MILAN, June 25 — Day started at John Richmond where I was to meet the two Andreas, Preti and Belissario. The staging under a tent in a courtyard at Corso Venezia, 16 reminded me of the Tuileries in Paris. The most interesting aspect for me was to meet Andrea Belissario for the first time. Legend has it that Andrea was discovered by Frankie Morello designer Maurizio Modica whilst working out at the gym. He mentioned that he had begun training as a boxer, which I can imagine. His physique is that of a fighter and his look a knockout. He also has an incredibly demanding eye and insisted upon reviewing the photos I snapped of him — modelli!
The show at via Piranesi, 14 was on a grander scale than many of the other shows I covered during the week. Video screens lined the walls at the runway entry and looped a program featuring Ton and Gelati, whose portraits were also framed and hanging along a warmly-lit wall to the left of the runway space to create a gallery atmosphere. Stacks and stacks of Etro catalogues bearing Ton’s portrait lined tables at the entry. Etro was in the casa!
I concluded my Monday at Fendi, where I had the pleasure of casting director Andrew Weir’s company. I admire his work season after season and his casting for Monday evening’s spectacle was no exception. Rutger Schoone, Eli Hall, Anders Hayward, Luka Badnjar, Alexander Ferrario and Yannick Abrath all featured in the lineup that would operate the 20-minute revolving circuit up and down the sand dune runway. During first looks and lineup, Yannick (below) gave me my video intro in one take — he is a producer’s dream.
The Fendi runway as above mentioned was all sand — truckloads of the stuff — and I would not have been surprised were a Frank Herbert sandworm to have emerged and swallowed the well-heeled guests nibbling on hors d’oeuvres (below, left).
It was the first time all week I also saw legendary photographer JD Ferguson (above, right), who was sporting a newly minted peroxide blonde coif to go with his signature schoolboy grin.
John Richmond
Fendi
