The Social Fashion of Martine Rose – Guest Designer at the 103rd Edition of Pitti Immagine Uomo – and the Catwalk Debut of Designer Project Jan-Jan Van Essche

Pitti Immagine Uomo reaches its 103rd edition and chooses two designers with independent and tendentially opposite personalities to give life to two catwalks that act as a trait d’union between the fair’s brand mix, linked to the tradition of craftsmanship, and that work of research and aesthetic and conceptual experimentation that aims at the evolution of contemporary menswear. Two fashion archetypes that use different paths and languages, with the same ambition, that of reincarnating themselves in a new evolved concept of style, which reaches possible forms and solutions among the pavilions of the historic Fortezza da Basso.

Jan-Jan Van Essche fashion
Jan-Jan Van Essche (ph. by Wannes Cré/courtesy of Pitti Immagine)

Martine Rose, the Anglo-Jamaican designer – who has gained the approval of the public and industry stakeholders thanks to her underground style inspired by her own cultural heritage – will present a preview of her label’s Fall-Winter 2023/2024 collection with a special event in Florence, in the Loggia del Porcellino.

Martine Rose’s version: a lucid look at the urban multicultural context

We can say that her lucky star was Demna Gvasalia, when, newly at the creative direction of Balenciaga, he chose her in 2015 to work with him on the brand’s first menswear collection, which was SS 2017. Her, who exhibited the logos in the foreground as an exaggerated symbol of a consumerist society devoid of originality. Her, who, on the other hand, gives voice to the personality of the people who populate the streets and defines the direction of her unique and recognizable style, first distorting and then reconstructing through shapes, volumes and mixes of materials rooted in diametrically opposed cultural strata, paving the way for an unprecedented and revolutionary aesthetic.

This is her essence and at the same time her strength, which has allowed her to build the success of her brand and gain the trust of brands and designers who have relied on her for her always authentic, coherent and original vision. From Nike to Napapijri – a collaboration that began the same year as her brand’s famous fashion show in the Tottenham market – to the recent one with Tommy Hilfiger, just to name a few. The subcultural context underlies the communicative urgency of the designer who, through her collections, induces the public to reflect on contents of a social and cultural nature, offering her interpretation of fashion that increasingly represents an important contribution to the evolution of costume and takes on, every season, the features of an anthropological essay.

Martine Rose SS 2023
Martine Rose S/S 2023 (ph. courtesy of Pitti Immagine)

First fashion show for Jan-Jan Van Essche

Another special guest at Pitti Immagine Uomo – he will be walking the catwalk in the Santa Maria Novella complex – is the Antwerp-born designer, a 2003 graduate of the Belgian city’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, an advocate of a no-gender, hyper-comfortable style that brings his idea of fashion to a state of extreme freedom, both intellectual and purely aesthetic. From the search for materials to the use of artisanal techniques stolen from the ancient tradition, his vision, like a mission, leads him to cultivate an attention to his garments that lies at a meeting point between value and purity.
His COLLECTION#1 of 2010, “Yukkuri” (in Japanese “take it easy” or “step by step”), is the prelude to a poetics, his own, that still leaves shapes free to be interpreted, entrusting the individual’s body and personality with the luxury and freedom to shape the garment, charging it with an even deeper meaning, never predefined.

Jan-Jan Van Essche collection
Jan-Jan Van Essche F/W 2022-23 (ph. courtesy of Pitti Immagine)

“Jan-Jan Van Essche is a secluded and yet emblematic figure of contemporary men’s fashion, so much so that he would probably be the first to consider any statement on gender distinction superfluous, either to reiterate it or to decree its overcoming”, says Lapo Cianchi, Pitti Immagine‘s Director of Communications & Special Events. “The interest is rather in generating a different version of the same model of elegance and naturalness each time, and in transmitting an idea of freedom”.

Opening image: Jan-Jan Van Essche photographed by Wannes Cré (ph. courtesy of Pitti Immagine)

The deep fashion hiking – Editorial

An unspoiled nature, defined by peaks, trees and water mirrors, is the perfect frame for the next Fall/Winter hot pieces, including anoraks, utility jackets, waterproof parkas, balaclavas and wide-brimmed hats, by Alanui, Mykita, KNT, Woolrich and C.P. Company, among others.

mountain fashion style
Anorak Canada Goose

mountain fashion mens
Coat, shirt and hat Woolrich, long boots Camper Lab, sunglasses Bally

Alanui men
Fringed coat, cardigan and pants Alanui, boots RBRSL, balaclava and hat Ferruccio Vecchi

men's fashion parka jackets
Jacket and pants KNT

Mountain shoot fashion
Jacket Noskra, sunglasses Tom Ford

Credits

Photographer Federico Ghiani

Fashion editor Rosamaria Coniglio

Grooming Antonio Navoni

Model Marcelo Lima @Independentmgmt

Opening image: anorak Canada Goose

Freddy Carter – the mysterious Kaz Brekker in Shadow and Bone

Photographer: Joseph Sinclair

Stylist: Ella Gaskell

Groomer: Nadia Altinbas

If you are charmed by the fantasy genre, where a long series of events intertwines with the adventures of protagonists with a complex personality in unreal places, you cannot miss “Shadow and Bone“, a TV series adapted from the first novel of the fantasy duology Six of Crows, set in the world of Grisha, written by the American authoress Leigh Bardugo.  The novel is narrated in the first person by the protagonist, Alina Starkov, a teen orphan who grew up in Ravka, a fantasy world inspired by Tsarist Russia in the 1800s, with breathtaking costumes and special effects. 



On the occasion of its release on Netflix, Mondadori republished the novel with a new graphic and the title “Shadow and Bone” on 3rd November 2020. 

Freddy Carter, a film director, is also an extraordinary actor who plays the role of Kaz Brekker, a mysterious criminal, in Shadow and Bone. As you can perceive from his work as a director, with his short film “No. 89“, even in the guise of an actor, he can combine a subtle and sharp irony with tragic situations, with an unexpected rhythm that makes you feel dizzy. He stages stories and relationships among characters in the most innovative way possible. 



Mr. Brekker is a cold and detached individual with a mysterious charm who hides a past that turns out to be eye-opening and will reveal his temperament. His eyes unveil an unsolved pain mixed with a thirst for revenge. He is a clever criminal prodigy who does not trust even his closest friends. The eight episodes reserve many surprises about the characters and their evolution. 

