Monday, January 22, 2007

FLORENCE - Pitti Uomo

Le Pagliere - Kris Van Assche installation. Desire is the name of Belgium designer, Kris Van Assche’s conceptual installation at Le Pagliere. On one side, one hundred hats hang from the ceiling inviting the spectator to try them on. On the other side, one hundred white arms hold one hundred handkerchiefs; both are gestures of nonchalance elegance. “The installation reflects the starting point for all my collections,” Van assche explains “A certain nostalgia for the elegance that got lost somewhere along the way, an elegance that is appreciated whenever one gets the opportunity to witness it. I start from there, and mix in elements from today’s reality. Nostalgic and contemporary seem such opposites, but to me, they are essential and something to aspire to. My installation captures an interpretation of elegance in a contemporary way.”

Seen at Kris Van Assche installation. Guy Hills is a brilliant photographer and innovative tweed cloth designer. He is in Florence to take photographs for the Savile Row Bespoke website, for which he is covering the events of The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring exhibition at Palazzo Pitti and other related events. He is also promoting his Dashing Tweeds designs, by wearing impeccably made suits, cut by Russell Howorth at Kashkets made with his colorful modern tweeds. And, being a bit of dandy, he cuts a great figure in them.

Detail: Dashing Tweeds. When light shines on some of the yarns the stripes become fluorescent. Perfect for evening wear!

Contesssanally tip: click on the photographs to enlarge them.

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Villa Victoria – Savile Row Showcase – Henry Poole and Co. My blog on Savile Row and bespoke tailoring wouldn’t be complete without this photograph of Sir Winston Churchill taken at the Henry Poole and Co. space at Villa Victoria. In addition to celebrating its bicentenary in 2006, it was the 100th anniversary of Sir Winston Churchill’s first order placed with Henry Poole and Co. To mark this event they have reproduced a chalk striped cloth from the suit, circa 1936, which was later depicted in this photograph of Sir Winston with a Tommy Gun. Famous customers: : H.I.M. the Emperor Napoleon III, H.M. King Umberto I of Italy, Prime Minister Benjamin Disreali, J.P. Morgan, William Randolph Hearst, H.H. the Maharajah of Cooch Behar, H. M. King George V, H.M. King George VI, H.M. Queen Elisabeth II.

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Villa Victoria – Savile Row Showcase – Gieves and Hawkes. Gieves and Hawkes is located at No. 1 Savile Row. It is almost certainly one of the most famous traditional bespoke tailors in England. The business dates back to the late 18th century and was formed by the merger of two separate businesses, Gieves and Hawkes. It now provides bespoke as well as military tailoring. Mark Henderson, MD of Gieves and Hawkes and chairman of Savile Row Bespoke, told James Sherwood in an interview for the catalogue to The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring exhibition at Palazzo Pitti, “Military tailoring is an art form. The point of it is its extremely tight fit. It has to be perfectly made…..it is an immense challenge to make garments that are almost too tight. There is no margin for error…” The bespoke tailors have succeeded in satisfying royalty and rock stars, bankers and beatniks with the same mastery and skill. Famous customers: Admiral Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington, the Kings of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, King Hussein and King Abdullah of Jordan, (former) King Constantine of Greece, the Sultan of Brunei, Roger Moore (as James Bond), Sir Bob Geldorf, the Princes William and Harry.

Detail: Gieves and Hawkes. Bespoke suits in various stages of completion.

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Villa Victoria – Savile Row Showcase – Scabal. Established in Brussels in 1938, Scabal is the only cloth merchants and clothing manufacturer located in Savile Row. It is the biggest and the best luxury cloth manufacturer in the world. The cloths are made in Yorkshire and the company is constantly engaged in research for even finer and more luxurious fibers and fabric qualities. The collection boasts over five thousand different articles of cloth, from the super 100’s to the super 250’s. They are the most innovative developers of new fabrics, such as Gold Treasure, Diamond Chip, Lapis Lazuli and Private Line. Needless to say, they are the world’s most expensive, unique and luxurious fabrics. Famous customers who have had suits made with their cloths are George Bush, George W. Bush, Salvador Dali, Bill Clinton, Tom Cruise, Robert De Niro, Jack Nicholson. Brioni used Scabal cloth when designing the clothes for Daniel Craig in the latest James Bond movie, Casino Royale.



