front of a camera, how you communicate. All these things, in my opinion, go beyond mere fashion.

Especially after the Covid break, it’s important to reconnect with the public.

Yes, especially for me because I never had the chance. I came out during Covid, so playing live is something I’d really like to do and will do in the near future. And then travelling. I want to go to Brazil and play a little there. Now I’d like to play in different places and spend some time in Brazil. These are my goals for the upcoming period. 

And what projects do you have in the pipeline? 

I’m writing a lot for the new album, and I really want to play live. I’d like to do a lot of festivals in the coming period, because I feel that it’s a side of my work that I get a lot of satisfaction from, in which I could grow and invest a great deal. In another upcoming project I’ll lend my voice to the brilliant dreamer Asha in the new Christmas movie Wish, the feature film by Walt Disney Animation Studios, which pays tribute to the Disney legacy (in Italian cinemas on 21 December), precisely in the year in which the historic film studio celebrates its 100th anniversary.

Fur coat and jumpsuit Missoni, Boots Giuseppe Zanotti, Nose chain Myril Jewels
T-shirt, hot pants and dress Dsquared2, boots Giuseppe Zanotti, headpiece Z.GRNJ by Giulia Del Bello, earrings Nove25

Credits

Photographer Claudio Carpi

Stylist Simone Folli

Make-up Roberta Anzaldi – Charlotte Tilbury

Hair Francesco, Matteo – Contestarockhair

Stylist assistant Nadia Mistri, Claudia Maria Ialacci, Rebecca Callegaro, Isabella Ingravallo

MODALISBOA: DESIGNERS TO WATCH

Posted on by Federico Poletti

The 61st edition of MODALISBOA closed at the Pátio da Galé in the heart of Lisbon, which saw not only several fashion shows, but also presentations, an exhibition and talks on various topics including circularity in fashion. The theme of the MODALISBOA À LA CARTE edition is intended to be a playful invitation fuelled by the act of sharing. Fashion is conceived as a seasonal menu with several courses. Between shows, exhibitions and presentations, a sampling of different styles where the mise en place is organised by MODALISBOA, but creativity is served by the different designers. Collections with different visions represent the new generation of fashion design. A reflection on the present and future of its territory and, consequently, on the identity and social issues that are currently driving the creation.

The production of the collections was supported by MODALISBOA’s various textile partners: Calvelex, Fabrics4Fashion, RDD Textiles and Riopele. All the designers have in common a concern for the use of production processes with the lowest possible environmental impact. Many new talents used prints made from natural processes and fibres, recyclable materials and 3D prints. And now it only remains to present this edition’s designers to watch out for.

1. MODALISBOA presents the sustainability of DuarteHajime

DuarteHajime is the brand with a new name founded by Ana Duarte (Lisbon, 1991), which after the Sangue Novo contest and several awards (in 2021 it won the C.L.A.S.S. Icon Award) is characterised by prints created by the designer herself. DuarteHajime intends to redefine the concept of streetwear, focusing on sustainability through natural and technological fabrics. Hajime is a Japanese word meaning ‘beginning‘. In traditional Japanese martial arts, such as judo, karate, aikido and kendo, it indicates the verbal command to ‘begin’. The brand in 2023 started on a new path (from Duarte to DuarteHajime) while maintaining the same vision, telling stories in an urban perspective and style, with attention to quality and materials all Made in Portugal and sustainable.

DuarteHajime presents his new concept of streetwear at MODALISBOA, ph. Manuel Scrima.
DuarteHajime presents his new concept of streetwear at MODALISBOA, ph. Manuel Scrima.
DuarteHajime presents his new concept of streetwear at MODALISBOA, ph. Manuel Scrima

2. Filipe Cerejo and a new masculine sensuality

Filipe Cerejo started his fashion journey in Porto and then moved to London, where he graduated in Fashion Design from Middlesex University in 2021. His graduation collection was also exhibited at the British Fashion Council and ShowStudio. In 2022, he won the Polimoda prize within Sangue Novo, ModaLisboa’s competition for young designers. This recognition then gave him the opportunity to win a Master’s degree in Collection Design at Polimoda in Florence. His design vision is intended to evoke an idea of sensuality and unique identity, offering a new perspective on menswear.

Filipe Cerejo shows his new perspective about man's clothes, ph. Manuel Scrima.
Filipe Cerejo shows his new perspective about man's clothes, ph. Manuel Scrima.
Filipe Cerejo shows his new perspective about man’s clothes, ph. Manuel Scrima

3.Constança Entrudo presents a Dadaist collection at MODALISBOA

Constança Entrudo, one of Lisbon Fashion Week’s most experimental designers, let us into her studio in the heart of Lisbon. Her S/S 24 wants to highlight the dangers of global warming that has erased the existence of winter. The garments in the collection are designed to reflect this dramatic change. Imagine an office where traditional dresses and striped poplin shirts are subjected to rips and cuts, and their fragments woven into torn, unstructured jersey tank tops. The designer works on the concept of reappropriating of discarded and randomly riassembled objects, as happens in Dadaist art.

Thus the prints in this collection are derived from still life photographs of everyday objects, including the playful juxtaposition of Christmas bows with seashells and other marine-inspired motifs. Or intricate sculptures depicting office ballpoint pens intertwined with threads. These sculptures and photographs of discarded objects suggest the invisible exchanges of everyday life. An ironic and critical look at consumer culture and waste.

4. Ivan Hunga Garcia winks at Land Art

Always in the sign of experimentation, we recall fashion as the creative expression of Ivan Hunga Garcia. The designer is becoming known for his couture research thanks to the Botanical Apparel project, which debuted at Lisboa Fashion Week (Sangue Novo competition) in March 2022. The designer works on the concept of incubating textile materials and Land Art that becomes clothing, a tribute to ancestral heritage.

5. Lidija Kolovrat embraces beauty and the unexpected

Intersections of art, fashion and film for Lidija Kolovrat with the brand KOLOVRAT, which defines its language through deconstruction and urban culture. The brand has always cared about the impact of its creations, both for the environment – valuing sustainability and upcycling – and for its customers. Kolovrat believes that clothing reflects our inner world, our sacred geometry and symbolic language. «Intuition, spirituality and innovation are the way to achieve the uniqueness of the piece that will be co-created for each person, so that each person can empower themselves with their true self and embrace the sense of beauty and the unexpected», says Lidija Kolovrat herself.

At MODALISBOA, KOLOVRAT's creations mix art and fashion, ph. Manuel Scrima
KOLOVRAT’s creations mix art and fashion, ph. Manuel Scrima

Photographer: Manuel Scrima

Connections of art and wine: the new artwork by Elisabetta Benassi for the Antinori Art Project

Posted on by Federico Poletti

The world of wine reveals extraordinary connections with art, for example, the Antinori winery in Chianti Classico is a truly historic link that starts in 1385 and binds the Antinori family to a passion for the arts: painting, sculpture, architecture, and of course, transforming the fruits of the earth into great wines. For more than six hundred years, the Antinori family has linked its name to excellence in the art of wine and the best patronage tradition. Two apparently very different spheres, which in reality they have often proceeded in parallel: the family has frequently entrusted art with the task of narrating the values and history of their lineage, whose coat of arms is also a work of artistic merit, which came out in the early 1500s from the Florentine workshop of the sculptor and ceramist Giovanni della Robbia.

Aerial view of Antinori Winery
Aerial view of Antinori Winery

The Antinori Art Project

A long-lasting relationship whose epitome is the new winery inaugurated in 2012, a structure carved into the lands of Chianti Classico, which collects paintings, ceramics, ancient manuscripts and numerous site-specific works created to narrate this special link between the world of wine and art. Conceived by architect Marco Casamonti, the building sinks into the depths of the vine-covered hillside and literally plunges into the earth with its sinuous lines, a sort of invitation to communion with nature.

This gave rise to a real Antinori Art Project, which moves from the idea of creating a natural continuation of the collecting activity that is part of the family’s tradition, directing it, however, toward contemporary arts and artists. Antinori Art Project is in fact, a platform of interventions in the contemporary sphere, created in collaboration with established curators, which brings together under a single coherent project all those put into the field in this area. In this way, the winery has become a point of reference not only for wine enthusiasts but also for art and all those who love bien vivre.

Antinori winery
Antinori winery
Antinori winery

Elisabetta Benassi’s new site-specific artwork

Among the new additions is Elisabetta Benassi‘s site-specific artwork that started from a telegram that composer Giacomo Puccini sent to Marchese Piero Antinori in 1910, on the occasion of the Premiere of the opera La fanciulla del West at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. For the occasion, the artist created a carpet – La fanciulla del West, 2023 – in which that very famous telegram is transposed, recounting Arturo Toscanini‘s exceptional success.

The original telegram is kept by the family, along with a substantial correspondence, bearing witness to a historical friendship that saw the history of this ancient Florentine family intertwine with that of Italian culture. It is not only a work of art, but also a testament to craftsmanship: the carpet was in fact hand-knotted in Kathmandu, a city to which Benassi has returned on several occasions, an idea that also evokes the artist’s journey that merges into the project.

The artist herself comments, “This telegram is a message of friendship and sharing about the triumph of this opera performed in New York in 1910. This telegram is a sort of time machine linking the past to the present, a flying carpet and a bridge connecting these two moments. I like the idea of this document becoming a common object, a carpet on which we can also walk.”

La Fanciulla del West, 2023 by Elisabetta Benassi
La Fanciulla del West, 2023 by Elisabetta Benassi
La Fanciulla del West, 2023 by Elisabetta Benassi
La Fanciulla del West, 2023 by Elisabetta Benassi

The journey through the artworks of Antinori winery

A true museum integrated into the visitor route inside the winery that hosts the family’s historic collection, which has included a special program of annual commissions, many of them site-specific, addressed to important artists from the national and international art scene.

The interventions have seen in the two-year period 2012/2013, under Chiara Parisi‘s curatorship, the involvement of Yona Friedman, Rosa Barba and Jean-Baptiste Decavèle.

The arrival of Ilaria Bonacossa as the project’s biennial artistic director in 2014 was followed by the participation of Tomàs Saraceno, who created the work Biosphere 06, cluster of 3, installed in the vertical space of the cellar’s interior staircase; then in 2015 the exhibition Still Life Remix, dedicated to the timeless theme of still life, the installation of the work Hourglass by artist Giorgio Andreotta Calò; in 2016, the acquisition of the site-specific work, Giant Fruit by Nicolas Party as part of the Antinori Art Project; the commission of the work Portal del Angel by sculptor Jorge Peris, a precarious triumphal arch created through the reappropriation of local materials, such as the ancient terracotta jars historically used to store oil.

In 2017 it was Stefano Arienti‘s turn, who, in deep dialogue with the precious Antinori Lunetta, or The Resurrection of Christ by Giovanni della Robbia dating from the 16th century, created Altorilievo: a reworking of the compositional logic of Della Robbia’s work. In June 2019, the Antinori family, presented Untitled (Antinori), a major new site-specific installation project commissioned from American artist Sam Falls (San Diego, 1983).

Antinori Winery
Antinori Winery
Antinori winery

Art, Nature, Irony: the Artistic Design of Marcantonio

Posted on by Federico Poletti

Born in 1976, Marcantonio Raimondi Malerba is one of the most charismatic figures on the interior design scene, whose work connects man and nature. His path runs on the double tracks of art and design, as they intersect and contaminate each other.

Irony and nature are two key elements of Marcantonio’s stylistic language: they are the protagonists of his imaginative universe populated by fantastic, dreamlike, extravagant and surreal creatures. The relationship between man and nature (one of the recurring themes in his works) is greatly emphasised, both in the bigger works such as the gigantic giraffes of the collection She’s in Love but She Doesn’t Know It Yet and in the small objects such as the famous Monkey Lamp and Mouse Lamp for Seletti.

Interview with Marcantonio

We met him to hear about his vision and his new designs that will be launched at Salone del Mobile 2023.

Marcantonio Raimondi Malerba
Marcantonio (ph. Chico De Luigi)

Your imagery is connected to the animal and natural world. Where this connection with nature come from and what are the dangers caused by not respecting the environment today?

From the very beginnings of my artistic research, I wished to reflect on the relationship that man has with nature (isn’t it the central theme of our existence?), so the relationship he has with himself. I believe that the strongest connection that a human being can experience is precisely that with the nature. If you do experience it, then you are also in deep contact with what surrounds you, with others and yourself as the highest expression of nature, along with all the feelings that nature can arouse.

