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.
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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 14^th. 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.
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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 15^th 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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