My Style: Alberto Scaccioni
Portrait: Giovanni Santarelli d'Angelo
The three essential things a man should know about style are…
Elegance is a matter of balance, style is a matter of personality. Try to learn something from other people but do develop your own style. Be confident with yourself, everything else will come easy.
Please describe your style in three words.
Classic with (a) twist.
What is the biggest mistake one can make when getting dressed?
Pretending to be someone you are not.
Do you believe in role models?
No, every human being has the potential to be a hero or an idiot, depending on the situations. With that being said, I trust human beings in general, but I do not like icons or role models. We're just humans!
What are your favourite fabrics?
Heavyweight fabrics, and rough and masculine fabrics: it could be linen, cotton or wool, but it has to show some toughness and grit. I try to mirror myself in the fabrics I choose.
Which city has the best-dressed men?
Tokyo, Napoli, and Florence.
Would you say that you are conservative or bold?
I'm a very bold conservative!
What are the rules in the way you dress?
Think confident, feel confident, act confident.
Celebrities and style...
They really inspired us in the past, but nowadays…it's better to take cue from the men on the street!
Name one garment/accessory that you can never have enough of?
Shoes, ties, scarves, and sweaters.
A man should always look like…
Himself.
Are there any style combinations that you object to?
Apart from white socks with a suit and the T-shirt under the shirt (something that I hate), I could say “never say never”. But for sure there are several things I dislike from pinstriped shirts with a pinstriped suit, to ton-sur-ton outfits or unbalanced outfits. Dressing is a language, therefore I look for fluidity. But I could also say that dressing is an art where less is more so…more than “style combinations”, I object to “too much” attitude. Please, less accessories, less “things”, and less patterns but with maximum importance to each single thing!
Who taught you what you know about style?
I am self-taught, but I was lucky enough to stay close to some true masters of style. One of them is Mr Alfredo Canessa, the founder of Malo and owner of Ballantyne.
How do you select your clothing every morning?
It depends on my mood, on the schedule and also on the weather. Usually I start from the jacket, but sometimes from the shoes or even the tie.
What is your biggest regret?
In any case, no regrets! I could have chosen many different paths and I could have been happier…or not, who knows? But I know that I'm here today and I'm happy with it.
Do you have any shopping rituals?
If I'm in a foreign country I always look for something local, something peculiar, and something with a local identity that will remind me of that place.
We will never see you wearing...
Pyjamas and slippers.
The most stylish person you have ever seen...
My grandfather Alberto, Alfredo Canessa, Franco Minucci, Simone Righi, Yasuto Kamoshita and so many others…
What is the first thing you notice on a man?
The expression on his face, then the shoes.
Which new designers do you follow and why?
Young Italians who have found a balance between craftsmanship, heritage, and fashion such as SuperDuper Hats, Camo, and Gray or conceptual Japanese such as Kenny Kusano, Haversack, and so on. Of course, I also like big names like Hedi Slimane, Thom Browne, Tom Ford and the likes…
The only article of clothing that a man needs to pay close attention to is…
His shoes.
What are the most treasured items in your wardrobe?
My rings.
Is comfort an enemy of style?
Comfort for the sake of comfort brings you to pyjamas and slippers…so maybe it’s not an enemy but a friend to be careful with.
Which designer never fails to impress you?
Hedi Slimane: he has a punk rock attitude that I like very much.
Who would you like to recommend for My Style?
Matteo Gioli from SuperDuper Hats, Salvatore Ambrosi, Sam Lambert and Shaka Maidoh, and Simone Righi (a true master).
The best words of advice you have ever heard?
“Count to a hundred before opening your mouth”.