I’ve always thought that beauty means recognising each other, as the more we recognise ourselves in what we see, the more we enjoy that connection. Connection is beauty and emotion.
We are sophisticated animals and, just like plants, we are the fruit of a great mother that is nature and its unparalleled beauty, which, more and more often, is unfortunately damaged and uncared. Society should definitely understand and take care of the environment around us, thus giving it the attention it deserves.

Marcantonio Masciarelli
Ad Naturam, Masciarelli, 2022 (ph. Barbarossa Studio)

Heart is a central motif in your art. Tell us how the works related to it were born.

Hearts are part of a much broader concept, embracing the world of nature: they are passion, feeling in waiting. Veins become shrubs and then flowers, turning the dramatic state of helplessness into that of the highest expression, the natural sublime.

Some hearts, such as Love in Bloom for Seletti offer the possibility of placing flowers inside them, so that the veins sprout, as if the organ was the bulb from which the feelings blossom. Vegetables and animals blend in a natural belonging, warming even the least romantic souls.

The philosophy of kintsugi recurs in several of your works. What attracts you to this ancient practice?

Kintsugi literally means “to repair with gold”, giving value, magnifying and enriching what’s broken. I think I have a particular attraction to anything that is able to communicate time as  it is lived and history.

I love objects that have a temporal patina, even new ones, and yet hold a strong identity, when the shape can tell the process by which they were made. The story that objects can tell is their own life and I think that reassembling lies in my creative chords. It is something I have always done.

I remember gluing the pieces of a broken vase together for fun when I was a child, as if I was an archaeologist…. I think there is no better metaphor to represent the individual: man, as in the philosophy of kintsugi, is often fragmented and broken into multiple pieces. It should not be a weakness, but a strength, enriching each of us. As the broken vessels are embellished and held together by gold, the same thing should apply to human beings.

Marcantonio Sedie
Sedie con Germoglio, 2009  (ph. credits Marcantonio)

During Salone del Mobile 2023, you will launch a new project Window Lamp for Seletti, a window of light with dreamlike tones. Where did the project come from?

Window Lamp was born from a vision: when I imagine a house, I immediately think of doors and windows, as they are the eyes of the dwellings, letting in light and illuminating rooms. A window with a view of a beautiful sky is a positive and pop subject. Moreover, windows can be placed wherever we wish and open to the world without any builder or authorization.

Your design is often also art. How can the two expressive dimensions coexist and what works best represent this union?

Yes, two categories often flow into each other, so I find it difficult to explain the evolution of my work. I have always tried to put even in a small object my artistic worth since I was a child. I feel like an artist, I have a fire, a soul within. Since I love everyday objects, I apply my artistic desire to a lamp, a chair, an umbrella stand… The desire to find magic, an imaginary world that I hold within as an artist.

One of the works that best represents this combination is the Monkey Lamp line as monkeys resemble human beings. This is why I have often projected them in my sculptural works as well. In the lamp version for Seletti, they sneak into our homes: I like to think that they are stealing those light bulbs, creating an evolutionary reference, and that they are not at our service at all, breaking chandeliers and wandering around the house undisturbed.

Marcantonio Love
Marcantonio Love
Love, Armani, 2022 (ph. Michele Vecchiotti)

Irony is a common thread through all your works, is it part of you too? How do you decline it in your objects?

Absolutely, irony is part of me and my works. It takes away all my doubts. When I look at the sketches, what really convinces me is what makes me smile. In literature or theater we use indeed narrative devices, as we do with design. The combination of irony with design and art can add new meaning, triggering the imagination of the viewer.

In my works, irony can be expressed through the opposition between comfortable and convenient: what is comfortable often turns out to be functional, while the concept of comfortable, where I see myself most, have a strong emotional factor. The first collaboration with Seletti in 2012, for example, was precisely the furniture line Sending Animals: the production was inspired by the relationship between man and nature, aiming for a simple but also ironic result, provided with a good dose of tragicomic (could someone actually send animals?).

Marcantonio Qeeboo
Giraffe in Love, Qeeboo (ph. Marco Onofri)

Where would you like to see a large installation of yours and what message would you like to send through it?

I would definitely like to see Great Soul in a museum or gallery. It represents the creation of a project started in 2011, designed before the monkeys, giraffe and everything else. What we see now is a whale, the skeleton of a cetacean containing lights and lamps. The lights are on and create a bright volume, as they are the soul of the big animal. Is it alive or not though? I would like to exrpress, once again, the relationship between man and nature reflecting, of course, on the condition of our oceans and even more deeply on life and death, the importance of care and the consequences of individualism that drives contemporary life. I like this indefinite and bittersweet play between dramatic representation and magical vision. The whale is alive, flying, lit by lights that belong to our world. We are the lights because it all depends on us.

Marcantonio Grande Anima
Grande Anima, 2023 (ph. Michele Vecchiotti)

What is your relationship with the world of wine and bien vivre? Do you have a favorite wine related to a memory or a geographical area?

No, I don’t have a favorite wine. I love to change and constantly taste new flavors and experiences.

Marcantonio Jungle
Ordinary Jungle, 2016  (ph. credits Marcantonio)

Marcantonio Ad Naturam
Ad Naturam, Masciarelli, 2022 (ph. Barbarossa Studio)

Opening image: Marcantonio Raimondi Malerba with some of his works (ph. Mikael d’Alessandro)

The Art of Wine

Posted on by Federico Poletti

The New Vertical by MANINTOWN

After the pilot issue launched during the last Wine Week in Milan, we are proud to announce the first The Art of Wine, a special issue entirely dedicated to the world of wine, seen through its interactions with art and design. To lead such an ambitious project, we asked Andrea Amadei,  sommelier and gastronome, radio and TV author, to develop together a new editorial format and communicate this sector with a more engaging and curious slant, discovering many excellences throughout our country. So, the first collectible issue of 120 pages was born, describing a beautiful scenery with multiples voices, from the north to the south of the peninsula, thanks to many authors, journalists and experts led by Andrea for the first issue, which will also be released during the Salone del Mobile in Milan.

To convey a more artistic and emotional language, we worked with the illustrator Jacopo Ascari, who created three extraordinary artworks for the cover of the special issue, the map of Italy with some of the most interesting areas on this issue and the back cover, which interprets in a dreamlike and overjoyed atmosphere Destination Gusto, food&wine e-commerce dedicated to the our local excellences of taste.
With this magazine – edited by Andrea Amadei – we wish to offer a series of hints and alternative routes in our rich wine and food scenery, thus giving voice to producers, realities, areas and characters to discover.

Enjoy your journey!

Federico Poletti, Editor in Chief MANINTOWN – Massimo Pozzi Chiesa, General Manager MI HUB Agency | MANINTOWN

Wine in Town

How do you combine a wine insert with a magazine about fashion and new talents? The answer is simpler than you might think. Wine appeals to all people sensitive to beauty because it is one of the world’s greatest beauties. Human beings paint together with nature turning something as extremely perishable as a bunch of grapes into a beverage with a potentially decades-long life, evolving and gaining value over the years. In this perspective, it is not so different from a silk dress born from the secretions of a tiny silkworm.

MANINTOWN believes in the allure of wine and what it stands for, from its most convivial and univocal soul to the luxury and elegance that have turned it into one of the major capital (and consolation) goods today.
For the following six editions (published for Vinitaly, Salone del Mobile and Milano Wine Week), readers will find The Art of Wine attached to MANINTOWN, a compendium devoted to the nectar of Bacchus and its connections with the worlds of art and design. Each issue will tell about wineries that have linked their work to that of painters, designers, sculptors, artisan architects and musicians. Places and bottles to discover, taste and collect in the cellar.

We will present all the trends in the industry, with interviews with leading personalities, the most visionary projects and the stories of the pioneers who have changed the world of fine drinking. Art and design are based on imagination and design skills. Therefore, we will give space to process innovations and the most curious systems of vine cultivation that mankind has designed over the centuries according to the landscape around him.
We will also take a look at hospitality and modern cuisine with extra virgin olive oil, spirits and craft beers, that complement the culture of the sommelier and enrich the experience of reading and good food.
We will focus on Italy, the country where we live in and that we could never stop discovering. Every issue will include a destination beyond the border for the thirst of travelers who want to go further travelling with a corkscrew, of course.

The contents are written by journalists, sommeliers, communicators and industry insiders, invited to write about what fascinates them most. Freedom and sincerity are essential to wine storytelling. For this reason, sponsors will always be quite distinct from editorial contributions within this magazine. Advertising can support us but no financial interest will prevent us from writing about what we believe in.
Last but definitely not least, the language employed will be as simple as possible, engaging and understandable, as wine belongs to everyone. It has colors but no party, it has roots but can reach everywhere, it has gender but no sex. It is one of the greatest beauties in the world and can be there for everyone.

Happy reading!

Andrea Amadei

Think Print: the art of Pierre-Louis Mascia

Posted on by Federico Poletti

A recognizable style, constructed through patterns and colours that define his prints. Pierre-Louis Mascia started out from a background as an illustrator and founded his brand in 2007, thanks to a lucky meeting with the Uliassi brothers, owners of the Achille Pinto silk print factory in Como, with whom he began to develop a small collection of scarves. Thanks to a gradual but steady growth, today it has become a true lifestyle brand that focuses on men’s and women’s clothing and accessories collections, as well as proposals for the home. So many declinations of a style that has always remained faithful to its DNA, thanks to a decidedly artistic spirit and approach. For years, the French designer has been present at Pitti Uomo with his presentations, which demonstrate his passion and natural focus on the world of interior design. For this extraordinary story of creativity that binds him to Italy, Pierre-Louis Mascia was chosen as the Special Project of Pitti Uomo 103, protagonist of a special event set in the rooms of Palazzo Antinori, opened for the occasion. A project that combines nature, culture, art and fashion and finds expression in the fabrics created by Achille Pinto, who will celebrate fifteen years of partnership with the brand in 2023.

Pierre Louis Mascia 2023
Pierre-Louis Mascia – Casa Cabana (ph. @SGP)

“I feel closer to fine arts than to fashion design”

Tell us about your meeting with Achille Pinto, the silk entrepreneur with whom this adventure was born.

I was the art director for the Première Classe fashion exhibition, at that time there were very few brands working on scraps and prints. As I was a fashion illustrator, I was thinking to change my support: to move from the rectangle of the paper to the rectangle of a silk scarf. I tried to contact some French companies, which were very disinterested in the development of new designers. Then, I met Matteo Uliassi from Achille Pinto and, naturally, we started working together. We began by designing one small collection of scarves and, 15 years later, we are a global brand.

From foulards to clothing to interior design, what are the highlights and milestones in your journey?

Everything was very constant and progressive. I had an accident in 2016 and it changed my vision of the world, and logically it changed my conception of creativity. In 2018, we had the opportunity to present the Spring/Summer 2019 collection with a catwalk in Shanghai. After that, the team realized that this brand could have worked.

Pierre-Louis Mascia collection 2023
Pierre-Louis Mascia Fall/Winter 2023-24

You define yourself more as an artist than a designer. What are your references in the art world or simply which artists do you follow beyond the inspirations for your brand?

Mariano Fortuny, Serge Lutens, Romeo Gigli, Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto, and Japanese designers in general, are people that inspire me a lot. However, I feel closer to fine arts than to fashion design.

Which prints and colours are now a must-have in your collections?

There are no colors in particular… I really like them all!

“With Pierre-Louis Mascia we try to create an interior space were people will feel comfortable”

How did your passion for interior design and the concept of your first shop in Milan come about?

I tried to invent a concept thinking about it in its entirety. When I create a collection, I imagine it in a special interior place, with a particular smell, particular music or sounds…We tried to do the same think while designing our shop in Milan. I really like artist’s ateliers, that is why I like the François Halard work when he photographs many artists’ houses and ateliers. Then, we try to create an interior space were people will feel comfortable. In addition, the aesthetic of the shop is inspired by my atelier in Toulouse.

Pierre-Louis Mascia atelier
Pierre-Louis Mascia in his atelier

You have carried out several collaborations with other brands over the years. Which are the most significant ones and what have they given you on a personal level?

The collaboration with the Palais Galliera was a very interesting work for me. From the meeting with Pascale Gorguet Ballesteros (the curator of XVIII century of Galliera) to the realization of the pieces, this project was really rewarding for me in terms of professional and personal growth.

What will we see at Pitti Uomo?

We will present an event named “Philocalie”, which means “love of the beauty”. This presentation is linked to the Fall-Winter 23/24 collection. We will create a conceptual installation at the Palazzo Antinori in Florence. The project has been designed to amaze and involve guests in the search for natural beauty, free from any kind of artifice, to be discovered and experienced.

