Sagely Sartorial Advice from Luciano Barbera



FlyingMonkey said:

If more members just read and absorbed this for a while, there would be a lot fewer pointless arguments in SF MC...

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Inspired by a recent thread, and taking off from another thread, the following could describe most people's sartorial evolution . . .

Why reinvent the wheel? Build from there instead. Take what you will, and leave the rest . . .


Q&A with Luciano Barbera

Q: Are there any style combinations that you object to?

Yes, wearing jeans for any occasion.


Q: Please describe your style in three words.

Sober, classic, but modern.


Q: What is the biggest mistake one can make when getting dressed?

To dress for others and not for yourself.


Q: Do you believe in role models?

If it has to do with ethics and behaving correctly, yes.


Q: What are your favourite fabrics?

A fulled fabric for winter, and linen and wool canvasses in summertime.


Q: Which city has the best-dressed men?

Milano, of course.


Q: Would you say that you are conservative or bold?

Neither.


Q: What are the rules, if any, in the way you dress?

I want to please myself; that’s it.


Q: Celebrities and style…

Unfortunately, this is a combination that very often only leads to boorishness.


Q: One garment/accessory that you can never have enough of?

Suits in carded flannel and ties.


Q: Who taught you what you know about style?

A good tailor, a good shirtmaker, a good shoemaker, and the presumption of believing in myself.


Q: How do you select your clothing every morning?

Following my mood, and in relation with what I have to do during the day.


Q: Do you have any shopping rituals?

I only look for what I would like to have in that specific moment.


Q: We will never see you wearing…

…white socks and sandals!


Q: The most stylish person you have ever seen…

There is more than one, so I won’t name them in order not to wrong anybody.


Q: What is the first thing you notice on a man?

The shoes they’re wearing.


Q: What are the most treasured items in your wardrobe?

My carded flannel suits in their grey and blue nuances.


Q: Is comfort an enemy of style?

Not at all. A stylish and elegant man wears what he wears because he seeks comfort.


Q: Which designer never fails to impress you?

Ralph Lauren.


Q: Who would you like to see next in “My style”?

My daughter Carola Barbera.


Q: The best word of advice you have ever heard?

‘Sprezzatura,’ which literally means detachment or understatement.



- M

^^^^ Amazing insight. Thank you for posting it.

His positive comments on Ralph Lauren are quite an endorsement.
To me, Lauren's project over the past forty years has been to mine
the various Anglo/Ivy styles from the 30s to the 60s and market them
to the patrician- emulators, myself included. Maybe Barbera is doing the
same but with an "Italian accent".

If Vox were here, he would tell you "Luciano Barbera tells you to suck it".



SpooPoker said:

If Vox were here, he would tell you "Luciano Barbera tells you to suck it".

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Why did FCorb go off the air?



SpooPoker said:

If Vox were here, he would tell you "Luciano Barbera tells you to suck it".

Click to expand...

^ Actually, he would say, "Nice try, smalltimers. Now f*ck off."



- M



jrd617 said:

Why did FCorb go off the air?

Click to expand...

Off the air? Not so. In fact, FC/Vox seems to be channeling my remarks.
His photo of Signor Barbera could well be a Polo ad, except for the
Maestro's age and the Fiat (500?) windshield:

http://www.voxsartoria.com/

^ Hmmm, he's in monitoring mode . . .





- M

What's carded flannel?



joonian said:

What's carded flannel?

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Wool is "carded" or combed to separate the fibers. I assume the translation is garbled but is meant to convey a flannel with a lot of texture.

In that case, I love that **** too.



saint said:

Wool is "carded" or combed to separate the fibers. I assume the translation is garbled but is meant to convey a flannel with a lot of texture.

Click to expand...

Probably more nap than texture. I think of tweed(s) as having texture.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flannel

Since we are on the topic of advice, Andrea Perrone, former CEO of Brioni, also has some nice things to say about Italian style.

Q: How do you define style?

Style is something you’ve got inside. You can appear elegant and stylish even with a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, because everything comes from your education and how you behave.

Q: Do you have any rules when it comes to the way you dress? If yes, what are they?

A morning suit should never be black!

Color is acceptable for shirt and or ties.

Black shoes should never be worn with a brown suit.

