MILAN–The biggest and most monumental show dedicated to Leondardo Da Vinci: “Leonardo Da Vinci 1452-1519″ was held in Milan, from April 16 to July 19. The show ran parallel to Expo 2015 and commemorated the grand master’s birthday, which is April 15 1452.

We were lucky enough to catch the exhibit which took five years to curate and housed hundreds of Da Vinci’s sketches and paintings that were brought to Milan’s Royal Palace, from museums and collections from around the world – from the Louvre, the private collection of Queen Elizabeth II and from various museums including Milan’s shrine to the great maestro’s works Pinacoteca Ambrosiana.

Divided into 12 sections, the exhibit illustrated the life of the 15th and 16th century architect, painter, scientist and engineer – culminating in the gold-beating machine and the self-propelled cart, which is considered to be an ancient precursor to the automobile.

Seven pictorial masterpieces by Leondardo were on display: the “St. Jerome” which was donated by the Vatican Museums; the “Dreyfus Madonna,” from the National Gallery of Art in Washington; the “Head of a Woman” from the Galleria Nazionale di Parma;”The Portrait of a Musician” from the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana; and three iconic pieces from the Louvre: “the Belle Ferroniere,” “The Annunciation” and the “St. John the Baptist.”

After roaming the endless halls of Da Vinci’s works, we were treated to a virtual reality experience provided by Samsung, which through its VR Goggles, we were able to view the “Being Leonardo” app by Skira, which took us on a journey of the artists life in Milan and Florence.

IN THIS ISSUE: 5 Vie: Da Vinci’s Neighborhood Today,  Laboratorio Paravicini’s Fashion Plates,  Angela Florio of DecorAzione,  Italy’s Largest Collection of Da Vinci’s Works ,  5Vie: The Art of Restoration Endures, BACO STYLE: Lidia Pellecchia’s Sartorial Style,  BACO STYLE: Uberta Zambeletti of Wait and See,   Al Pascia': Pipes to Leather Goods , Fabio Crippa: The Ancient Art of Stone Cutting, Lorenzo Borghi: Old School Milliner

Is women’s fashion becoming more conservative? Are we obfuscating the lines between casual, work and evening wear even more? Is the Savile Row men’s craze bleeding into women’s wear? Or has the “safe fashion” Kate Middleton-effect marched from Kensington Palace and onto the runways of Milan and Paris?

This fall winter 2015/16 fashion season, I spotted lots of sartorial looks for women on the catwalk. But in reality, I had my eye on the trend a bit earlier, especially after interviewing brands like Kiton and Rubinacci in September, who both told me about the growing appetite for women’s made-to-measure men’s items. In fact fabled Neapolitan suit maker Kiton this season unfurled a women’s ready-to-wear collection in the spirit of their men’s line.

In terms of bespoke, our curves make it a bit difficult for traditional Neapolitan tailors, who lived through WWII and are used to dressing the quintessential Italian gentleman.

“There is one huge problem,” Luca Rubinacci told me. “It has to do with the anatomy of the woman. Tailors groan when a woman wants to make a bespoke blazer. It is no easy task.”

Still, the blazer is one of the easiest things a woman can put on. What really inspired this issue was an encounter that took place over one year ago, when I discovered a brand named Blazè, which at the time, functioned as a small atelier, much like the millinery that Coco Chanel serviced her friends with before she became a worldwide sensation. Met with coffee, homemade cake and girly chatter, I was able to create my own signature blazer with my initials and my measurements. I now have three. Since then, Blazè has been featured in Vogue, W and Style.com and is on an upward trajectory that, you never know, could be similar to Coco’s. I like to think so.

All of this has reminded me of the fashion hall of famers that have made the tomboy look so sexy: Catherine Deneuve, Katharine Hepburn, Bianca Jagger, Diane Keaton and even Emmanuelle Alt. They all share a certain kind of male confidence that makes them so appealing, especially among other women.

I once heard Carolina Herrera say in an interview that the most fashionable thing a woman can wear is something she feels comfortable in. A blazer facilitates that sense of comfort and highlights the face and the décolletage. 

I think Kiton’s Maria Giovanna Paone (daughter of the brand’s founder Ciro) describes the phenomenon best: “Women’s minds are continuously changing. Men’s interests now are also women’s interests.”

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Blaze': A Blazer Revolution, CB Made in Italy’s Cecilia Bringheli, RACIL: Smoking the French Way, BACO STYLE: Lidia Pellecchia’s Sartorial Style , Female Sartorial Style: From the Atelier to the Runway , Puglia’s Tagliatore: Amping Up Women’s Wear 

 SEE HOW THE BLAZER TREND WENT FROM ARTISAN TO THE RUNWAY IN THIS GALLERY: 

Preparing your wardrobe for fashion week can be daunting, due to an unrelenting schedule of events and travel agenda. Kiev’s top fashion maven and Mercedes-Benz Kiev Fashion Days creative director Daria Shapovalova reveals her secret to making a splash at the shows, despite a frenetic schedule:

1. I have a number of great hats that work well for street style.

2. A number of great accessories, like statement necklaces and earrings I can pair with a dresses.

3. Statement bag like a Balenciaga or Prada.

4. I keep my bags small. I just need an iPhone.

5. Travel light. I put all the bigger items in my camera man’s backpack.

6. Lots of colorful pieces.

Florence, Italy–Our team is in the cradle of the Renaissance scouting the best in artisanal-quality products and mens fashions at premier trade fair Pitti Uomo. The best part of Pitti is the street fashions and the “peacock” parade of dandies. BACOLuxury has collected some tips on how to get the look:

1. The jacket is an important element. It is all about classic jackets with particular fitting and blazers that differ in terms of dimensions, that range from very short to long.
Maria Giovanna Paone, Vice President, Italy-based Kiton

2. Vests draped over the jacket or inside. Anything goes in terms of scarves – from silk foulards to winter-style blankets.
Katsuaki Tanimoto, 40, of Japan’s retail merchandise Cascade Corp.