Pierre Louis Mascia brand

Opening image: Pierre-Louis Mascia – Casa Cabana (ph. @SGP)

Tananai the new musical phenomenon adored by the new generations

Posted on by Federico Poletti

Tananai (stage name of Alberto Cotta Ramusino) won the audience over after having participated in Sanremo, quickly becoming one of the most popular artists among youths. After Sanremo, his single “Sesso occasionale” became a certified platinum record.

Tananai music
Total look Alexander McQueen

Born in 1995 in Milan, Alberto has been passionate about electronic music since he was a teenager and soon began producing his own music, publishing his first album “To Discover and Forget” in 2017 using the pseudonym Not for us.

Tananai musical
Tananai musical

Left: total look Dior; right: suit and shirt N°21 by Alessandro Dell’Acqua, shoes Dr. Martens, sunglasses Retrosuperfuture

The first EP as a true singer-songwriter

He then began to explore various musical genres and also write in Italian, while still mainly dealing with production. In 2019 he emerged as a true singer-songwriter with his new artistic name Tananai, and in 2020 he released his first EP entitled “Piccoli boati”. Alberto himself told us: “The first EP arose from my desire to talk about what was happening in my life, because I believe that the daily life of each and every one of us is very special in its own way. So I tried to convey my days and my love stories, my disappointments and moments when I was absorbed by the music I made. With my past as an electronic music producer, I had to learn to write and unlearn to produce. And I talked about what I knew: my everyday life”.

Tananai festival
Total look Gucci
Tananai musician
Tananai musician
Total look Thom Browne, sunglasses Retrosuperfuture
Tananai hit
Tananai hit
Total look Marni, sunglasses Retrosuperfuture

A new turn: ‘BABY GODDAMN’ and ‘Exaggerated’

In 2021 his career took a new turn with the single “BABY GODDAMN”, which also became a certified platinum record and with which he is now at the top of the Spotify Italy Top 50 ranking. In 2021 he also collaborated with likes of Fedez and Jovanotti, participating in Sanremo Giovani with the song “Exaggerated”, thanks to which he became one of the three winners. 2022 began with his participation in the 72nd Sanremo Festival where he presented “Sesso occasionale”, a song full of irony and positivity.

Tananai Sanremo
Total look GCDS, sunglasses Gucci

His participation in the Festival – despite various criticism – gave him great visibility, so much so that a few days after the end of the competition his single joined the Top 10 among the most listened songs of Spotify Italy, with “BABY GODDAMN” also climbing the rankings to reach the top 50. And Alberto confesses: “The song ‘Sesso occasionale’ came to me in a very natural way during a session in the studio. It came out as a continuation of ‘Exaggerated’ – the song I brought to Sanremo Giovani – and immediately engaged us, so we worked until the deadline to send it. I didn’t know what to expect after Sanremo. I sort of improvised, focusing only on emanating a positive energy and being able to go back to singing on a stage in front of a real audience”.

Tananai Sesso Occasionale
Total look Valentino, sunglasses Versace, shoes GCDS

‘Sesso occasionale’, a certified platinum record

A success that continues today with his first Italian Tour that has already sold out for many dates, in barely any time. “By being able to play live in front of as many people as possible, my most secret wishes are coming true. And finally after seeing my dreams halted so many times, realising that it’s finally going to happen… fills me with an overwhelming sense of enthusiasm”.

Credits

Talent Tananai

Editor in Chief Federico Poletti

Text Federico Poletti

Photographer Leandro Manuel Emede

Stylist Nick Cerioni

Stylist assistants Michele Potenza, Salvatore Pezzella, Noemi Managò

Make-up & hair Mara De Marco

Opening image: total look Alexander McQueen

Sergio Fiorentino, an artist who translates the charm of “his” Noto into unique paintings and artworks

Posted on by Federico Poletti

For the 48-year-old artist Sergio Fiorentino, from Catania but now transplanted to Noto, the city of Syracuse represented a fundamental turning point, a watershed in his work and existential path: having fallen in love with the cradle of Baroque, unique for its lights, colors, inspirations and sensations, he moved there permanently, using a space in the refectory of an 18th century convent as his studio. He has therefore resumed painting, a passion put aside after his studies at the Academy of Design and Visual Communication Abadir to devote himself to the sale (and restoration) of design objects, pouring into the paintings a vision that could be defined as classically contemporary, defined by portraits, faces and figures rendered in quick and decisive brushstrokes in shades of blue, red, brown and white, then manipulated through scratches, abrasions and buffering that give an evanescent air to the whole, accentuating the feeling of silent immobility, suspension that characterizes the canvas.

Fiorentino’s artworks, exhibited in the permanent collections of several museums (including the MacS and the Fondazione La Verde La Malfa in his hometown), have been included in numerous trade fairs and exhibitions hosted by various museum institutions, from the Musei Civici to the Eremitani in Padua, to the Roman gallery RvB Arts, from the Fondazione Mazzullo in Taormina to the American Palm Beach Art Fair.We met him in his house-studio in Noto, right in the center of the town that has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2002, full of finished works or works in progress, manifestations of an all-round creative flair that also finds application in furniture and objects that escape classification. 

When and how did you start painting?

“After studying restoration and, later, painting at the Abadir Academy in Catania, my passion turned into work, with the opening of a small gallery in town where I sold – and restored, too – design objects of the twentieth century, from futurism to the ’60s. Ten years ago, when I came to Noto by chance, I fell in love with it, finding myself changing my life from one day to the next; I closed the store, which was doing very well, and I started painting again. The first exhibition came with Vincenzo Medica, despite the fact that years have passed, it still seems like a dream, it’s a great fortune to be able to turn what you love into work, into life tout court”

From Catania to Noto, people continue to reach you and your atelier has become a local place to be…

“In fact, a lot of people have passed through my studio, and the place, inside the former refectory of an eighteenth-century convent, is wonderful. Although they are separated only by an hour’s drive, Catania and Noto in my opinion could not be more different: the first is all black, lava, dominated by an active volcano, pervaded by a great energy, a whole other world compared to the second, completely white, suspended, metaphysical.”

Has the atmosphere of Noto, with the light, the sky, the unique colors, influenced your work?

“Certainly, it’s here that I resumed painting, such a context can only be present, starting with the blue, which in my idea is a sort of amniotic liquid in which the figures begin to form; my painting is visually linked to the sky of Noto, the complexion of the faces recalls instead the plaster, the stones, the walls of the buildings, with all the cracks and signs of time, not to mention the suspended energy that is felt, especially in winter.”

What techniques do you use to intervene on the paintings?

“I usually make faces or bodies in blue (a shade that is present in all my works, even when it’s not immediately visible), then I paint the complexion in oil and, when the color is still fresh, I scratch it, almost to the point of flaking it, so as to bring out the background, as happens in the series of portraits with plants where, after the first draft, I intervened by removing the material and making the leaves come out.”

Or in the series of bodies…

“Exactly, I did the same in the paintings about the divers, figures in blue that are suspended, immobile, without a point of departure or arrival, as if they were crystallized forever in the dimension of the painting.”

What else are you currently working on?

“To a series of furnishings in materials typical of the Sicilian decorative arts of the eighteenth century, in particular of the Trapanese, which boasts an extraordinary tradition with workers who, even at that time, used silver, brass, coral or lapislazzulo. For example, I’m working on a piece of furniture with garfish, a link to the Dreamers’ paintings with fish: these are limited editions, nine unique pieces, each one different from the other. Then there are two pieces of furniture with very thin wires running through a brass plate, filled with lapis lazuli powder in shades of blue or red coral powder.

Among the works in progress there is also a creation in embossed copper, born from a chance encounter with a very good craftsman whom I saw in action, an exponent of the third generation of a family of puppeteers; together we made this kind of sculpture, a totem with two modules. In the past, instead, I have made ceramics inspired by my recurring themes, such as that of the divers”.

Who are the artists and designers you are inspired by?

“There are many, from Ico Parisi and Gio Ponti to a painter like Antonio Donghi (a leading exponent of magical realism, ed.), the latter excites me for his ability to portray figures of everyday life as if they were “embalmed”, frozen in time; It reminds me of the Sicilian tradition of the bambinelli or papier-mâché statues, it’s as if he put them inside a glass bell, stopping them forever, in some ways I also try to fix an instant, as in diving, which we are used to seeing as a moving image and in my paintings become, instead, a fraction of a second eternally suspended.

I love what is ancient, I like to create works that have a current language and at the same time linked to the past, this is also true for the paintings, in which the faces are of real people, who for various reasons have a meaning for me, inserting them in the canvas, however, I try to extract them from the space-time dimension, in fact there are never references to places or times, in some cases even to gender, so that some subjects could be male or female, as if they came from another planet.”

How would you describe your style?

“When I paint I strive to be as essential as possible, both in terms of imagery and color rendering: I basically use four colors, white for light, a brown shade for shadows, and two opposite hues, red (which in my vision is the soul, the spirit) and blue, which represents flesh, the matter.”

Discover more about the artist  SergioFiorentino 

https://sergiofiorentino.it/About

Ph. Davide Musto

The new Italian Wave: Ludovico Tersigni

Posted on by Federico Poletti

Ludovico Tersigni is among the most talented actors who belong to a new Italian generation that is having great success, especially thanks to Netflix. His success is due to his participation in two of the most loved and followed series, not only by teenagers, such as Skam Italia and Summertime. Very shy and not inclined to social media, we met him in Rome, where, exclusively for MANINTOWN, he dressed as a dandy, the protagonist of a Roman night in the 30’s in this special service you will discover here.  

How was your passion for cinema born?

The passion for theatre and music (I love playing the guitar) was born first while the one for cinema came later. I started when I was in primary school with my first performances and then I kept on cultivating this passion at an amateur level in middle and high school.

When did you tell yourself “I want to be an actor”?

I haven’t said it yet! It was a very smooth thing and I tried to seize all the opportunities. I made my first movie, Arance e Martello (Oranges and Hammer), with Diego Bianchi and that audition was my chance. I was selected to play a role and then the movies went to Venice, where I met Vittorio Pistoia, who asked me if I wanted to be part of his agency to give it a try, and I accepted, even if I still had to graduate.

Nobody has seen my degree since but, on the other hand, I did many things, many auditions and I kept on playing very formative roles in the following years. It has been a difficult journey, for example the movie called “Slam. Tutto per una ragazza” with Andrea Modaioli. I needed to train because the protagonist was a skater and I had to reach a good level in a very short time. It’s a risky sport that can cause many injuries. Therefore, performing with the idea that I shouldn’t hurt myself has been a great challenge.

You love challenges…

Not only in the cinema, but also in sports, such as climbing, where risk is more controlled; you know your level when you approach a wall and you know you are safe.  

According to you, why did Skam Italia have an incredible success?

Skam Italia is the loyal portrait of today’s reality. The success is due to this loyalty. The producers, directors and actors don’t want to provide a model, but an idea of ​​what high school is for us today. In addition, they want to underline the complex issues that everyone has to face in the age of the constitution of our personality, memories that will stay with us forever. In my opinion, this is the strongest point of Skam: its non-belligerence towards young people. It is a declaration of alliance, “we are by your side”. It is also a question: “we believe that these things exist, have they ever happened to you?”. The best thing is that they answer, empathize, and talk about them. Moreover, the series has been able to involve different generations.

In the series, your character evolves and grows. How much of you is there in Giovanni, your character?

In Giovanni there is perhaps a part of me that I have left aside. Nobody would like to grow up. As Caparezza says: “I have a project in my mind, to be a teenager forever”. Giovanni is like the sum of the experiences that I had in high school and that remained unexpressed.

Did you watch the other version of Skam?

Yes, but after season 1. I watched the first episode before starting to shoot and something of Skam France and it was interesting to see different interpretations and themes in each country. I think that Skam is one of the best projects I have ever participated in.  

Did Summertime arrive after Skam? How did you experience it?

It’s definitely an entertaining series and its goal is to be more welcoming, aiming at a wider audience. On a social level, Skam is a mine because it opens up spaces. On the other hand, Summertime welcomes and they cannot be compared.

According to you, why are we experiencing a wave of teen-genre TV series?

I think that it’s due to the age of the audience that today it is very young. For example, when I was in middle school, I used to go to the cinema with my friends at the weekend. It was a habit and we used to fight even over the choice of the movie. It’s a completely different method of use. I am sorry to see that young people are very “addicted” to screens; if there were more balance, they probably would choose to do other activities too.