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Villa Victoria – Savile Row Showcase – Norton and Sons. Patrick Grant is the youngest director on the Row. He acquired Norton and Sons when he was at Oxford doing his thesis on old English clothing brands when he saw, in the Financial Times, that the company was for sale. Patrick describes the Norton and Sons style “The suit that I am wearing is a two piece single breasted in super 120’s wool and cashmere English worsted fabric from Smith and Co. As with all our suits, it is entirely hand cut and hand sewn on Savile Row. The shirt is also one of ours and it is also hand cut and sewn in London. The tie sadly, is not one of ours; it comes from a certain Giorgio Armani.” He defines the Norton cut as “Perfect, simple and elegant, we are proud to make beautiful sturdy suits for English Gentlemen.” Famous customers include; H.I.H. Kaiser Wilhelm of Prussia, the Marquise de Vogue, Baron Manfred von Richthofen, Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Alfred Hitchcock, David Niven. Master tailor and head cutter John Kent holds the Royal Warrant for H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh.


Detail: Norton and Sons. From the black Hebridean sheep on the monitor, the fleece is used un-dyed to make natural black tweed on the Isle of Mull. The cloth is completely organic and is unique to Norton and Sons. In the foreground, the cloths are hand woven by Donald John Mackay, one of the last independent weavers, on Luskentyre Beach on the Isle of Harris.

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Villa Victoria – Savile Row Showcase – Anderson and Sheppard. During Pitti Immagine Uomo, many master tailors demonstrated their craft at Villa Vittoria.
Anderson and Sheppard’s history coincides with the birth of the movie industry in Hollywood at the beginning of the 1900s. It is not surprising, therefore to read their famous customer list; Rudolph Valentino, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Fred Astaire, Marlene Dietrich, Gary Cooper, Duke Ellington, Ralph Fiennes, just to name a few. Here is a photo of the ledger that shows the measurements for a suit ordered by Douglas Fairbanks, note the name of Noel Coward in the left hand corner, it was Mr. Coward who introduced Douglas Fairbanks to Anderson and Sheppard. Anderson and Sheppard are known for their soft jackets that embrace the body rather than squeezing into impossible shapes.

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Sunday, January 21, 2007

FLORENCE - Pitti Uomo

Gallery Hotel Art – Style Magazine opening. The Corriere Della Sera’s Style Magazine presented an exhibition of photographs called Homo Elegans. The black and white photographs were taken by Prince Constantino Ruspoli, seen here with Lungarno Hotels president, Leonardo Ferragamo. Seventeen men are portrayed as dandies of the Italian style. Filmmakers, Francesco Melzi D’Eril and Luchino Visconti wear Ballantyne. Art Gallery owner, Gio Marconi wears Zegna. Photographer, Giovanni Gastel wears Canali. English anchorman for Sky News, Martin Popplewell wears Aquascutum. French actor, Philippe Caroit wears Borsalino. Just to name a few.


Gallery Hotel Art – Style Magazine opening. Confindustria’s president, Marchese Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, who is also the owner of Ballantyne, popped in for a quick look at the photographs. Earlier, he presented at the Ballantyne stand at the Fortezza da Basso, ultra-lightweight cashmere jackets, trousers and coats, ideal for the man who travels.



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Palazzo Borghese – Ferragamo.“At Ferragamo, British rock and royalty were the inspiration for melding Italian fabrics and gentlemanly gestures like a swooshing cape, shiny leather boots and a purple fox shawl.” Suzy Menkes wrote in the International Herald Tribune. She is photographed here with the amazing, octogenarian, Wanda Ferragamo who said “I loved, the quality and the luxury in the collection.


