Attention
to detail, no
matter what
ALESSANDRO SQUARZI
Attention to detail. Always, no matter what. Alessandro Squarzi sits in his living room. He has a life rich in memories. Of them all, those from his life in the world of fashion are the ones that have changed him throughout the years. They transformed him, without a doubt, in to one of the most famous style icons in the world, immortalized by the shots of the most famous street-style photographers, Scott Schuman (The Sartorialist) above all. Founder of four showrooms (in Bologna, Florence, Ancona and Milan) and creator of brands (i.e., Fortela and AS65).
Attention
to detail, no
matter what
Alessandro lives his passions every day, while keeping three constant values in his life: respect, love for his hometown, Forlì, and his family.
△ Have you dreamed about working in fashion since you were a child?
Fashion has always been one of my passions. I still have photos from when I was in elementary school. All the boys were dressed in the same, perfect way, while I had my yellow collar coming out of the smock, because I needed to add something personal. I’ve always been attracted by beautiful things, but I could not afford them, so I would buy vintage clothes, like original Levi’s jeans from the ‘50s. Today, I have an archive of thousands of these articles, that I wear and collect. Every February I take part in Inspiration, a vintage fair in Los Angeles. It’s an event I absolutely cannot miss.
△ Who was your number one when you were a kid?
My dad (he says, smiling). He was a butcher and he was, and still is, one of the most elegant people I know, both in the way he dresses and in the way he moves. I look a lot like him, and we share a passion for horses. When I was a kid, in the afternoons we would go to the countryside and spend time together. He is my mentor, and he taught me that class is not something you can buy: either you have it or you don’t.
△ How has the world of fashion changed since the time you started?
Thirty years ago, there was no web and no globalization. Products are more easily and quickly available than in the past. Luckily, fashion changes. And I think that this change always takes inspiration from the past. Today, everything is faster. My brand, Fortela (which produces jackets, vests and trousers in Italian tailor shops, collaborating with Japanese artisans to produce some of the most unique textiles in the world), instead, is motionless: the idea is always the same. Even timing in fashion has changed: today, in June you can see winter coats already in shop windows. Maybe this anticipation is sometimes excessive, and does not let industry experts research new brands and creative entities. However, this process cannot be stopped: hence the birth of the projects «see now buy now».
Thirty years ago, there was no web and no globalization. Products are more easily and quickly available than in the past.
△ What does elegance mean, for you?
It is a lifestyle and clothes don’t make the man. The concept of elegance is connected to the way you behave with people, how you approach your team. This is always important, from the morning to the evening, and in every aspect of life, not only in fashion. You have to be «a real gentleman» on the inside, not only on the outside.
△ In this world, you were the first one to discover many brands and trends. Which ones do you remember with excitement and pride?
I created and discovered many brands that made history and are still famous and loved in the world, above all AS65, Fortela and Atlantic Stars. To understand trends even before their birth is maybe one of my winning secrets.
△ What’s the first thing you do in the morning, when you get to the office?
I smile at my people. I have a great relationship with my team (37 people). I delegate a lot, I exchange my views with them and I trust them. They appreciate this.
△ What are the «number one» values in your life?
The first thing is family. I am very attached to my origins and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The second thing is giving my word on something, that is to «stand up» for what I believe in.
△ Which country is, in your opinion, number one in trends today? Why?
On the level of buying and technology advancements, the South Korean people are number one. I was in Seoul, for the Korean fashion week: their mood is crazy.
They are fast, young and smart people. Instead, in terms of of culture, Japan is number one. They have been forward-thinking with fabrics, especially with the manufacturing of cotton, and through the use of ancient looms they have created unique textiles.
The concept of elegance is connected to the way you behave with people, how you approach your team.
△ How would you describe your style?
It’s my style, there is no other way to describe it. It has not changed with time: it goes from a formal suit to sneakers. But time hasn’t changed it.
△ Which are your favorite accessories?
I never have a pocket square in my jacket, it’s useless. Vintage watches (Omega above all) have always been my passion, maybe because of a «holy communion trauma», as I call it. It is the disillusion you feel when you desire a beautiful watch as a gift for a special event, but that doesn’t happen. Or maybe it comes from when my father would say, in our regional dialect: «never sell your watch, because if you do so it means we’re in times of crisis». That’s why I buy them. Speaking of classy shoes instead, I only choose Alden or Edward Green models. Then I have a bandana, which wear on my neck every day, with a T-shirt in summer or under a turtleneck in winter. Last thing, the socks, like the red ones I first wore the day I was discharged from the army. From then on, they became my style signature.
△ Three must-haves for the 2017 spring summer men’s collection?
The Gucci moccasin, minimal and classy. I find it very chic. The white cotton shirt, to wear a little crumpled. Last but not least, the jeans «of a lifetime», the ones with which you have lived all of your beautiful experiences.
△ Tell me one of the best memories in your career.
The day I met my wife, Alessia, with whom I spent many years working. We shared many beautiful experiences. She gave me the sense of concreteness.
△ What do you expect for the next ten years?
On a human level, I would like to see less mediocrity in people. And that everyone would be a bit more conscious in what they do. For fashion, I think it will keep on changing and becoming more technological.
△ What does it mean to «be number one» in 2017?
It means having great responsibility, both for yourself and for others. This is what you need in order to show that you are number one, in every occasion. ▲
