Monthly Archives: November 2008

My friends at the Dante Alighieri Society of Lanark have invited me once again to hold a lecture for them. The topic of tomorrow’s lecture is “Italian Art and Fashion”, though we won't explore only the Italian inspirations, but we'll … Continue reading →

There’s something that I genuinely hate about Glasgow: frost. Apart from being more insidiously dangerous than snow, since my hands and feet are usually cold even when outside is very warm, in frosty conditions I practically lose all the sensitivity … Continue reading →

Last week I heard that, starting from his Autumn/Winter 2009-2010 collection, the production and distribution of Milanese designer Gabriele Colangelo’s womenswear collection will be assigned to Mantua-based Castor, a company that will guarantee the young designer great quality and know-how. … Continue reading →

How to tackle the 2009 financial crisis is definitely one of our main worries. Forecasts are scary and wherever you turn to – the Internet, television or newspapers and magazines – you find tips on how to save money or  … Continue reading →

Mention the word embroidery in conjunction with fashion and you will get strange reactions: some people will probably just laugh; others will stare at you with a puzzled expression on their faces as they conjure up in their minds idyllic … Continue reading →

I had promised myself not to mention Elsa Schiaparelli until next year (after all, there are just a few weeks till the end of 2008…), but she kept on coming back to my mind since I heard about a very … Continue reading →

It’s only a coincidence, but in a way it’s symbolical: in 1949 Emilio Pucci launched his first beachwear collection in Capri, based on black-and-white prints by Guido Ravasi of Como. Exactly fifty years after that collection was launched, the Pucci … Continue reading →

Chances are that if you have seen amazing props in fashion photo shoots or, while passing in front of Selfridges’ windows in London, you were inexplicably attracted by some incredible displays, or ended up being mesmerised by the sets and … Continue reading →

Gossip magazines, television and the Internet have brought to our attention some of the most depressing images of celebrities we could have ever seen. Amy Winehouse's life has for instance been dissected in its seediest bits on thousands of magazines … Continue reading →

Many years ago I was involved in the Italian publication of Alexander Trocchi’s novel Young Adam. It was a project I approached with great passion and devotion, but I must admit that in my research I was also very lucky … Continue reading →