Salvatore Ferragamo Autumn/Winter collection 2007 - Pinstripes and fur. Note the watch on the leather gloves and big sunglasses.
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The Harold Acton Library – Palazzo Lanfredini – Aquascutum. Aquascutum cordially invites you for a cup of tea, a selection of traditional sandwiches and cakes, in The Harold Acton Library in Palazzo Lanfredini on the Lungarno, read the invitation. You couldn’t be more British, could you? It was refreshing just to, stop, sip tea, browse the bookshelves and chat in this enchanting library. It really made me wish that I lived in Florence so that I could join the library and spend all my time there. Aquascutum’s neo CEO and president, Kim Winser, stands behind head of design for menswear, Graeme Fidler. “I took inspiration for the Autumn/Winter 2007 menswear collection from the works of British artists Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, who both constructed sculptures to sit sensitively within natural surroundings, reflecting and complementing nature.” Fidler explains.

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Fortezza da Basso. This is the first Union flag I have seen and it marks the entrance to the Hackett London’s space at Pitti Immagine Uomo. Though Hackett’s are not tailors, but produce ready to wear collections of essential British kit, Jeremy Hackett knows what good traditional British clothes are all about. He began his career at seventeen as a Saturday boy working for a tailor. Later combing Portobello Road, house clearances and antique markets for good quality second-hand clothes he opened the first Hackett shop at the World’s End of the Kings Road, the rest is history. Today, twenty-two year later the business of le style Anglais is worldwide and thriving.




The Autumn/Winter 2007 collection is inspired by five key themes. The Mayfair collection, in the photograph, has been inspired by the celebrated photographers Bailey, Donovan and Snowdon. Their work captured on film the new London tailoring worn by the racy Mayfair set of the late 1950s and early 1960s; Peter Sellers, Michael Caine, Princess Margaret. The collection gives a youthful spin on traditional British Style re-inventing the quintessential Mayfair look.

Contessanally tip: click on photos to get a better view. Click on blue print to go direct to the websites.





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Fortezza da Basso – Touch: the wardrobe for the new dandy. Touch is the new exhibition space created by Pitti Immagine to express the new elegance of the fashionable man and the latest developments in the contemporary male wardrobe.

Seen at Touch. 24/7 Suits is a menswear line created by Livio Graziottin. The collection, which appears to be classic at first glance is full of tongue in cheek funky details. Take this frock inspired quilted evening coat, if you look closer the quilting stitches are skulls and cross bones and the lining is a printed tribute to heaving metal rock groups. Every item has a subtle twist to it. “It’s like being good, but not too good.” Livio states.

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Friday, January 19, 2007

FLORENCE - Pitti Uomo

Palazzo Corsini. True to the Redefined Elegance theme of this edition of Pitti Immagine Uomo, the nine hundred and fifty guests at the White Tie/Black Tie gala dinner at Palazzo Corsini really looked glamorous. While Ursula Rimbotti looks on, Donna Mariella Pallavicino chats with Allegra Bossi Pucci, whilst Prince Carlo Giovanelli has a tete a tete with H.R.H. Prince Michael of Kent.


Detail: the frogging on Prince Michael of Kent’s black velvet smoking jacket. The jacket, has shawl grosgrain silk lapels and was made by Anderson and Sheppard. Mr. John Hitchcock, MD of Anderson and Sheppard told James Sherwood in an interview that “An Anderson and Sheppard bespoke suit is like a Picasso. You can buy a copy but connoisseurs know the difference. It was their legendary cutter Mr. Scholte who invented The London Cut: the soft shouldered lounge suit.
Famous/infamous customers: Rudolph Valentino, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Fred Astaire, Diaghilev, Marlene Dietrich, Gary Cooper, Duke Ellington, Manolo Blahnik, Ralph Fiennes, Ralph Lauren, H.R.H. Prince Charles, Calvin Klein, Tom Ford.

Palazzo Corsini. Art consultant, Decorative Art’s scholar and Florence’s most elegant man about town, Fausto Calderai is wearing White Tie made by his tailor Italo Di Preta. Next to him is the Marchese Dotti Bichi Ruspoli Forteguerri and Savile Row's bespoke courturier, Ozwald Boateng. Sharing the gilded armchair are Donna Sabina and Donna Fiona Corsini. Donna Fiona has fond memories of running up and down the ballroom at Palazzo Corsini when she was a small girl.