Freddy was born in 1993, he spent his formative years at the Oxford School of Drama. His first theater experiences were followed by the first performance on the big screen in the movie Wonder Woman, where he played the role of a soldier. However, he got the fame he deserved when he played the character of Peter, called Pin, in Free Rein. 

We know you wrote and produced the short film “No. 89” with Caroline Ford and your brother Tom Austen. Would you talk about it? 

“I think that “No. 89” is one of the works that I am most proud of. Seeing a project developing from the initial idea, through the production, to its conclusion has been very fulfilling. It has been a pleasure working with Caroline and Tom: they are both talented actors who made my job much easier. I have been affected by the “movie direction virus” because now I am working on my second short film “Broken Gargoyles” which will be shot in the next few weeks.”



In which series have you felt most at ease? Besides interpreting the cold Mr. Brekker, we have also seen you play the role of Pin Hawthorne in Free Rein. 

“I have been so lucky to work on a wide range of TV programs with different tones, themes, and targets. I enjoyed working on Free Rein. It is rare to play the same character for three years – eventually, I felt like I knew who Pin really was. But I admit that Kaz Brekker has been my favorite role so far. He is so complex and there is always something more under the surface: it is a real challenge.” 

By the way, do you like riding a horse? Which are your hobbies off the set? 

“I love riding a horse, I miss it so much and hope to go back to it soon. Besides acting, my greatest passion is photography. I started taking pictures of my colleagues on the set of Free Rein. It was born as a distraction to kill time and then I fell in love with it. It is a way to remember all the emotional adventures that I am lucky to experience.”


Shadow and Bone is a hymn to friendship and the importance of an alley to achieve goals. Which role does the presence of a partner play in your life? Do you want to tell us about a specific experience? 

“This is so true. The topic of the family is very important in the books and it is also evident in the TV show. I think I had a similar experience with the cast of “Shadow and Bone” in Budapest. We all arrived in that new city alone, nobody knew each other, but we soon got closer and created a small family.”

Do you have any projects? Either as a director or as an actor. 

“I am very excited to start filming a new miniseries called “Masters of the Air” for Apple TV. I will work with the same team of “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific”, this is a dream coming true for me because I loved that series. As a director, we are getting ready to shoot “Broken Gargoyles” in London within a few weeks!”

What does it mean today to be a film director? Does he/she have a responsibility in the choice of the topics? 

“I think it is fundamental to put some elements of hope in the stories we tell. The pandemic and the various lockdowns have shown how necessary entertainment and the arts are for people’s well-being. So, as long as artists do not lose hope, everything will be fine.”

Curated by Francesca Romana Riggio

Henry Lloyd-Huges, a British genius for a new Sherlock Holmes

Interview: Rosamaria Coniglio

Photographer  Joseph Sinclair

Stylist         Manny Lago

Grooming    Shamirah Sairally

British charm and savoir-faire, highly talented not only in front of the camera but also on the cricket pitch, where he has been spending most of his free time for over 10 years. He has played so many different roles that we do not know exactly which character suits him most. And probably, he has not decided yet, too. When talking about his talent, he prefers not to focus too much on himself. Is this elegant modesty that makes him so special? 



Our country has already appreciated his role of Alfred Lyttelton in the Netflix series “The English game”, set in the time when football was at its beginnings. Between power games and low blows, the first professional football players start succeeding, but not without controversy, arose more by class interests than moral issues. We suggest not missing out on the chance to see him in the shoes of a wealthy businessman who places his self-interests above an apparent strong friendship and a morality that is useful for the conservation of power and social status. However, the real news is his role of Sherlock Holmes in the new Netflix series “The Irregulars”, where you will discover an irreverent and brilliant version, described by Tom Bidwell, very different from what you have watched so far about the most famous detective in the world.

A dystopic version of London, where certainties and values are replaced by horrible crimes and supernatural events, hits a nerve of a society like ours, completely distorted by the pandemic, which has affected every field and has forced us to live a new reality. 



Troubled teenagers are protagonists and victims at the same time, they are manipulated to solve the crimes for Dr. Watson and his mysterious business partner. You have to wait for some episodes to find out what has happened to Sherlock Holmes in the last few years. And this is where the greatness of this character is hidden. He reveals what we have never known about him: his before and after. 

We discover the young, brilliant and ambitious Sherlock, led by the energic impulse of youth and high self-esteem that will be his fortune but also his greatest weakness. What about his maturity? What about the man, emptied by his ego and consumed by guilt, who saw his strengths falling apart? You will find out. And you will also discover all the aspects of a new Sherlock that Henry Lloyd-Hughes will convey through his extraordinary performance. 



An unexpected psychological perspective is revealed in small doses. Traces of personal elements linked to his character make an act immortal or a romantic gesture extreme through suspense. 

We asked him how difficult it is to show two different sides of such a complex personality: the methodical, witty, and self-confident side and the other one, destroyed by pain and deprived of any motivations. His answer left out his performance, he praised, instead, the great merits of the costume designer and the makeup artist. He is a real gentleman. “We really wanted to push both versions as far as possible and tell the story of someone absent for 15 years. Through the body and the look, with the Oscar-winner Lucy Sibbick and Edward K. Gibbon’s costumes, it has been an emotional experiment to see how far we could push ourselves, making sure that the character would seem the original one”. 

I think his charm lies in the depth with which he can connect with his characters. He confirmed that the aspect of Sherlock that most attracted him was “His vulnerability and his perforated and broken ego.”

The exchange between Henry and his characters is intimate and deep. His great introspective ability can give us a unique version of the detective; from what he tells us, every character goes into his universe in a special way. “It always depends on where the character meets you in your life. You meet a certain character at a certain age and you bring everything you have experienced with that role in your life. At the moment, I’m thinking with affection about my time spent with the character of Sherlock, and something very personal arises. But I’m sure that when I play another character, I will love him in the same way or even more.” 



Do you want to tell us about some funny moments during the shooting? 

“Yes! We burnt some of the original costumes to create the oldest Sherlock’s clothes. During the shooting, the burnt wool stunk so much that all the other actors started complaining. Moreover, every time I put my hands in the pocket, clouds of soot rose, and I left prints of dirty hands everywhere!”

