The logo, this well-known. Tom Ford even “drew” the G of Gucci on the most intimate part of the model. The sharp journalist Natalia Aspesi didn’t come forward with positive or negative comments, but she declared, lapidary: “Tom Ford has found the G-spot”. But that was an adv. What happens if the mere mortal, not a mannequin or a celebrity, completely primps with logos, randomly and everywhere? “Logoed” garments, especially for men, are fairly dangerous: it’s easy to drift into vulgarity, and to show a lack of personality. A completely different matter when the logo is shown in a moderate way and when it appears only once in the outfit, for example on the belt buckle, or on the briefcase, maybe on a leather or metal bracelet. To sum up, style is recognisable also in sobriety and good taste used to show the “object of desire”. In this case, the logo is welcome. The initials of Louis Vuitton carved in stone (project of Barthélémy & Griño).

Eclecticisms. The dressing gown. Worn in the 18th century in cafes and bistrot, then used only at home, and finally snubbed as a dismal and “ancient” garment in the second half of the 20th century, today it has been reevaluated, becoming a strating point for some collections. The robe de chambre and other recalls to a certain noble home-menswear, like the pajamas’ stripes, are infact on the catwalks: some designers suggest an idea of comfort and beauty linked to the main exponents of dandyism in the past, from Cecil Beaton to Oscar Wilde. This is a trend dedicated to “special” men, with a leading personality and an eclectic and creative cultural depth, that places intimism in consumer fashion. On the right, the cover of the UK magazine “Man and his Clothes” (1936).

From 1913 till today, during last century, the brand Prada has been changed from the supplier of luxury accessories of the italian royal court and the european elite to a worldwide icon. Its menswear’s total-look project was born in the 90s and it is a declaration of intent from the start: breaking the rules of conformism staying true to a classic/traditional clothing at the same time. From then on, Prada keeps on changing and designs a new man every season. Even if it overturns the previous collection everytime, the concept remains intact: the Prada man is recognisable from miles away. From nylon clothes of the 90s to skimpy cardigans made of silk and wool of 2002; from the collection with origami-garlands to geometrical pop of 2003. In the second part of the 2010s there’s a return of the camelhair coat, today there’s a return of a “rounded” shape of a ’98 show. In this page, there are looks of other brands that can give a hard time to Mrs. Prada.

Divergent thinking. Wide trousers with turn-up, maybe intentionally turned on a leg for this picture, pullover with a wide oval neckline worn on the bare skin, watch with a round clock face, penny loafers and…white, short socks. The etiquette of menswear has very strict rules, and one of them is about socks: they mustn’t be white nor short. But history of fashion and style icons prove just the opposite. The picture we are talking about is from 1951. More than sixty years have passed by, but this is here, flawless, to show us that the charm of some men and of a certain movie iconography is timeless. Is breaking the rules a luxury allowed only to movie, literature and art stars? Maybe. But the temptation to revalue that casual-chic look, which is so “imperfect” in its elegance, is really strong: try to add some garments, to set the tone of the outfit, and see if it works. Gene Kelly in 1951, picture by Alfred Eisenstaedt.

Geometries. “Colors for a large wall” (in the picture) is an artwork by Ellsworth Kelly. I saw it for the first time at the MoMa in NY: a huge painting with perfectly symmetrical white and coloured checks, placed in the middle of a wide white wall. The American artist is one of the first figures of the Hard Edge Painting, developped during his years in Paris, between 1948 and 1954. Colour geometries have been used in fashion by the early Kenzo and Castelbajac, and today by brands loved by young people. Those fabrics, printed with stripes and checks, are included in the s/s collections, but softened by pastel colours or cooled by grey and blue shades and fibres that look technical. They are an important trend in classicwear too, but with some imperceptible but clear fashion sign, as in the case of the Brioni s/s collection by Brendan Mullane. Detail of “Colors for a Large Wall” by Ellsworth Kelly (1951)