Today the youngs are also very linked to social media. You are a slightly different example…

Time management is very delicate. You risk spending one or two hours in front of your mobile and then you haven’t done anything. You saw some of your friends’ photos and what they did in their IG stories, you “joined” their lives, but in a virtual way. Therefore, my question is: are we still able to stay together in real time, to go out, organize, leave and do things in order to meet? Or is talking on the phone enough to have that relationship? This is why I am trying to invest my time also in other things that are not only virtual.

What passions do you cultivate in your free time?

In the last few years, I had a manual crisis; I realized I wasn’t able to do many things by hand and I started a journey that touched many fields, from restoration (I attended a luthier academy) to creating an acoustic guitar. I realized how manual work helps to free the mind because concentration makes you forget what you are thinking about and, therefore, thoughts clear up. Doing something by hand, focusing on something and then seeing the work finished is not just a great satisfaction, but it’s also a sort of therapy. Now, I am attending a clay sculpture course and I have recently finished my first Venus and I am also building a very difficult horse bust. It takes me a lot of time, but my teacher is happy.

What projects do you have for this summer 2020?

We are working on the second season of Summertime and we are leaving all together for Ravenna soon. In the new series, there will be interesting developments and growth in the characters, who met last year… stay tuned!

Manintown x Gucci

Photography: Manuel Scrima @manuelscrima

Video: Marlon Rueberg @marlonrueberg

Camera operator: Jacopo Lupinella @jacopolupinellaph

Talent: Ludovico Tersigni @ludovicotersigni

Art Direction & Styling: Giorgia Cantarini @giorgiacantarini

Styling Assistant: Giorgia Musci @mushiland

Grooming: Francesca Bova @francesca_bova_

Location: Hotel Valadier – Roma  @hotel.valadier

Production: Manintown @manintownofficial

Theme SHIFT#4 BY XU & TIM ROWE from BLUESHIFT

Special thanks: Sonia Rondini e Lapalumbo comunicazione

Special Thanks: Sonia Rondini @sonia_rondini

New frontiers of well-being: SHA Wellness Clinic celebrates its 12th anniversary

Posted on by Federico Poletti

“A life-changing experience” boasts SHA Wellness Clinic, an internationally recognised holistic wellness resort, celebrating 12 years in business this year.  At SHA, health is viewed as the optimal state of physical, mental and spiritual well-being, providing each guest a newfound vitality in harmony with the environment.  Therefore, it’s no coincidence that the facility is located in a true natural oasis, a marine reserve of extraordinary beauty perched between the mountains and the water near the bay of Altea (in the Valencia region of Spain, near Alicante) overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the Sierra Helada Natural Park.

The SHA method is a synthesis between Eastern ancient medicinal disciplines such as acupuncture, and Western technology including bioenergetic medicine, and the latest, most innovative discoveries of regenerative and anti-aging treatments.  The state-of-the-art therapy combines advanced tools for diagnosis and bioenergetic measurement in order to understand and prevent the body’s natural mechanisms of aging.  Beginning from lifestyle and nutrition, the SHA method integrates the most effective natural therapies including a highly therapeutic diet and incorporating the latest advances in Western medicine, in particular genetic and preventative medicine in order to shape each customer’s optimal health and well-being.  Additionally, a strong point of SHA is its team of specialists in a variety of disciplines who look at each guest in a holistic and non-specialist way.  The coordinated and controlled fusion of these disciplines significantly increases the positive impact that any of them would have individually. 

To guarantee the best results for each guest, SHA develops a personalised treatment plan that includes natural and medical therapies, together with a menu designed ad hoc by the resort’s restaurant, SHAMADI.  There are 14 health programmes available, each of which is meant to meet the needs and personal goals of the individual client who can experience services such as shiatsu, acupuncture, reflexology and cryotherapy, which reactivates metabolism and the immune system.  Practices of mindfulness and pranayama can be followed by a session of neuro-feedback and cognitive stimulation using futuristic machinery that helps rejuvenate the mind, created thanks to research by Harvard University.  Clinicians at SHA analyse stress level, cognitive ability, memory, and the capacity to manage anxiety, providing related exercises to improve each area. Here, guests rediscover the connection between the body and the mind in an effort to improve quality of life. Furthermore, they are taught how to bring this newfound knowledge back into their daily lives once returned home. 

SHA’s philosophy is to transforms people’s lives.  In fact, this concept was the starting point for SHA’s founder Alfredo Bataller Parietti, who himself suffered from health problems.  After receiving a worrisome diagnosis, he had the good fortune of meeting a doctor experienced in nutrition and natural therapies who instructed him on how to regain his health through the power of a balanced diet combined with natural therapies.  He decided to share this precious knowledge, and together with his family, began the unique project that today is SHA Wellness Clinic in Spain, with openings planned in Mexico and the United Arab Emirates.

From the founder’s own personal health battle, the SHA method was born, blending ancient disciplines with the most recent discoveries of Western medicine, thanks to the supervision of internationally renowned experts like Michio Kushi, considered the father of macrobiotics, who was appointed President of the World Organization of Natural Medicine in 1995.  Bataller Parietti, President and Founder of SHA explains, “I decided to utilise the most effective Eastern and Western therapies combined with a special diet of healthy and energy-rich foods, offered within a sustainable and comfortable environment.  I also managed to incorporate the most recent medical discoveries as part of the treatment.  This utopia is our SHA Wellness Clinic, which has not only received over 60 prestigious awards thanks to an incredible team of professionals, but above all, it has changed the lives of over 50,000 people so far.”

The SHA method is based on 8 main areas:  healthy eating, natural therapies, preventive and regenerative medicine, advanced dermo-aesthetics, cognitive stimulation and emotional health, well-being and inner balance, fitness and learning new healthy habits through the Healthy Living Academy.  Combined, these factors improve and increase physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing through a holistic and integrative approach.  

The detoxifying diet begins with food curated by the SHAMADI restaurant inside SHA and the Chef’s Studio, where chefs create gourmet dishes that eliminate refined carbohydrates and sugars, animal protein and dairy products in favour of seasonal and organic ingredients, such as unrefined grains (oats, millet, brown rice) legumes, soybeans, tofu and vegetables.  In addition, the menu incorporates several types of seaweed including blue, brown and red seaweed originating from Japan and the North Seas, a frontier in vegetable protein, as well as the subject of a nutrigenomics study of foods that promote longevity.  SHAMADI offers fusion cuisine balanced between Mediterranean and oriental traditions.  A personalised plan is also created based on each guest’s medical screening and the goals he or she is hoping to achieve.  The objective is for guests to not only acquire new nutritional habits, but also to fully and consciously learn to enjoy food in order to continue this lifestyle once back home.

Presently, conversation about curing illnesses is abundant.  Since its inception, SHA aims to take care of its clients’ health through prevention, researching medicinal practices and focusing its efforts on finding the best technologies and therapies to strengthen the immune system.  A strong immune system is essential for fighting viral infections.  As a result, SHA has created a specific program focused on strengthening the immunity to restore and stimulate the body’s natural defences, promoting it to effectively fight any external aggression.  In the same vein, the Healthy Aging & Preventive Medicine programme helps slow down the process of cellular degeneration and reignites the potential of each person to restore his or her health.

Another highlight of the clinic is the expansive neurological initiative led by Dr. Bruno Ribeiro which works to battle even the most severe states of stress and anxiety, maximizing cognitive abilities and promoting intellectual capacity.  “We start with an initial cognitive assessment and some tests, such as neurofeedback, to understand the level of stress, the general picture and the trend of the brain waves to probe what is not working and what should be changed.  Thanks to technologies co-developed by NASA and Harvard Medical School, such as Photobiomodulation and Transcranal Current Stimulation (TCS), we are able to achieve important results both in stimulating specific areas and functions of the brain to improve physical and mental performance, as well as in alleviating diseases and pathologies, such as in the cases of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients” says neurologist Dr. Ribeiro.  

SHA is not the ordinary SPA (although it also offers numerous body, facial and beauty treatments), but rather, it is destination where guests learn how to cultivate physical and emotional health, both inside and out.

Creative Class: A Conversation with Simon Foxton

Posted on by Federico Poletti

Born in 1961, Simon Foxton is considered one of the most influential, visionary stylists and creative minds on the international scene.  After graduating in 1983 from Central Saint Martins in fashion design and launching his brand Bazooka, Foxton began working for i-D magazine, where he later began a long-term collaboration with Nick Knight that eventually led Simon to become the magazine’s art director.  Foxton has succeeded in mixing together and bridging sportswear, tailoring, streetwear and fetish styles in an experimental way.  His aesthetic sense helped define the new image of modern menswear.  On the occasion of the book release in collaboration with Stone Island, we interviewed Simon about his career path and his thoughts the past and future of fashion.

Tell us about your time studying and when you discovered your passion for photography and fashion.

I was at Central Saint Martins School of Art between 1979 and 1983 and I had a fantastic time there.  That was such a wonderful time to be young, attending art school, and especially living in London!  I don’t think I was a particularly hard-working student, but I made a lot of great friends there, many of whom are still close to me even today.  There was a lot of dressing up and going out to clubs and parties.  It was pretty amazing.  I had always enjoyed consuming magazines and loved imagery but never considered actually creating any of my own.  It wasn’t until after I left college and started designing in the real world that I realised how difficult and also time-consuming it was to design.  Caryn Franklin, a friend of mine back then who was Fashion Director at i-D at the time, asked me if I’d be interested in doing some styling for the magazine.  I gave it a go and quickly realised that it felt right for me.  I liked its immediacy.  You had an idea, found the clothes, shot them, and there was the final result.  No more ordering fabrics, dealing with outworkers, delivering to shops etc.  That was such a drag.  I’ve always favoured the path of least resistance.

You are considered a leading image-maker of men’s fashion.  What changes do you see in the industry during these last years?

I’m not sure if I ever really created “fashion looks.”  I have been an image-maker for quite a while now, but that’s just because I’ve been around a long time and haven’t died yet.  I’m often asked this question and I’m never too certain how to answer it.  I guess the most fundamental change is the size and scope of the fashion industry.  Now, there is so much of it, and such enormous wealth invested in it that it has become a much more high-risk environment to work in.  When I was starting out things were much more relaxed.  When shooting for magazines, credits were more of a suggestion than a necessity.  We were very much left alone to create what we wanted, with no art directors or commercial departments interfering.  It’s only more recently that I’ve realised how fortunate we were to grow up shooting in that sort of culture.  Of course, not everything was great, and some of the work was self-indulgent, but the great thing was that we could experiment, and also fail.  Failure is a crucial part of the creative process.  Sadly, that is not allowed now in the high-budget, tense, corporate world that fashion has become.

You started with i-D magazine in 1984.  Tell us some crazy stories about your work at that time and how this experience shaped your professional and private life.

I don’t think I have any crazy stories.  I’m not a particularly crazy or dramatic person, I think the most obvious impact on both my personal and professional life comes from the people I have met through work.  From meeting and working with Nick Knight at the very start, to asking Edward Enninful to model for me and then having him become my assistant.  Likewise, street-casting Steve McQueen for an i-D shoot and us becoming very close friends.  Or meeting the photographer Jason Evans who was interning with Nick Knight; we began working together back in 1990 and have done so ever since.  Also, all the other wonderful assistants I’ve had over the years, like Jonathan Kaye (now at The Gentlewoman) or Elgar Johnson (at GQ Style), or Nick Griffiths with whom I have an ongoing creative consultancy, &SON.  Or working with the wonderful Penny Martin at SHOWstudio, who is now the editor of The Gentlewoman.  They are all still very dear friends and extremely important people in my life.

Can you please choose 5 photos from your Instagram feed that are meaningful or important for you and explain why?

Nick Knight -i-D magazine , 1986

Very memorable shoot . We shot this at night in the streets around some old warehouses next to Tower Bridge .Back then it was deserted and derelict . These days it has been made into flats and work spaces that cost millions .The fire in front of the boys is actually me walking past with a big metal rake that we wrapped in paper and set alight.

This was from a story that Jason and I shot called ’Strictly’ . We shot it all around the streets near my house in Ealing , very suburban .Edward was assisting me at the time and he helped a lot with the casting .It was a fun shoot to do and was well received .

Jason Evans , i-D magazine 1991 .  Model – Edward Enninful .
Ben Dunbar-Brunton , i-D magazine 2009 

I’ve always loved this shot I did with Ben of the stunning model Dominique Hollington .Very simple and graphic .

This is a composite from a movie that Nick and I made for Walter van Beirendock’s retrospective exhibition in Antwerp .I had access to Walter’s total archive and he allowed me to mix up his collections to create wild looks . It was really great fun .