In the “English Game,” you play the role of one of the best football players of that time. But we know that you have a great passion for cricket and a brand with a two-generation story inspired by this sport: N.E. Blake & Co.

“Sure. It is a great honor for me to continue the family tradition. “Paddy” Padwick was my great-grandfather and an extremely gifted athlete. He turned his passion into a business with “N.E. Blake & Co.” I relaunched it, trying to bring back a classic sporty look focused mainly on cricket. Sometimes it is hard to run a business as well as acting, but honestly, I’m so keen on the classic sporty style that I can’t help it.”

How important were sports in your life?

“Very much. I have been playing in a cricket club for 10 years, the Bloody Lads Cricket Club. Because of Corona Virus, unfortunately, the season was shortened last year. We look forward to getting black to play regularly.” 

 Considering that we don’t want to miss them, what are your future plans on the big screen?

We are all waiting to know the future of The Irregulars, so this might be my next adventure!”

Have you ever wanted to play a particular role? Someone who reflects your personality or someone so different from you that you feel attracted by him? 

“I would like to do a musical or something very eccentric like the movies of Wes Anderson. I have loved Grand Budapest Hotel so much that I feel perfectly fit in his surreal world, followed by James Bond, of course. 



Curated by Francesca Romana Riggio

Francesco Vullo – archetype and contraposition

Photographer: Federico Ghiani @ghianinson

We met with Francesco Vullo, a young artist with extraordinary critical sensitivity and original analytical skills on the aspects and contradictions of a society dominated by the power of social media, by an immense aesthetic cult, and dualism between fragility and strength, without falling into clichè. 

He comes from Palermo, emblematic of diverse and profound culture, deep-rooted in those who breathed those centuries of history but well integrated with the contemporary language of a generation that has established new communication codes, like the Millenials. 

Inside his office, a post-atomic shelter in the heart of Milan, he tells us the elements at the basis of his research, which is currently focusing on sculpture and installation. Ordinary objects, stolen from their original context, take on a symbolic value, conveying multiple meanings according to a new collocation or to the viewer to recall different feelings and emotional states. 



His extraordinary technical ability is instrumental in showing dynamics such as the emotional sphere of the human being and his/her relationship with the surrounding natural environment. This is a direct consequence of the relationship with his homeland, Sicily, which becomes food for thought, highlighting a visceral bond as strong as complex.

The series Environmental Alteration belongs to this current. Here the artist can give a sensation of natural softness to rocks, apparently in disharmony with the true nature of the object, representing them as they were bearings squeezed by cable ties on a steel beam. They are the cuticchi, the typical rocks blunted by the sea, which he collects from the Sicilian coasts. Their natural shape, obtained through sea erosion over the decades, is in net contrast with the rapidity with which human intervention can modify the environment disruptively and irreversibly. 


After The Night rotates around the figure of artisans, which is in deep crisis nowadays, and the value of passed-down traditions. These are realities that we are not used to anymore, owing to the emergence of large distribution and mass production. A broken circular saw, found by chance in a locksmith’s workshop, is restored with the traditional Japanese technique of Kintsugi, symbolically associated with rebirth. The cracks on the sawblade are repaired and embellished with Urushi lacquer and 24-carat gold through a long and meticulous process. Behind the saw blade, the two names of the previous owners are engraved, a detail that tells us the story and the object’s journey over the years. It is a metaphor for the passage between generations, a heritage of knowledge and traditions. 



Ourself is a travertine marble column, a symbol of balance, stability, and security, and it is in contrast with the tape for packing with the inscription FRAGILE. The reels of duct-tape commonly used to identify fragile objects become essential elements to balance the structure and support the marble weight. In this way, two elements coexisting in human nature, strength and fragility, become part of the same object. These two factors become integrated and complement each other. 



Overthinking is a trap used for the hunting of wild animals. It symbolizes a shared psychological state in this time of identity crisis. It has the shape of a speech bubble as a reference to overthinking. The alteration of an existing model gives a new identity to the object while still maintaining its primary meaning with its sharp tips. It is the perfect representation of a mental state: a constant and continuous stream of thoughts that traps the mind and puts it in a state of confusion. 



According to Francesco Vullo, each material has its reason for being, like the details never left to chance. Each element has something to tell, while the aesthetic shape contributes to defining its content and adds value: beauty. 

In his Hourglass, which represents the ineluctability of time, the lower bell is trapped in a concrete block. The sand going down represents the past, transferred into a defined physical space. A time that you cannot change, in contrast with that object that you can actually flip and reset. You cannot change your past; you have to accept it. 


“ETHICS MEET AESTHETICS” Gilberto Calzolari’s high-end sustainability meets Volvo’s full electric.

Gilberto Calzolari is a conscious visionary. We already loved him on the occasion of his deserved recognition at the Green Carpet Fashion Award 2018, when the model and influencer Federica Del Sale wore one of his dresses made of jute from Brazil, which had been found on the Navigli in Milan. After having carried kilos of coffee and being used as a barrier to prevent the flood of the canals, that jute became a recycled material covered with Swarovski crystals without lead, and it was given a new life. Since this achievement, the career of this designer, who made the rehabilitation of materials and the preservation of the planet into a real mission, has spread like wildfire. 

It was an idea and an effort that allowed him to the top of an eco-friendly production system, something that few people have been able to do. In his work, the style does not lose out; rather, it echoes surprising results in research. His sustainable denim and the EVO nylon (taken from castor oil seeds) are allies of an aesthetic revolution, made of embroideries and precious couture details, obtained from recycled bottles or plastic collected from the sea. 


Looking ahead, a few days ago, he also created a show for Volvo, presented at an event featuring upcycling elements from the world of automotive. 

At Volvo Studio Milano, the venue for the launch of the new Volvo C40 Recharge, a full electric, the combination of fashion and motors is consolidated on a universe of shared values, aimed at creating a sophisticated and sustainable design. The futuristic look of the collection reflects the use of technologically advanced materials and elements such as airbags destined to be thrown away to create the tunic dress and the pencil skirt. Real safety belts turned into cutting-edge accessories for the waist, the embroidered polyester Seaqual top obtained from the recycling of plastic collected from the sea, the asymmetric dress with geometrical patterns made of polyester Newlife™ 100% made in Italy, the ivory skirt with plissè panels made of cupro Bemberg™ certified GRS and the jacket made of Eco-Kosmos cotton canvas with accelerated biodegradation. 