Detail: Ozwald Boateng is looking very sedate tonight, he is known for his extravagant outfits like the imperial purple suit with acid yellow silk lining, which soon became a hit with movie stars and city boys. He is a genius at self promotion and has been the star of his own cult reality show, House of Boateng on Robert Redford’s Sundance Channel. He is wearing a subtle striped black dinner suit, a red shirt with silver bull dog cuff links, designed by Stephen Webster, which he wore when he received his OBE from The Queen, and a black knitted tie. His watch is by Prada.
Famous/infamous customers: Daniel day Lewis, Will Smith, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Usher, Jamie Foxx, Lenny Kravitz, Mick Jagger, Lawrence Fishburne, Jude Law, pierce Brosnan, Samuel L. Jackson.
Contessanally tip:
click on the photographs to get a better view.


Palazzo Corsini. James Sherwood looks very suave and debonair in his impeccably cut, bespoke Ede and Ravenscroft dinner suit. Standing behind him is his assistant, Federica Zampini. James, not only wrote the book The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring (Fondazione Pitti Discovery, Marsilio), but also curated the exhibition at Palazzo Pitti, until February 14th. He is also the BBC’s fashion critic at Royal Ascot. In an interview given to James by Ede and Ravenscroft’s head tailor/cutter, Philip Thomas, Mr. Thomas says “Putting on a dinner suit or tails does make you feel like a million dollars. It’s easy to put a pair of jeans on, isn’t it? There’s no satisfaction or pride in that. But put on a nice suit and a shirt and tie and you immediately feel a bit special. In the sixties you wouldn’t leave the house without a suit, shirt and tie.
Ede and Ravenscrofts famous/infamous customers: Emperors Napoleon III of France, Alexander III of Russia, and Frederick of Prussia; former Kings of Denmark, the Hellenes, Italy, Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands; Baroness Thatcher, the duke of Norfolk, the Earl of Litchfield.




Palazzo Corsini. Beatrice Ferragamo Garagnani is wearing a beautifully preserved green velvet embroidered coat and breeches – circa 1775-1780 - that belonged to Marchese Gnudi, an ancestor of the Garagnani family.
Contessanally tip: click on photos to enlarge them or to print them.



Palazzo Corsini. Contessa Albertina Marzotto, is the wife of the president of Pitti Immagine, Count Gaetano Marzotto who hosted the WhiteTie/Black Tie Gala at Palazzo Corsini. Albertina looked fabulous in her Gianfranco Ferre evening dress. Gianfranco Ferre is Albertina’s favorite designer for evening wear. They are both Leo, born on 15th August, and they have a great understanding between themselves.



Palazzo Corsini. Polimnia Attolico and Lucrezia Carega, looked great in their black and white outfits and top hats.





Palazzo Corsini. The youngest member at the White Tie/Black Tie Dinner Party was Olimpia Bolza photographed here with her parents, Benedict Bolza and Donna Nencia Corsini Bolza.

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Palazzo Pitti – The Apartment of the Duchess of Aosta. The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring exhibition. The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring exhibition, curated by James Sherwood, designed by Luca Trevisani and promoted by Pitti Immagine, can be seen until February 14th at Palazzo Pitti in the private rooms of the Duchess of Aosta, decorated in the Empire style. The exhibition not only celebrates the legendary founders of Savile Row, the London street which has been the home to the most exclusive tailors for over two hundred years, but also introduces the new generation of bespoke tailors. The story is told in bespoke suiting, livery and military uniforms from the archives of the historic houses.
Definition: BESPOKE = A suit made on or around Savile Row bespoken (custom made, in the U.S.A.) to the customer’s specifications. A bespoke suit (bespoken by the customer) is cut by an individual, for an individual and made by highly skilled individual craftsmen. The pattern is made specifically for the customer and the finished garment will take a minimum of fifty-two hours’ work and at least three fittings.
Pictured above: the Duke of Norfolk’s coatee, made by Ede and Ravenscroft (the oldest family owned tailor in England, founded in the 17th century). The Duke is Earl Marshall of England and wears the coatee when in attendance to The Queen. The one pictured above was made for the late duke of Norfolk in 1975 and loaned by his son the present Duke.

