Photo: LIFEYesterday's photo of Luca di Montezemolo reminded me once again of the style debt we owe his mentor Gianni Agnelli, who died in 2003. One of Esquire's five "Best Dressed Men in the History of the World," Agnelli is the source of much of Montezemolo's style, from his conservative Caraceni suits to the deliberate errors he introduces to demonstrate sprezzatura, or nonchalance. The trick to these small idiosyncracies in dress is to work just one of them into an otherwise conservative ensemble.
Agnelli's idiosyncracies were perhaps his greatest contribution to men's style. In addition to the wristwatch worn over the shirt cuff, he was known for wearing:
- unbuttoned buttondown collars
- buttondown shirts with double breasted suits
- one random open jacket sleeve button
- knit ties with worsted suits
- wool ties with worsted suits
- brown suede half boots with suits
- necktie blades outside his crewneck sweater
Posts
10 comments:
At page 77 of the splendid book "Marinella, Napoli" (Maria Cicciniello, Ed. Mondadori Electa, 2004)Maurizio Marinella speaks about the last meeting he had with Agnelli:
"The las meeting I had with him took place in the historic main office of Fiat, on the fifth floor no. 10 corso Marconi in Turin.
I had received a telephone call from Romiti: `Mr. Agnelli would like to see you to choose some silk for his ties´. I arrived on the fifth floor feeling rather excited. I had seen him a few times before, fleetingly in the shop, but this was the first that he had asked expressly to see me alone. He greeted me in the long office. He was wearing a pin-striped suit, a wool tie,a shirt loosened at the colar; he had a refined elegance, of a very personal sort; no one could have worn those clothes with such style."
Amazing how some are able to set fashion while others look hopeless when they try. I am an ardent fan and will now employ a random button on my suit cuff; however, I am not sure I can pull off any of the rest.
I'll admit to the wool ties and knit ties with worsted suits. I'll admit to the unbuttoned jacket sleeve button every now and then...it's pretty standard here by now, but the rest? I just couldn't do the rest...
So, which Agnelli-ism do you employ Will?
I use the last four on that list, in roughly the same order of frequency.
Well done, Will, for bringing this very important aspect of men's clothing to the fore. Women dress with a deliberate attention to detail. For men, that detail is no less important, but should appear to be second-nature, almost accidental. A man's clothes should tell the world that he is a stylish and classic individual, but doesn't have to try too hard to achieve it.
I wonder what Agnelli's comment would have been if anyone (not understanding the reason for it) had pointed out to him that his jacket cuff was undone, or his collar not buttoned down? Would he have admitted to it being a deliberate affectation, or would he have feigned surprise and corrected his "faux pas"?!
I find the entire concept of sprezzatura to be the Italian equivalent of "I just got out of bed and didn't bother to comb my hair" look so popular among American teenage males and various Eurotrash models. Studied nonchalance is a contradiction in terms and worthy of the attention due any such contradiction. Yes, Agnelli dressed superbly, EXCEPT for his idiosyncracies which I think detracted rather than added to his look, and it is only his personal elegance that allowed him to escape the censure of the critics.
Thanks for the post Will. I personally love Agnelli's style.
On the topic of idiosyncracies, it seems like it is a delicate balance for one to come across as being genteel and not ostentatious. It appears that personality, body language and consistency are elements of one's style - all contributing to a sartorial high ground.
Even more, it has been said that one should know the rules before breaking them, and it helps to have developed an unshakable reputation for one's style before laying on the idiosyncracies.
I am interested in further discussion on this. Those unfamiliar with classic men's dress often label it as boring and uniform; yet we know better, and gentleman like Agnelli are perfect examples for respectful self expression.
In appreciation,
Charles
rip, as you say, it is one's personal elegance which permits spezzatura in the first place. Not everyone can pull it off.
Nor do I think that Agnelli's particular idiosyncrasies outght to be copied flat out. Those in the know will see the imitation, the rest wouldn't care anyway. (Ok, maybe as a slight, aknowledged hommage, it could work once in a while. Like using the watch bit as an Agnelli-costume to go to a fancy-dress party...).
For the original description of the art of spezzatura, see Baldesar Castiglione's "The Book of the Courtier", which is, essentially, a Renaissance-era guide to dandyism.
I love Agnelli style.
I was born in Turin, as him, and what I can say about some points of his "strange" elegance is that they are a way that people of my region use to come out from the typical understatement that is definitely the "local style". The Turin style is a very italian mix between london's grey suits and French's love for colored ties.
Regards
Fabrizio
Post a Comment