Gilberto Calzolari constantly refers to the old classical values: “Ethics and aesthetics have always been at the center of my philosophy: with my creations, I want to prove that creativity and luxury can – and have to go hand in hand with respect for our planet. For this reason, the partnership with Volvo seems the right frame to celebrate a contemporary, value-based, and aesthetic world, which resumes the most important teachings from the classical world: “kalos kai agathos”, the union between good and beautiful. 

“Today Sustainability is a necessity and a business opportunity, not a check box on a bucket list. And it shows that following an ethical approach does not mean limiting your own ability of aesthetic expression, instead, it frees up creativity and enhances innovation, both for shapes and materials” claimed the President of Volvo Car ItaliaMichele Crisci

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Milan Fashion Week – a recap on a journey through space and time

What the following fashion shows have in common is an abstract journey through space and time, between past and future, and between reality and utopia. With futuristic garments and classical-style scenography, you are transported into a parallel universe.

 Missoni depicts the new generations, ambitious and a bit rebel, as seen in their free time, involved in their passions, full of dreams and plans for the future. They move with ease and elegance among suits and multicolor knit and lamè coats that accompany their movements, reflecting the cornerstones of the Maison in a fresher and more optimistic version. Like the wool or cashmere kaftan, a symbol of the versatility of the collection that adjusts to different looks. Chromatic variations, in the brand’s DNA, embrace shades of terracotta, cognac, pink, but also turquoise and orange, up to the elegant white and grey combination. They travel through time under the notes of Mad World, a cover by the Tears For Fears, representative of a succession of generations with the version by Gary Jules first and those by other artists, who have interpreted it, giving it new and endless lives. 


The world is a digital, utopian, and switchable reality where space takes shape according to its relation. In this atmosphere of intellectual freedom, Iceberg celebrates its heritage by wrapping garments. The main color, white, realized on large volumes, takes us back to an appealing aesthetic, like a lunar landscape. 

Then we are transported into an ideal environment, delimited by arches, stairs, and structural elements, leading us into the domestic walls that in this new daily life resemble the workplace, but more silent and less hectic. Grey and black scales, evoking a metropolitan style, appear on tricot dresses; more marked silhouettes and more feminine lines integrated into a new guise, more agile and functional. This is ICEBERG Knitwear Utopia.

“I thought about a complete wardrobe with garments that adapt to every moment of the day, from morning to night—clothes designed for a contemporary detail-oriented woman, immersed in a different and less chaotic reality. The usual pop colors of ICEBERG are softened in favor of an essential palette to escape from reality and dive into a parallel universe, knitted on the skin,”- explains the creative director James Long.


 

The new Salvatore Ferragamo‘s fashion is projected into the future, led by its Creative Director Paul Andrew’s inspiration. References are taken from ’90s science fiction movies, among jumpsuit and padded trousers, metal mesh, and cuts of space uniform. The goal is to relaunch, with an energetic and positive spirit, the future of a world that belongs to everyone by natural law, without distinction of color or social class. Renewed footwear, the starting point of Maison’s story, embraces a new look with the space biker boot for a whole new mission and aesthetic vision. “As Salvatore Ferragamo said about his shoes, this collection is dedicated to all those who have to walk, united in their determination to reimagine and rebuild a new responsible future, positive and joyful,” says Andrew. 


Fendi‘s fashion show with Kim Jones‘ first Prêt-à-porter collection, Artistic Director of Fendi’s Couture and Ready-to-Wear woman Collections, talks about a change, as well. It is about a future that would not exist without the foundation of its past. Fendi’s man and woman cross the catwalk scattered with classical columns that resisted time, like remains of an ancient, unearthed city. References that emphasize and value Karl Lagerfeld’s inheritance, in his monogram, Karligraphy. The architectonic heel of FENDI First shoes, born from an archive drawing, and the patterns of his Couture Collection are echoed in marbled silk clothes, flowered rosette, or delicate organza embroidery on jacquard shirts. 


Even the bags steal the scene, thanks to the new creation of Silvia Venturini for Fendi: FENDI. First, a clutch declined in thousands of varieties, sizes, and materials: leather, shearling, and exotic leathers—new silhouettes for the FENDI Way tote and the FENDI Touch shoulder bag. 

Great attention to the craftsmen of Made in Italy, emphasized in FENDI hand-in-hand project, which involves artisans from the 20 Italian regions to reimagine the Baguette icon.

The collection MANIFESTO dedicated to the FW21-22 of MSGM is a rewind of the tape. A Rewind to understand and regain possession of ourselves and our roots because we cannot plan a successful future without being fully aware of our past. The forced lockdown led us to long pauses to reflect, among flash-back and a deep analysis of ourselves. 

The Manifesto par excellence marks the beginning of something new that affects the whole cultural universe of a historical period. In the seat of Teatro Manzoni in Milan, the film-event was shot by Francesco Coppola, one of the young up-and-coming filmmakers in Italy, under the notes of a song written and interpreted by Gea Politi, editor of Flash Art, in collaboration with Club Domani.

Shiny fabrics, latex, recycled vinyl, and ecological furs tell us about the nightlife in Milan because Manifesto is addressed to a multi-cultural pole open to the future and a tireless and optimistic Milan, the driving force of the economy. 



Adaptation by Intl Editor Francesca Romana Riggio

Milan Fashion Week – a new statement of freedom

Woman Fashion Week 2021 starts with an unmissable tribute to Beppe Modenese, who left us on 21st November 2020, through the work of Beniamino Barrese, who relocates him immersed in a world very dear to him, with the same severity and concreteness with which his voice resounds: fashion. 

 A hectic Milan, accompanied by the usual traffic noise in the background, marks the working hours. Behind his words, the supreme value of fashion as the driving force of the economy and the birth of new professions, which have contributed to creating the Italian identity, is ineluctably rooted in his System. 