Nick Knight / Walter van Beirendonck – Showstudio 2011
Arena Homme Plus 2009

This was a kind of backstage shot that I took on the set of a shoot that Nick Knight and I did called Frillaz !I dressed these tough looking guys in some incredibly frilly frocks that I found online from an adult baby fetish site .I had pre-warned them before the shoot of what I intended to do but still felt a bit nervous about how they would reactbut they were all great about it . The whole shoot was a joy 

You worked with truly creative mind like Nick Knight. Who are the photographers/creative people more inspiring for you?

Nick Knight inspiring.  He is constantly creative and a very exciting person to work with; you always feel you’re in safe hands working with Nick.  In a different way, Jason Evans is an extremely inspiring photographer because he questions things and makes you question yourself.  Not in an undermining way, but more as a method of creating something totally new.  I’ve also always admired the work of Jean-Paul Goude.  I love his creations.

How was working at the exhibition When You’re a Boy?

Well, that was Penny Martin’s idea.  She curated it and did all the hard work of putting the show together.  It was very exciting to have an exhibition dedicated solely to my work at The Photographer’s Gallery.  I didn’t enjoy being the centre of attention on the opening night etc.  I’m pretty useless at all that stuff and prefer to stay more in the background.  But once the show was up and running, I did enjoy viewing it dispassionately, almost as if I was looking at someone else’s work.

How has your work changed during this global pandemic?

I continue to work with Stone Island, but since I am considered to be in a “high risk” category I have been fairly strictly self-isolating so have been doing my consulting via Zoom, which has been a godsend.  I gave up shooting editorials and my teaching work last year.

What kind of relationship do you have with social networks?

I’m on Facebook quite a lot just seeing what friends are doing or watching mindless videos.  It seems that Facebook is now just used by old codgers like me; I don’t think anyone young uses it anymore.  Instagram is fun, but again pretty mindless.  I enjoy posting pictures that I take when I see something noteworthy or beautiful, otherwise I don’t bother.  All those pictures of food, or children, give me a break!  I used Tumblr for years and absolutely loved it but then they spoiled it with their puritanical anti-porn stance that edited out anything even vaguely salacious.  I closed down my account and haven’t used it since.  I transferred a few images to my Instagram account @foxtonscrapbooks, but it’s not the same, to be honest.  Twitter, I use for news that’s it.  I don’t Tweet- never got to grips with it, really.  Any of the others I just assume are for kids and don’t bother with them.

What was the process of working on the Stone Island book?  And what was the biggest challenge in creating the book?

Myself and my business partner Nick Griffiths have worked with Stone Island for the last 12 or 13 years.  We art direct, cast and shoot all the campaigns and photo-based imagery.  Nick makes a lot of the moving image pieces for their online platforms.  We also consult with the design team there to give input on the collections, and we are involved in many other facets of the brand.  Sabina Rivetti from Stone Island approached me a couple of years ago with the idea of doing a book.  I think she already had the editor Eugene Rabkin in place at that time, as well as Rizzoli as the publisher.  My role as Art Director was really to steer the ship and make sure that it remained true to Stone Island’s “language,” i.e.  it must be modern, factual and almost industrial in feel.  Nothing too flashy or over designed.  I chose Rory McCartney as designer for the book as we had worked with him on the last one, Stone Island, Archivio and therefore he understood the aesthetic well.  We spent a long time trawling through masses of imagery looking for photos that were hopefully interesting and informative but that also hadn’t already been used in other publications.  For this, we had the assistance from a wonderful image researcher, Sarah Cleaver, who did an amazing job.  I think the main challenge was retaining the clean, dispassionate visual language of the brand but still producing a book that was interesting to see.  Hopefully we succeeded.

What are some of your future plans…do you still enjoy working in fashion?

At the moment with the way the world is, I haven’t made any major plans.  I take each day as it comes.  I still very much enjoy working with Stone Island, they are a fantastic company to work for.  But to be honest, I’ve rather fallen out of love with fashion and magazines.  I have stopped shooting fashion editorials as I find that the parameters magazines set and the adherence to credits that they impose are too stifling.  Perhaps I am just getting too old for all of that.  We’ll see what happens!

Earth Day turns 50. Ricky A Swaczy’s special reportage

Posted on by Federico Poletti

On the occasion of the Earth Day, which promotes the rise of a new environmental awareness, we thought of collecting some inspirational images. 2020 is also a special year because it celebrates 50 years of Earth Day.

The special reportage by Ricky A Swaczy (Creative director and Founder of the Wabisabi Culture) captures the essence of a magical and illusory nature, which from darkness inveils the quietness of contemplation. A frame of transitory life. The evocative power of impermanent Nature

Instagram: @wabisabiculture

Interview to the brand strategist Yossi Fisher: the fashion system after Covid-19

Posted on by Federico Poletti

We have interviewed Yossi Fisher, a brand consultant and brand strategist who also in this delicate period is carrying out international projects with costumers and associations. Here some reflections related to the phase that the fashion system is going through.

You are connected with many creative people around the world. What is the general sentiment of the people about this moment?

There are a lot of emotions circulating these days, and respectfully so.  There’s no denying the uncertainty of these times. What I’m noticing is while some are seeing the troubles it’s causing in their careers or businesses, the majority of those people are using this time as a way of re-assessing what truly makes them happy, and what they want to return to – or not, when this is all over. Ultimately,  it seems to be a time of great reflection, and people are using it as a way to step back and redefine the values their careers and businesses are built on, and their progressive relevance – or lack there of, as we move towards navigating a whole new set of industry landscapes.

How do you think the fashion system will overcome the crisis and rethink its models?

The fashion system is now forced to take a massive step back and re-asses itself in its entirety. Everything from freelance structures to content, production to manufacturing, retail to design and all the way though to Live streaming, Fashion Weeks, PR dynamics, and digital initiatives … and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. As a system all of its components effect the Fashion Economy and how the industry operates as a whole. The entire idea of Fashion will be forced to take a massive step backwards in order for it to move forward. As a collective industry we all have felt in one way or another how broken it’s all become, but there was nothing truly driving change across all of its channels until now, making this a very exciting time.

In my opinion, there’s too much romance and idealism and not enough practicality in the system. I believe this crisis will be the catalyst for healthier business practices, as well as a stimulus for mental health initiatives, especially within freelance and creative communities. Many within those circles are already rethinking why they’ve put themselves through so much financial uncertainty and lack of job stability for so long.

As they find new interests and hobbies that make them happier during this forced pause, many are questioning what exactly it is they’re going to want to do after this is all over. Regarding Businesses, they will need to humanise their practices even further, and will have to face massive questions like; whether trading off ethical values for higher margins and selling more products is emotionally or environmentally sustainable, and how their supply chains and practices will be scrutinized by their consumers as people’s values and humanities change. Many feel that sustainability will be a driving force forward, but even that has its challenges; especially how it tends to price out many consumers who share its values, but can’t afford the slow fashion price points.

As we enter a world with less people employed, and strained finances, many businesses are going to have to strategically reframe their losses if they plan on getting ahead of the curve and have a hand in redefining the industry.

How do u see the future of the retail (physical stores vs digital?)

We are very far away from a completely online world but we are evolving for sure, there’s no question. Physical and digital will both play a massive part in the future of retail, but they will both have to be much more consumer centric. Physical spaces may need to downsize, integrate more digital components, hold less stock, and treat their spaces more as experiential than just a place to shop.

Dynamic in-store brand experiences that revolve more around their culture than products will be a good way to keep consumers coming back, which will usher in the opportunity for much more dynamic collaborations. Online digital initiatives will have to become more personal as well though. Currently E-com shopping lacks personalization and engaging emotional prompts, so having brand specialists go live with scheduled showings, presentations, and collection run-throughs (one on one with VIP’s or mass sessions, where consumers can chime in with questions to better understand their purchases) will be a great way to deepen community, trust and drive D2C conversations.

We will certainly witness more confusion and market disruptions while everyone finds their bearings. Physical retail may need to scale back to invest finances deeper in to their ecosystem, while the Digital realm may require more testing investment as the depths of its foundations and structures are still being explored. I believe the brands that will win he next 6-18 months will be the ones promoting more ethically driven, consumer-centric businesses models.

You started some live conversations with designers and entrepreneurs. What did u get from these dialogues?

I have really enjoyed the IG-Live Talks & Zoom Sessions I’ve been a part of during these times. It’s allowed me to share tips, strategies, and insights with so many communities and platforms (like here on MANINTOWN). More than anything though, I’ve really been using those opportunities to really listen to the ones I’ve been engaging with and the questions I’ve been receiving from our collective followings.

Taking an empathetic approach to these conversations has allowed me to forecast what the world will need post Covid-19. One thing I’ve noticed to be a constant though is the human approach in how these LIVE Talks have been playing out. We’re all vulnerable to these massive global shifts, and it’s obvious just how interconnected we all are. Everyone needs to remember that although we are all going through our own set of challenges, we truly are all in this together. Social media and online communities are offering support in many different forms, and that has really been beautiful to see.

What is your advice for the companies and brands to restart?

EQ is now more important than IQ. The future of companies and brands won’t be products or services; it will be empathy. Leading with empathy at this time and perpetually forward will fundamentally be the most important tool at our disposal.

The humans and businesses that are going to come out of this on-top are the ones that aren’t solely focussing on their problems, but rather on how to solve the ones everyone else is facing. For example; many people have been, and unfortunately will continue to lose their jobs.

As a boutique, perhaps a good idea would be to create a campaign initiative for people that have recently found themselves unemployed, offering a complete outfit (suiting, etc.) + a CV consultation (perhaps serviced through an outsourced professional). That way when businesses open up and start hiring again, these people will be ready and well equipped to hit the market and better their lives again. Consider this a stronger shift towards a Giving Economy.

If you’re a CBD company, perhaps integrate in to your culture a meditation series, exercise video’s, journaling tips, healthy eating to promote clean bodies, etc. Look at ways to help others with their mental health right now. Provide free structured self betterment initiatives, provide resources to nurture and support people’s mental spaces. Both those ideas show that your business actually cares, and that’s what people need now more than ever.

Innovating consumer appreciation initiatives across physical and digital channels will fundamentally compound success rates over time, deepen community appreciation, and strengthen customer relations.

To offer a starting point strategy, Businesses should be asking question like; what do our consumers care about,  what would elevate their lives, and how can we express to them that our values align with theirs? How do we do it in a way that isn’t a direct sell? How we do we humanise our approach?

These are the types of healthy, empathetic actions needed not only to restore our trust in brands, but more importantly, our faith in humanity.

yossifisher.com; IG: @yossi_fisher

Photographed by nathanrichardsphoto.com; IG: @nathanrichardsphoto

Goodbye Sergio Rossi

Posted on by Federico Poletti

Sergio Rossi, the founding entrepreneur of the eponymous brand, died at the age of 84 and had contracted the coronavirus. A great entrepreneur and shoe maker from the Romagna district who gave his name to one of the best known brands of made in Italy.

Its history cannot be separated from that of San Mauro Pascoli, a small town in Emilia Romagna known for the birth of Giovanni Pascoli, poet and singer of nature and everyday life. The post-war years saw the transformation of the area with its footwear vocation.

The success of the cobblers, who roamed the villages and farms, led to the change and progressive abandonment of the more traditional agriculture and livestock activities. Thanks to him, the village was transformed into a large artisan shop specializing in the production of sandals, which were then sold in small shops on the Riviera.

From this first artisan activity a flourishing industry was born and developed, which specializes in women’s high fashion footwear. Together with the shoe factories, small companies specializing in the manufacture of semi-finished products – soles, heels and bottoms – and workshops for cutting uppers by hand and machine are born and thrive in the same district of San Mauro Pascoli.

A true industrial craftsmanship that has been able to establish itself on the global market, focusing on the quality of materials and manufacturing as well as on the originality of the design. So in 1958 in San Mauro Pascoli the Mir Mar was built, the first industrial-sized shoe factory, while the nearby seaside towns such as Rimini are in full swing, then celebrated by Federico Fellini in his Amarcord.

From this cultural closeness with the great director a curious legend was born: in the masterpiece “La Dolce Vita” (1960) the décolleté worn by Anita Ekberg seem to be those of Sergio Rossi, who in those years built his fortune by focusing on footwear female.

This is the context from which the adventure of Sergio Rossi begins, who follows in the footsteps of his father, a skilled shoemaker, from whom he resumed his activity in 1956, creating the first handmade sandals.

