Dinner in Versilia.

There are fashion pictures and photos of actors and actresses hanging on the walls just like at Paper Moon in Milan, the Via Bagutta restaurant which since the 70s  has become the meeting place for all fashion insiders. We are in Tuscany, more specifically in Massa, Versilia..totally different atmosphere and habits and a wholesome yet quite special menu, to avoid the obvious. Convitto it’s a refined 50s style restaurant,  recommended twice in the Gambero Rosso’s Guide: not the typical restaurant as they also sell design pieces, clothes and accessories (everything in the restaurant it’s available to buy, from the chandelier to the chairs). The high standard fashion selection includes coats, denim and footwear: it is basically the only “boutique” in the area where’s possible to find Church’s Shanghai shoes, which have been realized in the same shape of those worn by Galeazzo Ciano, when he was Italian Consul in China. On top, the Convitto restaurant in Massa, Versilia.

When fine art photography made us dream.

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

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

L’house music ha ormai assunto molteplici sfaccettature determinate da un’evoluzione, che ne ha forse confuso le vere origini. Ma quando si parla di deep house di certo non si può non citare il nome di Kerri Chandler. Nato nel New Jersey nel 1969, sin da piccolo Chandler eredita dal padre dj la passione per la musica che, in quegli anni intensi e ricchi di stimoli, divampa in lui sempre più viva e accesa. Chandler inizia poi a frequentare i club newyorkesi durante il periodo clou della deep-house, nei quali si esibivano i migliori dee jay dell’epoca, ricordati tutt’oggi come miti indiscussi. Progresso, innovazione e azzardi non rientrano nel mood di Kerri Chandler, eterno affezionato e fedele alla cassa piena e a campionature di suoni profondi che ne svelano il vissuto invidiabile. Ritmo, strumenti musicali e voci nere, graffianti e no, regnano sovrani nei suoi set, ma anche nelle sue innumerevoli produzioni distribuite dalle migliori label mondiali. Si potrebbe parlare per ore di quei tempi, ma vi consiglio di premere il pulsante “play” su un suo podcast o su un video disponibile su YouTube per essere catapultati nelle atmosfere soul e uniche dei club più esclusivi della East Coast degli anni ‘90. Testo di Alessandro Doria

Hause music has changed in many ways through its evolution so there is an element of confusion about its origins.  Talking  about deep house, how not to mention Kerri Chandler? Chandler was born in New Jersey in 1969, his dad was a dj and since Kerri  was very young he always had passion for music which  became stronger and stronger through the years. Later on while the deep house was booming, he used to go to the best New York clubs where the best djs of the 90s were playing (they are still remembered as legends). Progress, innovation and hazards are not his style,  he’s always been faithful to his deep sound samples and his whole speaker system, you can tell by those habits he had an enviable past. His dj sets are based on rhythm, instruments and scratchy (or not) black voices, that also applies to the music he produces in collaboration with the best music labels worldwide. We could keep on talking about those days for hours but instead I recommend to find one of his podcasts or videos on youtube and press “play”, that should be enough to take you back to the top clubs of the 90s on the East Coast where the atmosphere was truly unique. Testo di Alessandro Doria

SHOP THE LOOK

Giubbino in denim J Brand, camicia in flanella Mauro Grifoni, tshirt in cotone Acne.

Cinque tasche in denim Nine in the Morning.