Beppe Modenese

In what direction is the fashion we’ll see in the shop windows next fall going? What are the designers inspired by for their idea of style evolution in a pandemic universe that is still difficult to get used to? Moved by new necessities, essential for the preservation of the planet and humanity divided by useless and destructive acts of intolerance, the new collections are also a statement of responsibility, addressed to the new generations who want to be part of a new world regulated by a circular system and free from prejudice.

The common thread of these designer’s fashion shows is a statement of freedom: the freedom to express yourself through what you wear and through your body, the freedom from any social conventions, the freedom to show your true self and who you want to be.

Giorgio Armani’s fashion show is an excursus among the iconic garments of menswear in the last decades, updated in a comfort key to be worn casually by a man who is aware of what he desires and of his body. The knit jackets and the deconstructed coats fall softly on the shoulders, highlighting the natural male shape. Mandarin collars, the signature style of King Giorgio’s elegance, characterize shirts and velvet jackets and fine textures. 

New details are depicted by geometrical patchworks on wool or velvet jackets and t-shirts that highlight the silhouette. Free overlaps of elements characterized by floral prints and embroidery, inspired by far-off places, on classic trousers and velvet loafers, break the stylistic boundaries and offer the best to represent the choice of a garment: the freedom to express yourself. 


Prada‘s fashion show is also a statement of freedom. With its authority, it addresses the concept of the simultaneous existence of masculinity and femininity in man and woman. This freedom from any conventions, wished by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simon, finds expression in the tight jacquard knit “long johns”. If on the one hand, they cover the skin completely, on the other they make it free in all its possible movements, as if it was naked and uncovered, so that the action, the activity, and the intentional act take over. 

The classical shapes change in favor of comfort, with flexible fabrics and unconventional cuts. Evening dresses become comfy suits, and tailored coats are covered with bright colors or sequins, turning their original purpose into the exact opposite. Materials intended for a garment or a preconceived use change destination in the name of freedom from any canons. 

Even the scenography, the same one used for the men’s fashion show, created by Rem Koolhaas and AMO, destabilizes with its “faux fur” and marble accents to represent this exaggerated contrast best way to express one’s idea of freedom. 

It is important to remember that these materials will be donated to Meta, a circular economy project based in Milan, which provides sustainable solutions for the disposal of waste produced by temporary events. 


Fluid materials for the elegant sensuality of N°21, where the lace is the protagonist in its fluid version and is part of weight contrasts, ranging from wool maxi coats to versatile oversize mohair shirts, worn rebelliously by man and woman for the need of communicating through the body, as a result of the forced digitalization caused by the pandemic. 

Precious details, such as Swarovski crystals, follow a pave pattern on impalpable silk tops and accessories or, in a genderless key, they are lined up on check jackets to showcase necks and both the male and female body. Like the egg-shaped speckled wool coats similar for man and woman. Alessandro Dell’Acqua‘s inspiration comes from a polaroid of Carlo Mollino: “It made me think of an aesthetic shape that the great Italian architect also transferred into the positions and attitudes of the women he photographed in environments that he built through his eclectic vision. I wanted to transfer the same eccentric erotism into my collection, typically Italian, that can put together modesty and desire to show off. This gave rise to a very “clean” declination of the middle-class eccentric side, made of lace bras, accidental transparencies, and a desire for carnality and nudity. But their casual exposure makes them naive. 

It is a collection that is not built upon “double entendre” to interpret, but upon direct words that allow men and women to represent themselves as they want to be.”


The new challenge of Alessandro dell’Acqua for Elena Mirò connects brands with principles of femininity and seduction, so dear to the designer who uses the sensoriality of the silk, of the seductive macramè and the wrapping knitwear that together with large outwear follow the body movements naturally. These are materials that can interpret a woman connected with nature and the dynamism of metropolitan life. “I thought about designing desirable clothes without being too influenced by the rules related to sizes,” explains Alessandro dell’Acqua ” Basically, I focused on transforming the fabrics technologically to increase their comfort, even when they are heavy like the tweed, and I have removed any easy solutions that could give the impression of wrapping women in the shape of a sack. I accepted this challenge because I am sure it is possible to work on this topic without falling into the curvy fashion clichè.”


Ermanno Scervino‘s fashion show at Palazzo Serbelloni includes his strengths contributing to the designer’s success. Creator of femininity, he relaunches waist and silhouette on the runway through couture leather and sensuality of the lace to develop an evolved collection with landmarks that are an integral part of Ermanno Scervino’s cultural heritage. Like the leather’s couture working process reaching its highest level on lace and inlays, the wise use of macramè for very feminine dresses. Femininity maintained in research materials such as the innovative use of neoprene declined in a great classic such as the pleated skirt.


Adaptation by Intl Editor Francesca Romana Riggio

Chef in Town: Healthy Color

Whoever said that fast food is only junk has not yet discovered the revolutionary vision food of Healthy Color: the latest work of the multiplatinum singer Sfera Ebbasta, the footballer Andrea Petagna and the designer Marcelo Burlon.

Italy’s first Fast Healthy Food has been inaugurated in the heart of the capital, precisely in Via Leone IV 64 between the historic Rione Prati and the Vatican Walls. It has also conquered Milan in Via Della Moscova through a concentration of wellness and positive vibes.

The restaurant features bright colors, and the menu offers a wide selection of salmon, tuna, chicken curry, and fassona burgers. We can talk about delicious dishes and at the same time strictly healthy including wraps, salads, tartare and poke, to close with delicious pancakes and ice cream “0″ calories.

With an eye always turned to green and sustainability, the healthy fast food has launched an original line of eco-friendly disposable packaging and Healthy Water that is Healthy Color water packaged in fully recyclable Tetrapak with a high content of vegetable matter.

<<In a continually evolving society, it is never easy and obvious to feed correctly. Healthy Color is born from the desire to propose a valid alternative in the corner food scenario through a proposal that is as balanced and healthy as possible>> declare Sfera Ebbasta, Andrea Petagna, and Marcelo Burlon.

<<Taking care of oneself, of one’s own body, and loving one another are acts of fundamental importance in our daily actions, which also depend on our daily food choices as food is not a secondary element but a source of life and energy>>.

Healthy Color in Rome features pop walls created by street artists Motorefisico and the contemporary eye of architect Antonio Zonfrillo. The venue is open to the public in the afternoon, offers free wi-fi service and specialty drinks, including turmeric, beet, or spirulina colored cappuccinos, herbal teas, and centrifuges.