Riccardo Sciutto, CEO of the Sergio Rossi Group, was inspired by this story of authenticity, named by Andrea Bonomi, founder and president of Investindustrial, an independent financial group that acquires 100% of the company from the Kering Group.

Sergio Rossi is back in Italian hands and thanks to Sciutto’s vision, the path to relaunching the brand begins. 2016 with the sr1 collection, inspired by the square-tipped model of the early nineties represents the new beginning, in the sign of the brand’s most genuine aesthetics. A path in which the contemporary reinterpretation of one’s legacy is central.

Sergio Rossi had declared in 1988: Since the beginning of our industrial activity we have concentrated all efforts in the search for form, an element that is of primary importance in the shoe … After the shape, the focus is on the other two elements that complete the structure of a successful shoe: style and quality.

Once the three ingredients are perfectly calibrated, success simply becomes a logical consequence ”. Today, thanks to the “Living Heritage” company museum, it is possible to relive all the salient milestones of Sergio Rossi through a selection of over 300 of the most representative and innovative wooden shapes of the brand.

From the shape of the very first “Opanca” sandal from 1966 to the large plant and low heel shapes of the seventies, to the tapered shapes of the décolleté, to the timeless pump “Godiva”: a significant representation of the history of this extraordinary artist-craftsman of form.

Even before the important photographic campaigns, Sergio Rossi entrusts his image to artists and illustrators who have created recognizable and ironic illustrations and drawings for him. Among the first could not miss the eclectic illustrator and stylist Alberto Lattuada, who with his creations and jokes has animated the world of Italian fashion for over fifty years.

Then it was the turn of Miguel Cruz, who in addition to creating some illustrations to advertise Sergio Rossi in the early 70s, is also a stylist who makes use of Sergio Rossi’s collaboration for the creation of footwear to match the looks and clothes of his collections.

Always designs of great strength and incisiveness are those made by the Swedish Mats Gustafson, a name that has become famous for his important collaborations with Hermès, Dior and Yohji Yamamoto, as well as with magazines of the caliber of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. When the brand reaches success, the moment has come to create real advertising campaigns that define the imagination and the Sergio Rossi woman.

To immortalize his shoes to make them style icons are called Italian and international photographers who made the history of photography. We pass from still life images where the product is the protagonist, to those set and more seductive thanks also to the presence of the top model.

From the great Italian masters such as, to name just a few, Piero Gemelli, Oliviero Toscani, Fabrizio Ferri, Giampaolo Barbieri, Marco Glaviano, to the most celebrated foreign talents, such as Albert Watson, Miles Aldridge, Patrick Demarchelier, Steven Meisel, Michel Comte and Peter Lindbergh.

The gotha ​​of photography with Helmut Newton in the front row makes Sergio Rossi’s modernist style immortal. With him disappears a piece of history of Made in Italy and a charismatic figure of Italian footwear.

© All Rights Reserved

#WHITEINSIEMESIAMOPIÙFORTI Focus on: MARCO MELIS EYEWEAR

Posted on by Federico Poletti

Your name is synonym for eyewear made, built, designed and developed in Italy: the perfect combination of heritage and handicraft, with a future-forward vision.

“Making spectacles is like making a dress; this is what I want to offer to my client – so Marco Melis – every little detail can be analysed and selected to reflect the taste and needs of those who wear them.

The custom-made glasses can be tailored in terms of shape, but also on the inside the eyewear rod, where a signature or an inscription can be etched”.  

Melis has designed glasses since 1996, starting from the encounter with the craftsmanship masters to follow all the stages of eyewear design.

This passion led to the launch of MARCO MELIS EYEWEAR, brand that designs and produces limited-edition glasses and eyewear for special sectors, such as shipyards, automotive and motorcycle manufaturers. We sat down with Marco Melis and asked him about his path.

Which are the values and the philosophy of the brand?

At MARCOMELIS Eyewear we start from the design concept and to move on to development in our laboratories, in which we create the prototypes of models that are intended for other brands too. By making use of pantographs from the ‘60s and relying on the adroit hands of handicraft masters from Cadore, we create our collections, thus conveying our craftsmanship and Made in Italy flair.

What are the keywords to best define MARCOMELIS Eyewear?

For sure the sartorial cut, which caters to the needs of the clients or brands, consequently we are extremely versatile in the creation of our bespoke collections, hence the selection of the lenses, the plastic and the cut, which have to be in line with the eyewear.

The detail of the eyewear rod…

Inside the rods of my spectacles there is an inscription that represents the pride of my roots: “Made by an Italian“. We make everything in Italy, unlike other producers, which, although bearing the generic title “Made in Italy”, outsource to Countries that greatly differ from us in terms of culture, ethics and manufacturing background. Made by an Italian means responsibility, knowledge handed down over time, but also research and development.
Made by an Italian, first and foremost, is the work by a craftsperson who hand-makes an object that has been fully conceived, designed and made in Italy, as quality cannot depend on the title “Made in Italy”, but on the transfer onto the product of our handicraft values, as emanation of the history, creativity and resourcefulness of our land.

How was this photography project born? 

The photo shoot arose from the need to share our everyday reality with our clients even before they received our glasses. A photography project made by Carlo Mogiani and Matteo Curti.

How do you envision the sector will change after Coronavirus?

After Covid-19 there will be a huge demand for eyewear, as well as for many other products, due to the fact that many trade fairs have been cancelled. Hopefully, and we are rather optimistic to this regard, true Italian products will be much sought-after, in Italy and across the globe.

© All Rights Reserved

Celebrating the Anniversary of Portugal Fashion Week

Posted on by Federico Poletti

The 46th edition of the Portugal Fashion Week held in the suggestive Alfândega do Porto Congress Center location has closed after the first day due to the risk of Covid-19. Despite this event this edition marked the 25 years of the event dedicated to Portuguese fashion set up in 1995 and the 10 years of the BLOOM, platform dedicated to upcoming fashion designers. 

Throughout these 25 years, Portugal Fashion has showcased, nationally and internationally, 1,986 collections by 171 designers (national and international, renowned and upcoming designers), and 143 brands (clothing, footwear, and jewellery). “During Portugal Fashion’s 25th anniversary celebrations, we will inevitably evoke the history of the event and its important contribution to the promotion, enhancement and international expansion of national fashion.

Susana Bettencourt
Susana Bettencourt
Susana Bettencourt
Alexandra Moura
Alexandra Moura
Alexandra Moura
Alexandra Moura
Alexandra Moura
Alexandra Moura
Alexandra Moura
Alexandra Moura
Alexandra Moura

But, above all, our purpose is to aim for the future, with a set of initiatives that highlight the potential of Portuguese fashion and show the strength of this sector as a catalyst for talent, creativity and innovation in different areas”, explained Portugal Fashion’s project director, Mónica Neto.

There are several examples of emerging designers who, after training in Bloom, have consolidated their careers and are now on the Portugal Fashion calendar, such as Estelita Mendonça, Hugo Costa, Inês Torcato, David Catalán or Susana Bettencourt. The first day of show was mostly dedicated to young BLOOM designers. On show the collection by Maria Meira, Unflower, Rita Sá, 09. 0.9 Virus, João Sousa, Carolina Sobral and ARIEIV, in addition to the 3 winners of the “Novos Criadores PFN” competition, Ana Campos, Diogo Van der Sandt and Maria Gaudêncio.

All these shows have been done with closed doors due to the threat of the spread of Covid-19. Among the designers showcasing at BLOOM, UNFLOWER showcased a collection inspired by the work of Lucian Freud who portrayed Celia Paul on canvas with great emotional power, insistently and cold-heartedly for her vulnerability.

09 Virus
09 Virus
09Virus
09 Virus
09 Virus
Arieiv
Arieiv
Carolina Sobral
Carolina Sobral
Carloina Sobral
Joao Sousa
Maria Meira
Maria Meira
Maria Meira
RitaSa
RitaSa
RitaSa
RitaSa
Unflower
Unflower
Unflower

The collection is inspire by these dynamics – strength and weakness -, alternating serge and leather parts overlaid on tight, structured knits, patched with overlapping stitching and seams, and satin showing frailty and the romantic involvement. Maria Meira collection explores the dualism of light/shadow and the creative process is revealed by the quest for possible shapes behind a projection; this generates an ambiguous vision of a universe where light and shadow become one and turn into a pictorial representation of themselves with a collection of casual dark items enlightened by touch of yellow.

Warm colors with intense shades of ocher and orange for the the men’s sports collection by Rita Rodrigues de Sá who plays with materials, colors and details, as well as in pieces divided between the right and the wrong side, which reflect a state of  a decontracted fashion easy to wear. 0.9 Virus looks at sustainability focusing on water, a finite resource – a terrible waste of the source of being – and the ability of molten magma to recover.

The collection is made of mainly organic and recyclable materials – terry cloth, serge and denim in black and shades of blue, alluding to the power and exuberance of the resources. Black prints that distinguish the oil ripples on the crystalline water.

The collection of João Sousa is a tribute to his grandmother Belmira, the name “Bellamira” analogy is Bella (recalling the fantasy and all of that imaginary things) and Mira (the nickname of the grandmother). It represents all the struggles in life of the lady from the breast cancer to the loss of both legs because of the diabetes.

David Catalan
David Catalan
David Catalan
David Catalan
David Catalan
David Catalan
David Catalan

The fabric manipulation and the asymmetries symbolize the obstacles that rise when no one is expecting. The result is a unique assemblage of items for men and women where sophiscated constuctions and references are interwoven.

Carolina Sobral conceives a “complete wardrobe” for the modern-day woman. It consists of classic, casual and versatile lines, using timeless colours such as beige, green and black predominate, with touches of blue and yellow standing out.

While keeping to the aesthetics of label, “SHIFT” intends to present a functional, practical collection for sophisticated, contemporary women. BLOOM closes with ARIEV which has developed a series of unique and irreverent garments playing with over volumes and a punk mood for the clothing brand Lo Siento.

Among the designers to watch on the mail Potugal Fashion Calendar is the menswear line by David Catalán who revisits the universe of football casuals. Developed upon the wardrobe of the football fans of English teams, Catalan develops silhouettes that reflect the identity of the style football casuals, but with a relaxed attitude and joyful colors.

In the same urban mood is Maria Gambina who reinforces the brand identity with  graphics and materials with innovative, sustainable and recycled finishes. Bomber jacket, Trucker, Duffle coat and Trench coat are reinterpreted and deconstructed details normally used in the interiors of the pieces are highlighted and played with false pieces in unforeseen layers.

Maria Gambina
Maria Gambina
Maria Gambina
Maria Gambina
Maria Gambina
Maria Gambina
Maria Gambina

Looking at more experimental fashion is “Overload”  Susana Bettencourt’s manifesto that hrough her own material universe – Knitwear – she shows us how all the parts come together and give rise to hard shapes, a heavy structure and completely opposing universes. The designer is focusing on sustainable production and the “Overload” presentation is a way of fighting the mass, toxic production of fast fashion.

Last but not least, a name who is now also known internationally, Alexandra Moura took inspiration from the social neighbourhoods of Lisbon city. These cultural mixtures are a result of their coming to Portugal from Africa in the 70s and their adjustment to a different culture never forgetting their roots.

The collection mixes opposites, from the ” underground” with ethnical features, to the Hip-Hop with African influences. The classic of an antique generation contrasts the new generation’s streetwear, the traditional costumes to street art, creating contemporary and “retro” silhouettes.

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Shopping tips made in Italy

Posted on by Federico Poletti

In a time of difficulty and isolation, we choose to support Italian craftsmanship, which is now also available online. With just a click, high-quality products made by skilled craftsmen and small art ateliers can showcase their creations.

