elegance

The Met Gala circus

Bad taste portrayed

People may think that events such as Met Gala offer hints of elegance. Please, forget it. Raised eyebrows were our reaction to viewing the pictures, not for facial gymnastics but as a sign of perplexity. What’s the point of that insane parade?

Our last post was about elegance, what went wrong with it, why bad taste prevailed, and here comes the Met Gala to present further suggestions.

Met Gala – What is it?

Born for the purpose of charity, Met Gala is the annual fundraising event of the Costume Institute Gala by the New York Metropolitan Museum Of Art. Every year there’s a different theme, and so the guests have to dress for that theme.

The problem is that dressing to a theme got out of hand. So now we see celebrities dressed as clowns whose unspoken message is a cry for attention, an attitude that resembles social media communication. And so, even if the charitable purpose is worthy, the sad show offered by the clownesque looks makes it seem paradoxical.

Tom Ford, who showed up in a classic black tailcoat, said: “I don’t really do themes”. Also, he declared that the event turned “into a costume party”. We couldn’t agree more. Tom Ford’s words were really on point. Like his outfit, which was impeccable. Elegant indeed.

Lately, the Met Gala looks recalled more of the “Carnevale di Viareggio” rather than a stylish event. (Side note: Carnevale di Viareggio is one of the biggest carnival shows in Italy and the world).

Finally, we go back to the point: elegance is dead, and there are no style icons. In other words, we are in the bad taste era, where the language that dominates is the social media language, and the need to impress others is all that counts.

Met Gala? Elegance has nothing to do with that.

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The diffusion of bad taste

Why elegance is dead

Bad taste has never been so dominant. You see it in fashion magazines, street style outfits, events, workplaces, everywhere.
People cannot dress properly. And dressing up depending on the occasion does not seem to be a rule, so the dress code is dead along with elegance. Definitely, we can say that bad taste has caught on. Yet, they call it fashion!

However, good taste is not limited to luxury clothes. Indeed, we see many rich people wearing expensive clothes, but without a trace of elegance. Just scroll through your social media, and the show is served with disarmingly gross images. But the same tacky style dominates television too. There are no icons of elegance anymore.

About elegance

We came across this interview Stefano Pilati released to Vice in 2012. Still very current and worth reading. We quote him:

“My idea of elegance—and this refers to women as well as men—is that someone is elegant when he or she shows a good knowledge of what fits them, where you can find naturalness and self-esteem. Not showing off. Elegance is the idea of showing an optimistic depiction of oneself and to lose oneself in the frivolity of style and fashion. Nowadays nobody gives a shit about being elegant, or chic. If you’re doing it, you’re doing it for yourself, because it’s your way of being. When you’re not thinking, “This is fashion,” and you’re not buying clothes to create statements, you’re on the right path. If fashion goes low waisted and you’re fat bottomed, well, forget it; don’t put slim-fitting jeans on. They’re going to look awful on you. You should dress in black; it would be better.

But seriously, it’s not easy to find elegant women. There are a few, the majority of whom are old—and there are one or maybe two in the world who created a new style when they were young. Today when I go to New York and survey art and fashion, I see smart women and the level is high. But there’s a difference between this and saying a woman is elegant.”

Clearly, the downfall started a while ago, it’s just more evident now.

The bad taste era – What went wrong?

The diffusion of bad taste is a phenomenon strictly connected to the decadence of our society. To put it another way, it is a cultural issue. In fact, in a context of growing uncertainty, we lost the points of reference. Many rules and roles collapsed. We seemed to have acquired certain freedom, which unfortunately reveals more about rudeness and lack of manners than freedom of expression.

If elegance is a dying breed, the problem is rooted in our society.
Culture is at the heart of the issue, but if elegance is dead and bad taste takes its place, it signifies our culture is in a poor state.

We should rediscover a sense of limit and dignity.

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The exception to the rule

They say every rule has its exception. And, of course, we couldn’t escape. A few days ago, we wrote that fashion Maisons whose original designer has left, lose their meaning.

Indeed, this is not the case with Valentino, the exception to the rule.
Since the duo Piccioli – Chiuri has split from co-designing the brand, Mr Pierpaolo Piccioli didn’t miss a single beat. Though, we cannot say the same about Chiuri’s work.

From the moment he went solo, Piccioli’s design has been a celebration of the Valentino codes. He carefully paid respect to the founder’s work, elaborating the brand DNA while adding a touch of modernity. Elegance has certainly not been lost.

On July 15, we saw the Fall/Winter 21-22 Valentino couture show, streamlined from Venice’s Gaggiandre, Arsenale. What better occasion to find a valid exception to the above rule. The show was a dialogue between fashion and art, presented from a magnificent set-up.

If fashion is not art, it is true that both forms of expression have many aspects in common: creativity, the vital and founding element that determines the whole process. But also time, experimentation, and skilled hands. All these are crucial elements needed to reach a perfect realization.

For the show, Pierpaolo Piccioli collaborated with 17 painters, and the final result was sublime. The overlapping of bold colours was a joy for the eye, a breath of fresh air. The fluid silhouettes and clean-cut lines, the game of form and colours, showed a modern way to make couture.

Impeccable tailoring and know-how. Effortless beauty and elegance.
An expression of art. And a real celebration of couture.

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Que fantastica esta fiesta

It was impossible for us not to dedicate a post to the one and only Raffaella Carrà. She was the heart of our nights out with the rhythm of her happy songs! Our beloved icon suddenly left us on 5 July.

Women owe her a lot. Her humble, empathetic and cheerful personality offered a positive role model inspiring absolute freedom and acceptance. Maybe, for this reason, she became a gay icon too.

Besides, her ironic but never vulgar temper contributed a lot to educate our society, influencing our culture more than any law or government. She taught us her values such as kindness, inclusivity, openness, and always working persistently.

A great artist, icon and positive role model

These are some of her quotes:

“To me, the world is not made of gay and straight but of creatures.”

“I am in favor of stepchild adoption, I too grew up with two women.”

“I grew up without a father. He was wealthy but too playboy, and my mother divorced in 1945. I never wanted to get married, and it always pissed me off not being able to adopt children without the obligation of this ring.”

Furthermore, she was the first to unveil her belly button in 1969 on the tv screen, wearing a crop top on bell-bottoms. Her innate elegance allowed her to send messages about female agency with her sex-positive songs.
And perhaps that was the point: her elegance. She was never gross whatever she did, whatever she wore.

Also, this is relevant to the recent controversy about some female Italian singers. They state that they were criticized for their clothing, while men, instead, are free to wear whatever they want.
If this can be true, and in fact, it often is, we have to say that those female singers don’t have even a micro tiny trace of the elegance she naturally possessed.

Elegance, this is what they forget. It allows you to express yourself freely in what you wear, sing or say. Elegance is the key, lost in our times.

Thank you, beautiful soul, for the joy you gifted us.
Rest in peace, Raffaella.

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