Chef in Town- a food and beverage column curated by

Intl Editor Francesca Romana Riggio

#MitParade – New Collabs of December

Celebrations and experiments. From the Olympus of luxury, an exceptional Maison wears blue the most exclusive eco-bottle of the moment, while the number one denim in the world celebrates with a capsule the Disney family. High-end brands in the world of anti-theft garments celebrate a winning partnership of 10 years, it is a certainty when it comes to high-altitude safety.

The festivities are enriched with new inspirations to customize your style with audacity and a pinch of irony to achieve what nobody has ever dared to do before, like tattooing a tennis racket.

It is a revolutionary idea born from the union between Prince, an icon of the world of tennis, and Hydrogen, a company on the rise in the panorama of sportswear. The Tattoo Pack consists of a tennis racket coordinated with bags and accessories, designed exclusively by Alberto Bresci, designer of Hydrogen and Ambassador of the project Prince by Hydrogen. The “O3 Tattoo 100” racquet is available in two versions of 310 gr and 290 gr, in order to meet the needs of intermediate and advanced players. This captivating design, inspired by the designer’s tattoos, joins the high-tech Textreme X, which adds Twaron to the original Textreme formula for greater shot control.



The Italian excellence of eyewear and footwear combines quality and craftsmanship with innovation and an extravagant attitude. The footwear label Hide & Jack is famous for introducing the concept of dualism in the world of footwear. It has interchanged soles and uppers in its models and created three eyewear models with the eyewear brand Miga Studio, which combines Italian authenticity with the minimal, futuristic Japanese mood.



The most exclusive version of the 24Bottles, father brand of the sustainable Clima Bottle, and always engaged in reforestation projects, is dressed for this Christmas with the unmistakable oblique Dior pattern in a night blue shade. The most stylish answer to the endless variations of the eco bottle is the Travel Tumbler: the thermal travel cup 100% hermetic and thermal, able to keep the drinks cold for 24 hours and hot up to 6 hours, on sale with its practical Travel Tumbler Holder, which is the hook specially designed by the House to carry it comfortably anywhere.

“Being chosen again by Dior for a second collaboration makes us very proud and definitively consecrates 24Bottles as the new cult accessory of international fashion”, said Giovanni Randazzo and Matteo Melotti, co-founder of 24Bottles.


24Bottles x Dior

The protagonists of the most famous comics in the world, idols of very young but even younger, invaded overall prints and embroidery, jeans, sweatshirts, and quilted outerwear of a special edition signed Levi’s® x Disney Mickey & Friends. A connection story that sounds familiar and reassuring, in the graphics of Minnie, Mickey Mouse, and Goofy that remains united, even if physically distant. A celebration of life and fundamental values such as family and friendship is found in the most powerful representation of Mickey and Minnie chatting through a vintage phone, on t-shirts for men and women, and on Padded Reversible Trucker Jacket for men.



It is a garment of excellence, unisex, inspired by the vast peaks of Canada to celebrate 10 years of partnership between OVO and Canada Goose, along with a success always active among the top of the range in the landscape of antifreeze. The Terrain Parka, in three color variants, achieves technical characteristics to the limits of excellence that place it in second place within the Thermal Experience Index (TEI) of Canada Goose, providing the maximum in terms of internal heat and comfort, to protect from temperatures up to -15 C.

OVO – Canada Goose

Viva la vida!

Milan, Fabbrica del Vapore. It is a journey around the life of Frida Kahlo, one of the most emblematic female characters of the 20th century and queen of Mexican art told by the curators Arèvalo, Matiz, Ancheita and Rosso. Her demons, obsessions, mental flows and the tormented relationship with the husband Diego Rivera are described through her letters and diary.

Casa Azul, her mansion in Coyoacán, is faithfully reproduced with the large canopy bed and the mirror used to portray herself even when laying in bed due to illness and where she died on July 13th, 1954. Paintings and photographs, books, and her personal crutches. Her studio is reproduced with her desk and all the little bottles, filled with colors and brushes, Frida’s diary, the stuffed red chair, the wheelchair and the large easel.

Her art is the background of the Mexican Revolution, a historical period that brings her into contact with intellectual figures of the time related to the communist party, such as the Russian revolutionary Lev Trotsky and the poet André Breton.

Her paintings according to Diego: “Communicated a vital sensuality to which was added a spirit of ruthless observation, but sensitive… It was clear that she was a true artist”. Within those images, the themes most dear to her, including music, death, Christian iconography and martyrdom. Her recurring themes were music, death, Christian iconography, and martyrdom.

A section that forces us to enter into the depth of her magnetic personality well portrayed in the work of renowned Columbian photographer Leonet Matiz Espinoza, with his inseparable Rolleiflex, who created iconic images of Frida, with an exclusive and close-up perspective. This was not granted to many, he could spontaneously grasp the expressive nuances of his friend.

She has remained so attached to her life that people may think Frida has never really left this earth, every time they come into contact with her work.

Photo & production Miriam De Nicolo’ @miriam_denicolo
Fashion Editor & production Rosamaria Coniglio @rosamaria_coniglio
Artwork Maria Angela Lombardi @_mariaalombardi_
Hairstyling Angelo Rosauliana @angelorosauliana
MakeUp Valeria Iovino @valeriaiovino_pro
Model Giorgia Cappellotto @calamarata Agency @pop_models_milano
Special project with Navigare Srl e Fabbrica del Vapore and D-art.com https://d-art.it/moda/viva-la-vida/64581
Quotes from Pino Cacucci’s book “Viva la Vida!” published by Feltrinelli


Total look Etro, handmade paper necklaces, in unique pieces, by Ana Hagopian at Ladiosa Atelier Milano @Ladiosa_atelier rings of Radà


Frida was “A bomb wrapped in silk ribbons,” called her André Breton. She was rebellious in every gesture, subversive in every thought, and convulsively beautiful. Frida, with a deep voice and a disruptive laugh, with piercing eyes that have never closed and have remained fixed on us who look at her in self-portraits.


TPN lace shirt, Reamerei flower vest, Radà ring

Diego Rivera was 36 years old and Frida Kahlo was only 15, when they first met while he worked in the Bolivar amphitheater. Of that first encounter with Frida, Diego recalls: «…she had a dignity and a self-confidence that was completely unusual and in her eyes, a strange fire shone».