3. Pants and a nice shirt, vest with a hooded jacket, to casualize everything else. Elegant shoes… always.
Silio Danti, Florence-based photographer.

4. I recommend some sunglasses. I really like Cutler and Gross. They are handmade and wear really well.
Stefan Furenbrink, 39, of London-based Richard James Bespoke

5. Pocket squares used to be used as something you dry your forehead with. Your pocket square HAS to be untidy. Perfect is just so tacky.
Marco Kinloch Herbertson, 28, Creative Director of Como-based silk scarf maker Kinloch

7. Pegged, folded cuff, slim-fit pants.

8.  You have to have a beard.
Johane Collet, 27, designer of French shoe brand Jour Ferie’

–By Sofia Celeste and Bonnie Dain 

MILAN–Malaysian-born, Belgium-based Edmund Ooi  is the latest designer to be “made” by the godfather of Italian fashion.  Ooi will show his fall winter 2015/16 collection at the Armani/Teatro during mens fashion week here on January 17.

Ooi garnered recognition last June with the sci-fi, architectonic spring summer 2015 collection he presented at Pitti Uomo’s “Fashion Buzz” section. His designs, he said at the time, are “not for a normal person but someone who wants to create a sense of fantasy.” 

While Armani himself does not personally present the designers, opening up his show space has helped serve as a global launching pad for many emerging designers like Andrea Pompilio, Stella Jean, Julian Zigerli and Au Jour le Jour’s Diego Marquez and Mirko Fontana.

Ooi talks to BACO’s Editor-in-Chief Sofia Celeste and tells us what it feels like to be helped out by the godfather of Italian fashion: 

What did it feel like to get the call from Armani’s people?
Unbelievable and super excited!

How would you describe your own style?
In short, tailoring with a twisted influence of science fiction.

How has your diverse background had an impact on your label?
The mix of cultures makes me look at things differently. People think it’s normal [to be diverse] but find it very interesting.

What materials are going into the collection that will show at Armani Theater?

Wool, rubber, triacetate, silk, wool jacquard, techno duchess and faux fur.

What are some key highlights of the collection?

With the collection, it started with something completely different as what I am used to but the result came out well. You will see it at the show.

Have you worked with any artisans and if so who and where do they come from?

Malhia Kent from Paris for some customized jacquard.

Simone Marchetti, deputy editor-in-chief of the women’s lifestyle section of Italy’s Repubblica.it is a regular at fashion week here in Milan.  In this issue, he shares how he gets ready for the shows, travels light and writes stories on the fly. 

1. Keep it simple. Never be too much. Everyone is doing too much. The simpler, the better.

2. Always make a mistake. Just one. Never be perfect.

3. Have a beautiful haircut: It must be like a statement.

4. Travel light. Send all your luggage from your home with bagexpress.it: it is quick and safe. And you travel very light.

5. Iphone 6 plus: You don’t need any other devices (pc, camera, ipad…). Extra-battery suggested.

–Valentina Accardo

The hat is once again the most important wardrobe item.

The last time I was inspired to wear hats regularly was in the 1980’s, when sensations like the New Kids on the Block and Debbie Gibson – brought bowling hats back in vogue, just like they did the Running Man, the Roger Rabbit and the Cabbage Patch dance moves.

After seasons of runway shows and Pitti Uomos, and with mens sartorial fashion in full upswing, hats are again something more than just an occasional party favor for annual events like the Kentucky Derby, the Chelsea Flower Show or the Orticola garden extravaganza here in Milan.

In fact, hats are once again the most important item in one’s wardrobe. Not just because they are atop one’s head, but because the hat allows consumers to express their true selves without defying societal norms. 

Trilbies, panamas and stockman hats are regular appearances on the streets of LA, New York and Milan and among A-list stars like Pharrell Williams and Cameron Diaz. This week, we feature real fashion icons like Luca Rubinacci, the 33-year-old style icon. The dapper heir to the legendary Neapolitan tailor, says he never leaves home without his beaver fedora, which he has crafted to magically fold and wrinkle and somehow pop perfectly back into place. We also feature a photo of Helen Nonini in Altalen’s elaborate turbans. Nonini is playing a pivotal role in ushering in the turban trend on the streets of Milan.

In addition to Altalen, we have also profiled Laura Gamba, a young, determined businesswoman who despite all odds, has risen to the occasion in order to make her family’s company, Panizza, famous once again in a modern age. And finally, Lorenzo Borghi, the 74-year-old Milanese milliner, whose hats have adorned the likes of Queen Elizabeth II.

This week, we would like to highlight that there are many talented hat makers around the world, who don’t have access to the marketing teams that some of the bigger brands do. Buying a hat from an artisan, who comes from a long line of milliners or from a small atelier that aspires to make individualized art for the head, is making an investment in something that will last throughout the generations.

BACI,

Sofia