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Palazzo Pitti – The Apartment of the Duchess of Aosta. The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring exhibition. The Mavericks – Edward Sexton. “Like Lennon and McCartney, Edward Sexton’s name is inextricably linked to the late Tommy Nutter. The shop this dynamic duo opened together on Saint Valentines day in 1969 – Nutters of Savile Row – revolutionized the Row.James Sherwood writes in his book The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring (Fondazione pitti Discovery, Marsilio)."While Nutter was the face of the house, its skilled hands belonged to the master cutter Edward Sexton. Today Sexton’s style is a soft construction distinguished by a high-cut armhole and rope shoulder with a distinctive collar and lapel shape and finally a higher waist creating a taller slender silhouette."
Famous/infamous customers:
John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Sir Paul and Linda McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Mick Jagger, Bianca Jagger, Eric Clapton, the Duke of Bedford, Joan Collins, Bill Blass, Manolo Blahnik, Jack Nicholson, Jerry Zipkin.



Palazzo Pitti – The Apartment of the Duchess of Aosta. The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring exhibition. Matching white Tommy Nutter three-piece trouser suits, cut by Edward sexton, were made for the weddings of Lord and Lady Montagu of Beaulieu, Mick and Bianca Jagger, as well as, John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

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Palazzo Pitti – The Apartment of the Duchess of Aosta. The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring exhibition. The Mavericks – Mark Powell Bespoke Tailoring. “I am a cockney boy that gets his inspiration from the street cultures of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. But, I’m also fond of the 1920s and 1930s.Mark Powell told me. He is nicknamed the "East End Gangster No.1." Self taught, he started his business because “I was dressing myself and was out and about in the clubs in Soho so people were constantly asking me where I got my suits made.” He explains. His business has always been in Soho and though he uses Savile Row influences, his tailoring has a street edge to it as well. He made the clothes for the movie Gangster No.1 with Paul Bettany and David Thewliss, hence the nickname. His ready to wear line, presented at Pitti Immagine Uomo, is successfully, in its second season. He is standing next to a mannequin wearing a 1960s version of a opera cape, the waistcoat has half moon shaped jet pockets and has a satin shawl collar “The cape was made for a fashion show in 2002 and the idea is 1960's rock star goes to the opera - hence the short cape, drainpipe trousers and skinny tie.
Famous/infamous customers: Harrison Ford, George Clooney, Naomi Campbell, George Michael, Usher, Bianca Jagger, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Bryan Ferry.

Detail: Mark Powell is wearing a three piece pinstripe 1930's "gangster" style double breasted suit. The waistcoat is single breasted but with double breasted lapels and is graced by an Albertini gold watch chain and fob. The shirt has long spear collar points. The multicolored silk pink pocket handkerchief and the silver woven silk tie are also by Mark Powell. The suit is contemporary because of the white mother of pearl buttons and the white lining.
Contessanally tip: click on the photo to enlarge.
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Thursday, January 18, 2007

FLORENCE - Pitti Uomo

Palazzo Pitti – The Apartment of the Duchess of Aosta. The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring exhibition. The Founders – Henry Poole and CO. Angus Cundey’s family has been running Henry Poole and CO since 1876. Henry Poole is the oldest tailor on the Row and Mr. Cundey is nicknamed the “Godfather of Savile Row”. Here, he is being interviewed by BBC Television for a special three part documentary on Savile Row for 2008. Henry Poole was the first Savile Row tailor to enter the Japanese market. More recently, it has formed a partnership with the Chikuma Company of China and opened shops in Beijing and Hangzou.
Famous/infamous customers: H.I.M. the emperor Napoleon III, H.M. King Umberto I of Italy, Prime Minister Benjamin Disreali, J.P. Morgan, William Randolph Hearst, H.H. the Maharajah of Cooch Behar, H. M. King George V, H.M. King George VI, H.M. Queen Elisabeth II.