Ethnic sculpture necklace handmade in shells and seeds Ladiosa Atelier Milano @Ladiosa_atelier

Frida had her spine broken in three, two ribs, her shoulder, and left leg shattered… excessive and indecent devastation. In spite of everything, Frida grabbed life and kept it inside.


Dress in tulle with velvet embroidery by Tiziano Guardini, maxi scarves in wool Made in Italy by Fiorio

Frida’s sensuality is legendary in a thousand testimonies of men and women, a sensuality impulsive and never studied. Her sunny irony fascinated those who frequented her. An irony that could be caustic, sometimes as ruthless as the Mexican nature. Frida did not want to live, but lived in spite of fate, with the daily consciousness of being consumed quickly, like a blaze that burns brighter than the slow embers.


Chemisier vichy Tiziano Guardini, necklace and bracelet in paper, handmade, in unique pieces, by Ana Hagopian at Ladiosa Atelier Milano @Ladiosa_atelier rings of Radà

And yet everything was so intense and so convoluted! We took ourselves inside a new world, a new concept of society, a different way of conceiving politics! Art was politics! Muralists fought against the concept of work to be relegated to private collections or museums. They painted the walls of public buildings so that everyone could enjoy them. I, I don’t know. I paint myself, my pain. I fight and defeat the Pelona every day, every hour, every moment.

#Istayhome

In this moment in which we are far from anyone, our habits and our routines are very different.

From smart working to the various solutions to meet every need, including those to keep fit and blow off steam. Also, the choice of our outfit is in this direction: comfort is the master, with a charge of energy thanks to the bold colours of sweaters and t-shirt, alternating with more traditional collections for the most classic people, concluding with the silk, cotton and cashmere. 

Arming themselves with positivity and setting new targets is the best strategy. For this reason, in this period, there are many tutorials online or lives on Instagram and Facebook based on sharing. 

An example is @italia_smart which in its page offers its followers more than one solution to deepen their knowledge, test their creativity and doing homemade workouts. 

Also the Yoga lessons of Denise dalla Giacoma are becoming popular  https://denisedellagiacoma.com/ and the free sessions of bio-energetic practice through the YouTube channel of Daniele Mauro Guainazz ; praticabioenergetica.it

Moreover, Tonic Gym in Milan has activated a sporty programming live on Facebook visible at the link  https://www.facebook.com/tonicfitness/ with 12 lessons per day from Monday to Friday. 

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Passion for sneakers

Sneakers are, without any doubt, the most popular shoes of the last decades. They know no limits in terms of style or generation and thanks to their charm they can be worn also in formal looks, tuxedo included. 

The first ones date back to the end of 1800, they had a rubber sole and canvas upper for a purely sporting use and their nickname comes from the fact that they didn’t make any noise when walking and, in this way, everyone could sneak up on someone without being heard. 

It was the irresistible James Dean in “Rebel Without a Cause” who made this type of footwear a real cult to wear every day, from the ground to the asphalt, under the denim or a tailored suit. 

From the iconic model which was spread in sixties, faithfully replicated by boutiques and online shops, to the pieces made with precious materials and a balanced design in lines and colours, for those who think that a sneaker has nothing to envy to an elegant leather brogue. 

They are models with a contemporary design, characterized by a free reinterpretation of forms and above all by bold colours. Proposals full of strong personality, a hymn to the new season. With a sock-like upper and phyton print inserts, details and shades which make these sneakers collectibles. 

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The fabulous thought of Italian Fashion

The Italian fashion of the FW 2020-21 is more inspired than ever. It lets itself be carried away by new provocations and romantic celebrations of the dearest culture to us. It plays with nonsense and surreal scenarios marking the time and celebrating its myths. But it does not neglect the attention to “sustainability”, a process in which CNMI (Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana) has involved its Associates and operators representing the supply chain of the entire Italian fashion system.

Set in a forest of threads, the Ermenegildo Zegna collection is practical and functional, characterized by over shapes on jackets and shirts, it is strongly committed to respect the environment, thanks to the use of cashmere and recycled wool further expanding the approach #UseTheExisting in blends of natural and synthetic fibers. “Our art has a duty to respect the earth. It is our mission, both as human beings and as a designer” explains Alessandro Sartori, Artistic Director of the brand, who has chosen the most evocative colors that dress nature: mastic, sandstone, cloudy sky, brown quartz, dark loden illuminated by touches of rose gold, copper, red amber and peacock blue.

The Dolce & Gabbana woman recovers the art of “handmade” by placing in the foreground the traditional values ​​of Made in Italy that distinguish the value of our manufacture from that of the rest of the world. 121 looks that tell each one a different story, an authentic memory. Pinstriped wools and houndsteeth also for the female double-breasted jacket, complete with peaked lapels and “coppola” hats for a woman with a strong and sensual identity.

The same values ​we find in the men’s collection of the two designers, who deeply believe in the precious values ​​of craftsmanship and in the importance that they are handed down from generation to generation, to protect the immense heritage of our culture and our workers. Dolce & Gabbana’s “Art Crafts” are told by men who embody the aspects of beautiful Italy made of sun, fruits, and breathtaking landscapes. With their authentic faces, dressed in wool tweed, tartan, houndstooth, velvet.

In a scenario that represents abstract squares that communicate with each other through red-lit doors, Prada once again celebrates the woman’s innate authority and strength that are highlighted through her actions. Infinite, as multifaceted is the female personality and her choices that lead her to bravely face opposite itineraries. Dynamism, therefore, plays a fundamental role in women’s clothing, which is why it is presented in a superior aesthetic key. The fringes, a constant declined in different materials that mark the rhythm of the action directed in different directions and purposes: in the revisited suits, in the glamorous knitwear, on blazers or bright sequin dresses that unleash the maximum of femininity. Floral prints in a digital key with elements that appeal to the world of sport and technical fabrics for practicality with high intellectual content.

The men’s collection is represented in squares where the foundations of Renaissance architecture are lived together with graphics and digital projections to underline how past and present live together, that everything we are experiencing already has a historical value. Men observed from above, whose paths cross in a game of exciting style that contrasts traditional materials with recycled technological fibers that are already part of our stylistic heritage. Old and new coexist infusing each other’s energy, through a new interpretation.