It is a must to wear a tie with a suit.
Every gentleman must own a blue blazer and grey pants (you can play easily with a fancy shirt, with or without ties, for the informal moment; with a shirt with classic ties in any formal occasion… It’s a jolly!).

Formal shoes should always be worn with socks (I wear socks even with boat shoes).

A tie’s knot should never be too big or wide.

For an evening suit, plain blue or charcoal grey with a white shirt (in this case I love to wear colorful ties).

Always wear a tuxedo when there is a black tie code.

Q: What are your favorite fabrics?

For knitwear: silk cashmere. For coat and jacket: cashmere in winter and superlight wool in summer. For tie: shining silk.

Q: Are there any combinations that you you do not feel comfortable in trying?

A sleeveless shirt with a jacket.

Q: If there is one article of clothing that a man needs to pay close attention to, it has to be…

Let’s summarize saying that the main rule is “never be excessive”: from tip to toe, the whole should be harmonic related to the moment of the day.

Q: If we could generalize it, which city has the best-dressed men?

I think nowadays it’s difficult to generalize because you can find “the best” in different places and countries. We live in a world of globetrotters.

Q: What is the first thing you notice on a man?

A part of the total look which represents the first impact: accessories. They are the most important things. Above all, shoes (in terms of chromatic choice) and ties (for the sense of taste on choosing them).

Q: Would you say that you are conservative or bold?

Let’s say both, in different percentages. I am conservative but I could be bold in some details.

Q: One garment/accessory that you can never have enough of?

Ties.

Q: A man should always look like…

A man.

harryx2 said:

Since we are on the topic of advice, Andrea Perrone, former CEO of Brioni, also has some nice things to say about Italian style.
Q: How do you define style?
Style is something you’ve got inside. You can appear elegant and stylish even with a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, because everything comes from your education and how you behave.
Q: Do you have any rules when it comes to the way you dress? If yes, what are they?
A morning suit should never be black!
Color is acceptable for shirt and or ties.
Black shoes should never be worn with a brown suit.
It is a must to wear a tie with a suit.
Every gentleman must own a blue blazer and grey pants (you can play easily with a fancy shirt, with or without ties, for the informal moment; with a shirt with classic ties in any formal occasion… It’s a jolly!).
Formal shoes should always be worn with socks (I wear socks even with boat shoes).
A tie’s knot should never be too big or wide.
For an evening suit, plain blue or charcoal grey with a white shirt (in this case I love to wear colorful ties).
Always wear a tuxedo when there is a black tie code.
Q: What are your favorite fabrics?
For knitwear: silk cashmere. For coat and jacket: cashmere in winter and superlight wool in summer. For tie: shining silk.
Q: Are there any combinations that you you do not feel comfortable in trying?
A sleeveless shirt with a jacket.
Q: If there is one article of clothing that a man needs to pay close attention to, it has to be…
Let’s summarize saying that the main rule is “never be excessive”: from tip to toe, the whole should be harmonic related to the moment of the day.
Q: If we could generalize it, which city has the best-dressed men?
I think nowadays it’s difficult to generalize because you can find “the best” in different places and countries. We live in a world of globetrotters.
Q: What is the first thing you notice on a man?
A part of the total look which represents the first impact: accessories. They are the most important things. Above all, shoes (in terms of chromatic choice) and ties (for the sense of taste on choosing them).
Q: Would you say that you are conservative or bold?
Let’s say both, in different percentages. I am conservative but I could be bold in some details.
Q: One garment/accessory that you can never have enough of?
Ties.
Q: A man should always look like…
A man.

Click to expand...

Even the best get it wrong from time to time.
-Perrone: Socks with boat shoes
-Barbera: Jeans are never acceptable

Maybe if you're 70+. Socks with boat shoes.....



comrade said:

Off the air? Not so. In fact, FC/Vox seems to be channeling my remarks.
His photo of Signor Barbera could well be a Polo ad, except for the
Maestro's age and the Fiat (500?) windshield:
http://www.voxsartoria.com/

Click to expand...

Renault 4, I suspect.

I like the advice of these two wealthy Italian men whose livelihood is based around clothes, but I suspect that, because I am in fact an art student from the 'burbs, I shouldn't take it nearly as seriously as they do.