ARTEMEST

https://artemest.com

For all lovers of home decor and interior design, your online shop not to be missed is Artemest (the name indicates the fusion of arts and crafts) which presents an extraordinary selection of furniture, lights, design objects and original gift ideas rigorously Made in Italy. Founded by the jewelry designer Ippolita Rostagno and the entrepreneur Marco Credendino, the selection includes talents and artisan shops that work different materials, from wood, Murano glass, precious metals, to marble and ceramics. A true celebration of artistic craftsmanship also thanks to the magazine, which tells and enhances realities through videos, photo reports, and interviews. The store was among the first to focus on the world of craftsmen and heritage companies to make them known to an international audience. As Marco Credendino himself explains, Artmest focuses above all on “handmade furniture products, not tied to well-known big brands. It is a very fragmented market, less ahead of distribution than fashion, where it is possible to give us greater added value, also through customization services. Thus a craftsman from the Marche conty manages to reach large customers of world luxury, perhaps based in Miami or Los Angeles, which would otherwise be impossible, and which would condemn him to sell only on a local market or at most on the Italian one “

BARROCO ITALIA

https://barrocoitalia.com/

An e-commerce that helps Italian craftsmen towards the internationalization and digitalization process by allowing sales directly from the producer to the consumer. An innovative project – born from an idea by Andrea Panarese, who comes from a background in Economics and Commerce in Cattolica and several experiences as Business Developer; Andrea has understood the potential of Made in Italy craftsmanship that thanks to new digital media can be preserved and promoted all over the world. The name of this particular online shop comes from the concept of Baroque (the art which shapes the city of Lecce, the hometown of Panarese), which in Portuguese translates into Barroco, a pun of words and a timeless concept that is renewed in different forms over time. The selection of the e-commerce features clothing and accessories for men with a wide choice of shoes (from classic to sneakers), bags and accessories, tailored trousers (among the best sellers together with shirts) up to a wide choice of jackets. Barroco also recently offers a selection for women with bags, jewelry, and small accessories. Among the news is the magazine that tells the stories of excellence of these small Made in Italy jewels. A journey into crafts in which the best traditions meet the new frontiers of digital with a very attentive customer care service.

MIRTA

https://www.mirta.com/

Focus mainly on high-quality leather goods which can be also played with surprising design. All this on Mirta, an online store that selects various firms completely made in Italy. A project founded by Martina Capriotti and Ciro Di Lanno who want to give voice and space to the small Italian artisans of luxury, especially in the fashion sector. The name evokes the rich symbolism of the myrtle plant which as the founders recall: “Myrtle is the plant dedicated to beauty. Think of Botticelli’s Venus: as soon as it emerged from the shell, the goddess covered herself with the myrtle, which then became the plant of beauty. So we liked to have this name that recalls the beauty that for us is a bit the essence of Made in Italy. It is also a word that also calls for energy, so much so that the Romans adorned their heads with myrtle plants when they went to war and returned victoriously and it is also said that Rome was born where there was a myrtle plant. ” A really rich selection especially of bags for her and him, among travel & business. Exclusive products are matched with dedicated contents to each craftsman to understand the history and the extraordinary technique that hides behind each creation.

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Music Stories: the alchemy of Darrn

Posted on by Federico Poletti

We chat with DARRN a new rising music band, born in Rome in 2015, who recently launched the new EP “Chimica”.

How did you meet?

We met in two different moments. The first to know each other were the two producers [Cristian and Den- nis], through a mutual friendship, at the age of 18. We both wanted to throw ourselves into creating something together, in order to escape from that teenage trap of doing covers of Green Day or Evanescence in horrible rehearsal rooms (we still went through that phase, there is no escape). At first, we did some sort of strange progressive rock.
We almost immediately took a break from that period. After a year, however, we were back together in the room looking for more electronic sounds and a more intimate dimension, to create a type of music that would satisfy us. It was 2014/2015 and the trap transition was taking place in Italy. We wanted to follow that wave a little, but in a much more personal way, creating our own sound. Dennis (the producer) was enrolled in some singing lessons at the time and made his teacher listen to the music we made. At the time we were looking for someone who could talk to our musical world. Dario (the singer) was attending the same lessons with the same teacher, who acted as an intermediary. He recommended a boy to us who he said was a strong composer who could sing our music. We met and a week later we had already finalized a song (which will never come out).

What is the origin of the name DARRN?

It has no specific meaning. Before we met, Dario published some tracks in English on YouTube with the name Darren; a nickname originating from school. When we decided to work together the difficulty was putting together three different heads to find a name. At the time we went to mix our music at Stabber (a Italian music producer ndr). He simply gave us the suggestion to continue using that name and we for copyright reasons (since there is already a Darren making music in the world) we take out the E. The same problem that The Weeknd had with his name. Then if you go to the Urban Dictionary and type Darren you can read something like: “A good looking, intelligent, straight individual who is known for partying hard and getting all the ladies” lol. So we love it and decided to keep DARRN.

Which artists are inspiring you?

James Blake, The Weeknd with his “Trilogy”, Frank Ocean with “Blond” and “Endless” and also Sampha with “Process”. And recently we are in love with Crush by Floating Points

How was your “Chemistry” EP is born?

By CHEMISTRY we mean something that can join – and is physically created by the release of serotonin and dopamine – but it can also divide, when these substances are missing. CHEMISTRY is the difficulty in finding a perfect balance between two people, from the balance between rational and irrational. The chemistry to which we refer to is the essence of our personalities, which continually collide and can create new matter, or choose whether to wander alone in search of an alternative solution. The EP is going well. The fact is that before numbers, we would like to see what the audience’s response is when we do live concerts – that is the most important moment for us. So as soon as we start playing around we will let you know.

Your plans for the future and dreams in the drawer

For now we are working on new music and we are creating a live show that makes the most of the intimate dimension of the tracks of CHIMICA. A dream is certainly to be able to write an album around the world: go to the studio in Tokyo or Berlin, record something in Bangkok and mix everything at Jeff Ellis’ in Los Angeles. In fact, it’s still a dream…

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Alef: craftmanship without compromise

Posted on by Federico Poletti

Talking with Alessia Ariemma and Tiziano Colasante

ALEF Bags are Made In Italy, which means excellence in materials, centuries long best craftsmanships and never compromising on quality. The brand is the result of the partnership between two different depths and solid entrepreneurial activities and to the meeting of Tiziano Colasante and Alessia Auriemma. We talked about it with Alessia Ariemma and Tiziano Colasante, who joined forces to launch Alef.

How did you start the project?

ALEF is a brand born thanks to the meeting between Alessia Ariemma and Tiziano Colasante. Alessia is a marketing expert and trend specialist in the fashion and beauty sector working as a consultant for several Italian and multinational companies. Tiziano has been an entrepreneur in the leather industry for over thirty years with experience in the development and production of bags for major brands, including Balenciaga, Versace, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Bottega Veneta just to name a few. Our meeting took place about 6 years ago thanks to a project developed for a common client. From our creative and professional affinity, we developed the idea of creating a brand completing each other’s skills. The brand was born 4 years ago and it’s expanding. Initially, the line included only women’s styles which has been enriched by a new dedicated collection for men soon after the launch.

How do you develop the men’s and women’s collections?

Each collection is born primarily from market and extensive trends research. The search for shapes and volumes stands for that each individual item is designed for a specific target, which is very transversal. Our woman customer is a woman who still feels a little princess like and loves to play with accessories and colours. A lover of beauty and quality, who wants to give a twist to her look in a personal way. The Alef man could be called an urban classic. He loves the contamination of styles, perhaps wearing nonchalantly a typical large mountain backpack or a duffle bag in the city even if he is not traveling. The research that is carried out ranges from the type of materials, to the colours and details, such as the weaving that has been characterizing both collections lately. The creative part of designing the models and setting up the details for each model is usually done by four hands with Tiziano, who then directs the entire prototyping and production phase with his company Propel srl, which operates in the sector for 30 years and boasts excellence in Italian leather goods manufacturing.

How do you combine the tradition and value of Made in Italy with innovation?

ALEF is a brand that is totally produced in Italy using mainly materials of Italian origin. The manufacture is carried out entirely within the company which has a thirty-year artisan tradition. The brand, together with its creators and Propel srl, promotes the ‘Made in Italy’ with its product by defending its quality and creativity features in the world. At the same time, the company, working primarily for established brands has gradually adapted to the demands of the big players and the needs for speeding up the processes, guaranteeing excellent quality by equipping itself with the latest generation machinery, such as laser cutting machines, for computerized embroidery and prototype development with CAD. Each activity is supervised by its department representatives who guarantee its quality, allowing to combine absolutely manual and artisan activities with activities carried out thanks to new technologies, but without losing the taste for the “handmade”. The logo of the ALEF brand refers precisely to this. In fact, the elements that intersect in the graphic part of the logo are Alfa (tradition), Omega (innovation) and Tao (the constant change to achieve excellence while maintaining the values of tradition).

How is the brand evolving in the near future?

ALEF has currently seen development especially abroad, thanks to its presence in international shops and a corner shop in New York City (Wooster Street). Our communication activity has been influenced by the digital media, so we started developing many collaborations with influencers at an international level. Last year we also created a capsule collection for Chiara Ferragni’s The Blond Salad, which also gave us a lot of visibility. Our goal is to further expand our international network, but also to develop our presence in our country. That’s why for 2020 we will open a flagship store in the heart of Milan’s luxury street Via della Spiga. This is a great step for us that confirms our commitment to implement our local presence, but also with the aim of placing ALEF on the market as a new brand of excellence in Italian leather goods.

Alef is the beginning, symbol of Energy, force, continuity, stability. It is also the center from which the thought form radiates.

Every product is designed, developed and manufactured exclusively in Italy and transmits taste for the new and love for the tradition of craftsmanship combined with the most advanced techniques of leather processing and the use of innovative fabrics and materials.

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Sustainable Fashion: Hand Picked

Posted on by Federico Poletti

A collection inspired by nature and its colours, focusing on extreme high quality materials, sustainability and ‘Made in Italy’ production

How was the Hand Picked project born?

As a private label of Giada SpA, Hand Picked was born in SS19, presenting itself to the public with a capsule of 15 pieces and based on a green philosophy. Hand Picked was born from Giada’s desire to optimize all the know-how acquired in over 30 years of activity that had made it a world leader in the luxury denim sector.

How is the brand evolving after the first few seasons?

After the launch at Pitti Uomo in June 2018, Hand Picked is now positioned in over 250 stores world- wide with a collection that in the AW20 / 21 season is made up of 117 items including trousers and various different tops.

What are the details that make the collection special?

The items in the collection are the result of a lot of research regarding the mainly eco-sustainable materials and the style. The production chain of each pair of trousers, characterized by tailored manufacturing, requires about 80 steps to reach completion with a processing time 3/4 times longer than any other 5 pockets. Giada, in fact, has always been attentive to detail, epitomised by the pocket bag adorned with the logoed border – a distinctive mark of the brand, and embroidered with a comb point, hand-hammered copper buttons and rivets, a grograin sewn inside the button panel, and the label made of appleskin.

Which are the iconic items of the capsule?

Giada is famous all over the world for its 5 pockets so the garment that best represents us is the Ravello style together with the Orvieto, however other items exhibiting a comfort concept have been a success.

How important is sustainability for the brand?

Hand Picked is based on the eco-friendly concept because we believe in the importance of fashion brands contributing to the protection of the environment. In addition to the eco-friendly materials, the different stages of processing are characterized by sustainability. In addition to recycling 60/70% of our water, we reuse waste materials such as pumice stone (used in gardening) and fabrics recycled from the automotive industry.

Denim represents the core business of Giada SpA, how has the market changed in recent years?

Today, the denim fabric, which was firstly used for work uniform and therefore worn by workers, has become a must have to be worn at any time of the day and in any situation because of its versatility and ability to transform from sportswear into elegant garment.

The challenges and plans for the future?

Giada counts on a workforce made up of about employees, both direct and indirect. Amongst our specialized and passionate team, we aim for increasingly ambitious goals and a further reach towards new markets where the demand for tailored garments is becoming increasingly popular.

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Interview to Antonino Laspina, Italian Trade Commissioner

Posted on by Federico Poletti

Italy is back in fashion in the USA. The new overseas market trends, which highlight bigger attention to quality and sustainability, have opened the games also for small and medium companies of Made in Italy. We met Antonino Laspina, executive director of the Italian Trade Agency in the American market. During his career, Laspina worked with universities, also in China, training centers, Italian and international magazines about topics linked to international trade and economy. He became a member of Young Leaders’ Group (council Italy-USA) in 1988 until the current assignment as an executive director of ITA started the last November.  

How American markets are changing in relation to Made in Italy? 

The American market, like other important markets in the world, changes a lot depending on the demographic composition and new subjects who intervene in the expense destined to the purchase of goods, in this case, quality goods, Made in Italy. In front of us, there is a scenario with a strong presence of subjects we can define as Millennials, who relate with Made in Italy trying to appreciate some emerging aspects but we also have some clients who are very consolidated and attached to this type of products. At the same time, there are also new trends related to the possibility that consumers belonging to quite high ranks can be interested in Made in Italy, even more than past years also for the effect of the growth of his perception on the American market.  

What is the perception of the Italian product in the USA?

The perception of the Italian product in the USA remains quite positive. I’d say that in some fields the Italian product doesn’t have rivals because it constitutes a product in a class of its own. However, we have to remember that some trends can approach products to other countries at the same level of standard of perception of Made in Italy product. For us, it’s very important to try to keep this leadership through a very strong promotional activity that on the one hand has to try to consolidate consumers in the areas we are already strong, like the coasts, above all New York, New Jersey, and California but on the other hand, we have to do promotion activities in the areas which already enjoy economic growth, like Texas.