All men, with multifaceted personalities, in the Ferragamo world painted by Paul Andrew. From the businessman to the biker, to the irresistible charm of the pilot, the sailor and the soldier’s uniform, and finally the surfer, re-edited with materials typical of the metropolitan wardrobe. Consecrated portraits of different male personalities who change their wetsuits and present themselves on the catwalk with contemporary cuts of great impact and a mix of precious materials such as wool, cashmere and leather in an unusual and stimulating way.

The women’s collection is also divided by archetypes, but the inspiration is the great women of history: “dressing defines the body and goes beyond the concept of clothing, now obsolete for both men and women. We were inspired by the intelligence, courage and charisma of some female icons such as Virginia Woolf, Nancy Pelosi, Nina Simone and Michelle Obama” comments Creative Director Paul Andrew. Sandals or scarves revisited in leather, fabrics and embroidery. Rubber soles and high boots in stretch leather, recycled materials and vegetable dyes. A strong, courageous, elegant and formal woman but at the same time bold, capable of questioning, practical and glamorous.

After five years of creative direction in the Gucci fashion house, Alessandro Michele explodes with a show with a revolutionary flavor. He invites us to look at everything with the eyes of a child. Free from preconceptions, the rules that impose customs and modus vivendi imposed by society. The scene is dominated by a gigantic pendulum by Foucault, a symbol of a cultural context that marks the fate of men and women, also determining their personal choices. Hence the invitation to reflect on the need to be free to find oneself, without the chains of stereotypes that have contaminated our personality and the path of our lives, on what is right and wrong. Sweatshirts that express a clear invitation to reflect Think, schoolboy aprons in contrast with punk hairstyles and on ripped denim, other words impatient and impotent are a clear reference to the often strangled desire to express oneself. The intent in which the designer in this show,  to depict the out of the ordinary, has succeeded very well. 

Last but not least, King Giorgio has always the keys of elegance in his hand. The collection built for him is enveloping, the protagonist fabrics are pleasant to the touch and ideal for enhancing the figure of the man. The velvet declined in different shapes and weights, even on the lapels like a soft shawl; warm and thick mountain wools on jacquard knitwear, impalpable wools on coats, jackets and trousers, follow the movements of the body in a fluid way.

The aspects of masculine elegance are softened to be shared with the female wardrobe: jacquard maxi ties complete looks made up of large trousers with turn-ups and pleats, while Napoleonic velvet uniforms enhance the female silhouette in the collections of Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani. As camouflage prints, they take the form of sparkling floral decorations in jackets and soft pants. He concludes the show with a selection of looks from the Giorgio Armani Privé spring/summer 2009 and 2019 collections, inspired by China, a country with which the designer has always had a special, aesthetic and cultural link.

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Claudio Marenzi’s: innovation technology for the planet

Teamwork is the key to achieve the maximum for the company’s eco-sustainable projects inspired by the en- chantment of Lake Maggiore.

President and CEO of Herno, one of the leading companies in the Italian fashion system, boasts a history of more than seventy years, and Claudio Marenzi is a reference point for what concerns innovation and market growth in our country.

It is no coincidence that he is the President of Pitti Immagine and Confindustria Moda where 66,000 ‘Made in Italy’ companies converge, belonging to all the production chains of fashion and accessories, which together generate a turnover of 95.5 billion euros.

At Pitti Uomo 97, technological innovation confirms its focus and without a doubt is the secret to the company’s success and the backbone along which their slogan “functionality beyond aesthetics” runs tirelessly.

And with what, if not with the Herno Laminar ABSOLUTE, a trail running shoe but with a picturesque urban look. Made in Gore-Tex with a Vibram Megagrip sole, which, thanks to its high-performance grip, guarantees maximum stability on any terrain.

An objective achieved thanks to teamwork within S.C.A.R.P.A, a leading company in the sector.

The strong point, in fact, of an entrepreneur like him is to be able to recognize the best of Italian excellence in order to create partnerships capable of producing real innovations ready to outperform the market.

But a successful company can no longer disregard the environmental needs of the planet, needs that are also heavily requested by users who are revealing themselves as being increasingly aware and responsible for the planet.

And here’s the real revolution: 2 duvets (a bomber and a coat) completely biodegradable – it takes just 5 years to be completely disposed of, accessories and feather padding included.

In addition to these exceptional projects, the company proposes 2 other green ideas that pay attention to the yarns: a parka, a coat and a blazer in ECONYL® 100% regenerated nylon produced with used fishing nets and carpet waste destined for landfill, and even the padding is obtained from disused duvets.

Furthermore, a peacoat and a coat are elegantly woven from melange wool, also recycled from waste materials.

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The Ethical Revolution of Brunello Cucinelli

His humanistic capitalism has changed the way of doing business through the support of culture and free time.

He is the king of cashmere produced in the ancient Umbrian village of Solomeo, whose revolutionary entrepreneurial system defends and promotes the values of culture, tradition and above all human dignity.

A particular cultural focus is highlighted along- side the importance of using free time constructive- ly with a well-defined limit to working hours. It is strongly advised that from 17:00 onwards one must not to answer emails and business calls, and instead dedicate the time to everything that can deeply enrich the mind and soul. 

“The tasks of the craftsman and the worker are hard and repetitive. And if I make you work after hours, I steal your soul. Besides, creativity is only where beauty is”.

Along with achieving a well-deserved honorary degree in philosophy, Cucinelli is the master of credible elegance, a true advocate of ‘Made in Italy’ around the world, and placed third in the Gq Uk ranking for men dressed with class.

His product; a true case of excellence, combined with his entrepreneurial methods, have enabled Cu- cinelli to achieve incredible goals even in the most difficult period of crisis for the Italian economy, with a further 9% profit growth in 2019.

A modern-day hero whose interests extend far beyond business; his Brunello Cucinelli and Federica Cucinelli Foundation are constantly engaged in the restoration of the three most symbolic monuments of Norcia: The Civic Tower, the Theatre and the Museum of Castellina. 

“There is a need to have more courage to give people a signal of hope” said the entrepreneur, always working with the best interests of others at heart because, paraphras- ing a quote from Kant, there is no beauty without moral good.

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