Palazzo Pitti – The Apartment of the Duchess of Aosta. The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring exhibition. Angus Cundey stands besides a replica of the smoking jacket invented for King Edward VII, when he was Prince of Wales. Here is the true story, he told me, about how the tuxedo got it’s name in America. In 1860, Henry Poole made a short evening or smoking jacket for the Prince of Wales to wear at informal dinner parties. In 1886, a Mr. James Potter of Tuxedo Park, New York visited London and subsequently was invited by the Prince to spend a weekend at Sandringham. He was also advised that he could have a smoking jacket made by the Prince's tailors, Henry Poole and Co. When the Potters returned to New York, Mr. Potter proudly wore his new smoking jacket at the Tuxedo Park Club and fellow members soon started having copies made for themselves which they adopted as their informal uniform for club "stag" dinners. As a result, the dinner jacket became known as a Tuxedo or Tux in America.

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Palazzo Pitti – The Apartment of the Duchess of Aosta. The guest of honor at Pitti Immagine Uomo was H.R.H. Prince Michael of Kent. Above, he is being shown round the The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring exhibition by it’s curator James Sherwood and by Pitti Immagine’s president, Count Gaetano Marzotto and his beautiful wife Albertina. They are looking at the bespoke navy yachting blazer and white flannel trousers inspired by King George V who was known as 'The Sailor King'. The ensemble was made in 2006 by Davies and Son, the Savile Row tailors were established over two hundred years ago. Davies & Son had the Royal Warrant of H. M. King George V, grandfather of H.R.H. Prince Michael of Kent.


Palazzo Pitti – The Apartment of the Duchess of Aosta. Pitti Immagine Uomo, celebrates Savile Row, the historic London street, that for over two hundred years has been the home to the world’s most exclusive tailors. The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring is a three part program: an exhibition in the apartment of the Duchess of Aosta, inside Palazzo Pitti, until February 14th, curated by James Sherwood and designed by Luca Trevisani. A Book, edited by James Sherwood and co-published by Fondazione Pitti Discovery and Marsilio Editori. And, finally, a showcase, at Villa Vittoria, featuring a select group of the Row’s tailors. “This edition of Pitti Uomo is dedicated to the spirit of a redefined elegance.” says Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine.


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Luisa Via Roma. During Pitti Immagine Uomo and until January 31st, the window of Luisa Via Roma, the multi brand boutique, is showing a video installation created by artist, Felice Limosani. Called Under My Skin, the videos are inspired by the conceptual themes of Alexander McQueen Puma collection; The anatomy of the body, body scanning and x-ray visual techniques.The monitors feature a parallel run of a puma and a man. The installation will be exhibited in galleries and stores in several cities worldwide.

The Fortezza da Basso. A pair of white winkle-picker sneakers, with black trim and metallic puma tag on a metal chain designed by Alexander McQueen for Puma, were shown at the Puma stand during Pitti Immagine Uomo.
Contessanally tips: click on blue links for instant access to their website. Click on photograph to enlarge.


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Wednesday, January 17, 2007

FLORENCE - Pitti Uomo

Luisa Via Roma Boutique. Lapo Elkann, heir to the Fiat automobile company, launched Italia Independent, or (I-I), that’s ‘eye-eyefor short, at Luisa Via Roma. Lapo is photographed with Andrea Panconesi, Luisa Via Roma’s creative and talented owner. Italia Independent is a nomadic dynamic brand set up to produce unique unisex innovative objects for independent people who refuse mass standardization and who are seekers of beauty over designer names or status symbols. The first in a series is a pair of sunglasses, named Server, made entirely in carbon. All I-I products are 100% conceived, developed and produced in Italy. They will be sold mainly online through www.Italiaindependent.com or at very select fashions stores around the world.

Detail: Nominated three times consecutively on Vanity Fair’s Best dressed List, style guru, Lapo Elkann is wearing jeans, sneakers and T shirt by laid-back Brazilian fashion label Osklen. The belt is a hand made tie in the tricolor of Italy. Each bracelet has it’s own story; the blue cord is from Brazil and the silver cuff comes from Tiffany & Co.We are all on the look out for happinessLapo commentated.

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