Which are the assets at which Italian companies should aim?

To make their way and strengthen their position, Italian companies have to aim at assets and values which in the last 20 years allowed them to create the positions of leadership they got. There is the need to be known as companies that incorporate values like quality, exclusivity and the utilization of raw materials. Both regarding products related to the fashion system and the design system. Our companies need to insist on the fact that Italy is unique compared to its competitors because in our area the creative phase, the creative industry, and the manufacturing field coexist. Somehow, we constitute a unicum and we have to aim at it because in this mechanism it is possible to create a requalification of the Italian product in terms of high quality with components of craftmanship that are unique in our system. Every element starts being always more important for some bands of American consumers. Even more than in past years.  

How your plan and strategy of the relaunch of Made in Italy is articulated?

According to the results of past years, a plan and a strategy of the relaunch of Made in Italy have been invented. They aim at an increased value of resources destined for promotional activities. This strategy aims on the one hand on retaining and stabilizing the consumer we have in some areas but on the other hand on conquering other consumers above all in the areas where the economic dynamics have allowed having, like in some capitals, pro capita incomes which are superior to 60,000/70,000 dollars and show a delay compared to the perception of the Italian product. We have to work hard to bring the product to the territory. Clearly, an important tool is the activity of collaboration with the large retailers, both international distribution and the inter-state one. So we will invest a lot in invitations on the distribution networks, we will develop a bigger presence on the most important Italian trade fairs and we will also use promotional tools which are proper and autonomous activities realized by ICE collaborating with other partners. Moreover, it is very important to start an action plan which includes a bigger area to make us more popular. 

There is also a space regarding digital activities. In fact, we have improved an agreement with Amazon and we are studying other ways of collaborations. The main idea is that this market, like other markets in Europe and Asia, needs utilization of both online and offline channels. Obviously, a big effort to recover the interest of an increasing number of Italian companies for this market will be done. However, we noticed that on the Italian side there is the need to upgrade about the American market and for this reason, we have to send to Italian companies a message which allow them to understand that the American market has strict rules regarding the regulations on the composition of products and materials but also regarding the custom aspects. However, this difficulty doesn’t mean impossibility and so we can think about opening new perspectives for the Italian companies. Quality starts making its way on the market and for this reason for this type of company could be a chance to recover positions at a global level.

Which are the Italian companies which have been supported? The first feedbacks? 

The first feedbacks were quite positives. In fact, the time we had available for this new strategy was quite short but generally, we create strategies on undeniable successes. For example, we have a very consolidate presence on the fashion system and a qualified presence of quality producers. The aim is to create new trends, new creative and manufacturing subjects on the market because we have to take the opportunity that this market shows a big sensibility towards new themes, such as sustainability, green and the respect for nature: all issues which our companies have already experienced. Moreover, these themes have already reported important positive results in other markets. We feel that the most important aspect is to be known as carriers of these new values which are making their way on the American market. For our companies, during the last years, treatments that respected the environment regarding the leathers, the fibers, above all the natural ones or some treatments of products that are necessary to create the manufacturing process in the textile and clothing field were a bet. Today, probably, we also show in terms of research and development a more sophisticated and also more in line production with these expectations. We are very hopeful about the fact that this type of positive answer will be able to improve during the next years.

A first evaluation after the collaboration with Project?

Already with this event, we can say that we were able to interpret these trends I have mentioned before. Our companies involved in this Project were already an interesting number. For the future side, we think that we will aim to the communication aspects of our creative and manufacturing system. We have to be able to communicate these values that sometimes are peculiar o exclusive of our Italian system. In order to do it, we need to use different platforms. The main idea is to use consolidate platforms regarding the expositive system, but we don’t have to exclude the fact that we can also add other presences of new conception with the Italian companies and the structures which represent the interest of companies. 

There is much talk about sustainability, how is it transposed by the American market? 

Sustainability is a fact that accompanies an increasing sensibility not only on the American market but also on the other markets in relation to the issues of the treatment of products in the manufacturing phase, but also phases regarding the treatment of raw materials and also how to grow the plants from which come vegetal fibers or how to treat plants which come from the animal world. Sustainability is the keyword because on the American market this sensibility to nature and to processes that are not too intrusive or disruptive is making its way at the same level of what is happening in the most sophisticated markets. Here the answer to the Italian system, in my opinion, is live up to expectations because, as I have already highlighted, in our system of treatment of leather a series of processes that limit the use of toxic substances have been introduced. We applied recovery technologies and for this reason, we are producers of raw materials and semi-finished products which can be a guarantee in terms of sustainability. We also have companies that treat natural fibers like cotton, but we have already controlled the farming phase. Moreover, we have companies that already during the selection of the natural fibers, like for example the wool coming from different animals, have a great attention and care for the selective processes and then they transfer these fibers in the manufacturing processes, where coloring substances or any other substance has to be compatible with the system of nature.  We are obliged to do it because our companies are placed in a countryside context and the Italian system live and coexist with masterpieces of art and architecture. We have a campaign which essentially has great protection because from there other sources of income such as agriculture and tourism come. It’s a system that even before sustainability was important in the American market, had to make this choice for a natural cause, for its own internal forces, because the intervention of nature above all in Italy has to be very light because it has to safeguard also the other fields of the Italian economy. So, we are certainly a productive system able to satisfy these aspects of sustainability, green and these legitimate expectations in consumers. If the system of Made in Italy is improving more and more also in contexts not always positive from the economic point of view, it is because it was able to interpret and give appropriate responses to these expectations.

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Andreas Geisen, between social and dance

Posted on by Federico Poletti

The young man and dancer Andrea Geisen represents a perfect balance between urban masculinity and discreet charm. He’s natural, authentic, takes care of himself and cultivates elegance without any effort. First of all, he’s a sportsman and in fact he discovered his passion for dance when he was little, and he brought it forward with hard work and sacrifice. However, today, there’s not only dance in his life, but he also works in the world of fashion and as lifestyle influencer on social media, a job which is very exciting for him. 

How and when did you discover your passion for dancing? 

When I began to dance I was really young, I was only 9. The idea was of my mother and I suddenly liked it because I was the only boy surrounded by girls. When I turned 11, I got hurt and I wasn’t able to dance anymore. For 2 months I felt like I was missing something. And it was in that moment that I understood that ballet was my passion and it would have guided my life. 

Tell me something about your studies and your personal background

I attended the Opera Ballet School in Paris and the Conservatoire Supérior in Paris. Later, I went to the National Ballet in Poland for a season and then to Germany. I spent four years of my life splitting myself between Paris and The Opera in Bordeaux.

Are there some people who inspired you both from the professional and personal point of view? 

There are a lot of people who inspired me. For example, Neil Patrick Harris, Hugh Jackman, Rudolf Noureev and Baryshnikov. Also films and stories of real life and people who changed the world unexpectedly have inspired me. 

What are your latest and significant operas as a dancer? 

Definitely Notre Dame de Paris of Roland Petit, first because it is a masterpiece of the 20th century and then for what happened in Paris last year. Seizing this opportunity was really important to me. It is a brilliant tribute to Notre Dame. 

Tell me about your modelling career and about your last experience

Being a model is a bit difficult because my body doesn’t correspond to the rules of fashion. Boys have to be very tall to do it. 
My last important job was dancing at the opening of Dior S/S show in Shanghai during the fashion week and it was just fantastic to me. However, I suppose that all the campaigns I’ll be working on as a model will be linked to ballet. 

You are also a content creator who talks about travels and lifestyle, when and why did you start this initiative?

I started this initiative 3 years ago, at the end of 2016, and I find it very interesting. It’s a new way to be connected with a brand without the intermediation of an agency. What I like the most is that I can do my campaign with my rules. I love that freedom and I love letting my creativity work itself. 

What does your typical day look like?

I usually get up at 9, I wake up my body (workout and abs), ballet from 11.30 to 13.30, stretching until 14.30 and then lunch. Later, rehearsals, Physio, or meetings with agencies or brands.

What are your favourite places in Paris? 

I love the 2nd district, there’s always something to discover and the street there is beautiful. Above all, around Montorgueil, is like a small village. 

What are the places you like the most to recharge/rehabilitate yourself? 

I don’t have a favourite place because every week I discover new cafés and new hotels. I suppose they are where I feel best: at home and in the ballet studios. 

When you travel, which are the essential elements for you?

When I travel, the essential elements for me are my phone, my headphones, a bottle of lemon water, comfortable clothes, the products for my skincare and a swimsuit. 

The last book you read or the music you love

The last book I read was Notre Dame de Paris of Victor Hugo. 

In these days I’m listening to a French artist, Angel and to the playlist Jazz Romance on Spotify. Moreover, I’m listening to the Lion King because I’ll be auditioning for the Broadway show. 

Your next projects and secret wishes

I have this enormous audition for the Lion King show in Broadway in February in addition to the other auditions for the ballet companies. I also would like to try a bit of acting. Let’s see what 2020 has to offer! 

Photo credits:

Anthony Pomes @apomesphoto
Marion Colombani @studiomarioncolombani
Elle Urakova @by_elleurakova

Andreas Geisen @andrew.gsn

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Antony Morato told by Lello Caldarelli

Posted on by Federico Poletti

Let’s discover whit the Creative Director Raffaele Caldarelli, a total look brand that is growing internationally.

Tell us about your professional background before Antony Morato

I started working on women managing a structure that produced collections for other companies, this helped me a lot in understanding the needs of contemporary fashion and the innovations in terms of materials, combinations of fabrics and details of the finished product. When I founded Antony Morato in 2007, I felt the need to create an individual project: I transferred the knowledge acquired from the experience with the female market adapting it to the needs of contemporary male fashion by developing my personal vision of fashion.

How did you launch the brand and which philosophy best describes it?

Given my previous experiences, it would have been natural and logical to start with women’s clothing, but when I launched the brand, I realized by conducting a market analysis, that in men’s fashion what was missing was a concept that had been already rooted in women’s: the smart luxury. A ‘democratic fashion’ with a product rich in fashion contents, typical of the world of luxury. This is why I decided to take the opportunity that the market offered at the time by proposing a brand that could bring the most demanding male consumers closer to fashion. Which are the most iconic and recognizable garments of your brand More than a single garment, I would speak of an approach to the total look I like to propose in each collection and that well defines the brand’s identity and aesthetics. I refer to the concept of “Soft Tailoring” which consists in combining a pair of tailored trousers with a t-shirt or a pair of sneakers. In this context, the casual garment is the ingredient that “softens” the formality of a classic look, giving a contemporary touch to the final proposal.

What is the added value of being an Italian brand?

DNA and Italian heritage, seen as consolidated traditions and cultural roots in the fashion industry, influence each Antony Morato collection in terms of respect for an elegant and unique style and a specific taste on the wearability and workmanship of the garments. Naples, in particular, is also one of the most cosmopolitan cities and our international DNA, open to new trends, originates precisely from this cultural and social melting-pot.

How is the brand evolving internationally?

After 12 years of gradual growth we now want to strengthen the markets in which we are already present – such as Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, France, China and India – in order to increase and consolidate brand awareness and sales potential. A further goal for the next few years is to guarantee complete sustainability at any company level: we have already started with an ecological approach to industry 4.0 by creating a new logistics hub in Piacenza that is completely eco-sustainable and represents an avant-garde in the sector as it has a low environmental impact guaranteed by the production of energy through magnetism. A small preview on the next collection The fall winter 2020/2021 collection reinvents the metropolitan look thanks to a mix of innovation and reinterpretation of the brand’s DNA. Spacing between four fashion themes, each with a precise inspiration – from punk / grunge to sartorial sport in a college key – the collection does not renounce the brand’s heritage, with the Timeless line, which offers contemporary elegance, made of minimal and references to the retro world.

What can you tell us for 2020?

Our main goal is to shorten the distance between brand and consumer more and more. Precisely for this reason we thought of giving life to a new way of presenting our collections that is innovative and that represents a moment of encounter between stakeholders and the final consumer. On January 7, 2020 we will host an evening dedicated to the combination of tradition and modernity. At the Auditorium Santo Stefano al Ponte, we will unveil the new autumn collection in an unusual way: a videomapping representation in which the contemporary and underground mood, typical of the brand’s heritage, will be reinterpreted thanks to details and inspirations that refer to the tailoring tradition of the past. A new project that we hope will have continuity for the coming seasons.

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