Elegance is a complex concept, and its definition can vary depending on culture, age or upbringing. As a journalist specializing in men’s fashion, I haD often asked the men I have met for their perspective on the subject. Here is what they told me…
This article is taken from Nathalie Peigney's book: “ MAN, STORIES OF STYLE AND MASCULINE ELEGANCE" Amazon
Cover photo: Franz Botré at Pitti Uomo Arbiter magazine stand
It is not always easy to define the concept of elegance. Unless it is industry experts or men already considered elegant who venture to define it, the question of elegance remains open to interpretation. So here is how some of the greatest masters of Italian and French style answered the question: What is elegance? It is up to you, dear readers, to reflect on these statements and find your own definition by the end of the chapter. It seems that elegance is not merely a matter of style, but rather a balance between personality, self-awareness, and the ability to express oneself, even through the most seemingly insignificant details.
Stefano Dominella is the honorary president of Gattinoni, a renowned Roman fashion house that has dressed some of the most elegant women in the world – from Kim Novak to Audrey Hepburn and Lauren Bacall, to name just a few. He is also the vice-president of the Fashion, Design and Furniture division of Unindustria. In 2004, he received the Arbiter Award as Ambassador of Men’s Fashion, an honor recognizing both his personal elegance and his contribution to Italian haute couture. Stefano Dominella remains an undisputed benchmark of taste and quality.
Stefano Dominella: Elegance is an abstract concept that reflects both a way of being and a way of appearing. Personality plays a much greater role than clothing. I’ve met men wearing Brioni or Caraceni suits who still weren’t elegant – because of sloppy hands or an inelegant demeanor, little details that completely undermined the sophistication their wardrobe gave them. In my opinion, the most elegant man is an Englishman who knows how to dress with class both in the countryside and in the city. I once met Prince Edward of England in Glasgow. He arrived late to a very formal dinner, still dressed in his country clothes because of bad weather. While all the other guests were dressed very formally, he remained completely at ease, and he looked exceptionally elegant.
Sergio Loro Piana: The elegant man is a man without boundaries. Comfortable in every circumstance, a lover of beauty in all its forms, a man who leads a busy life yet knows how to enjoy his free time, integrating into it nature and respect for the environment.
Massimo Massaccesi: Elegance is overall harmony. There are people who carry themselves in such a way that, even if they wear rags, they look elegant. And there are others who wear elegant clothes that look like rags on them. There are rules of comportment that must be respected. That’s where harmony lies: in the balance between elegant comportment, personal substance and culture.
Fausto Bertinotti is a former president of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. At 85 years of age, with a style reminiscent of Jean d’Ormesson, he is considered one of Italy’s most elegant politicians. It may seem hard to believe that one can be both a communist and elegant, but when I met him in 2008 in his office at the Chamber of Deputies, he explained:
Fausto Bertinotti: When you look at historical photos of the workers’ movement, you’ll see that the men were dressed in black, with immaculate white shirts and a black tie or silk bow. This was a matter of tradition and a sign of respect for their class and their cause. They would never have imagined attending a demonstration without that attire.
Alessandro Maria Ferreri: Achieving elegance isn’t so much about following the latest fashion trends as it is about cultivating good manners and a distinguished, courteous attitude. It’s important to care for your appearance not only because it’s the first impression others get of you, but because it says a lot about your attention to detail, your sense of beauty, and your familiarity with refinement and luxury.
Jean Grimbert: Elegance is a way of being.
Mariano Rubinacci: Elegance is a personal way of expressing one’s inner self and personality through the way one dresses, moves, and behaves. There are two French words that capture the idea of Neapolitan elegance: dégagé and soigné, relaxed and refined at the same time.
Beppe Modenese: A person is elegant when everything they do is elegant. A person’s elegance depends on how they were raised, their history and their sensitivity. My father, a very proper man, always well-dressed, was very demanding with us. My art studies taught me the harmony of forms and colors. Elegance also means being consistent with oneself. I feel so at ease in formal wear that when I dress casually on weekends, I feel uncomfortable and often end up changing at the last minute.
Franco Gussalli Beretta: Elegance is something personal, an equilibrium between one’s upbringing and how one has matured. It doesn’t come from ostentatious refinement but from the combination of subtle details displayed by someone who, shaped by life experiences, truly knows himself.
Flavio Briatore: A man is elegant when he feels good about himself, whatever the circumstance. In fact, his appearance reflects his personality. Clothing can either reveal our discomfort or enhance our inner well-being. In my view, temperance, along with nonconformity, are the foundations of sartorial elegance.
Claudio Del Vecchio: There’s no magic formula for elegance. It’s more about harmony among different elements. You don’t necessarily have to follow a classic model. You can be creative, but you should avoid ostentation. I believe what truly defines elegant people is simplicity. An elegant person is someone whose clothes I don’t remember.
Mario Tacinelli: Elegance is a way of being: an education in movement, gaze, and silence. It means presenting yourself to the world with restraint, intention and consideration, paying special attention to detail and to time.
Franz Botré: My models of excellence are elegant in every sense, both in substance and in form. And there are many of them. Two thousand years ago, Petronius Arbiter was a great man of the Roman Empire, admired for his elegance, culture and skill. One might mention the duke of Windsor or Agnelli, but those people belong to another era and another kind of society. As modern models, I’d name Riccardo Gualino from Biella, a fascinating man, but also simpler people like Angelo Belloni, an engineer who invented nearly everything possible in the field of underwater engineering. Another great personality was Vittorio De Sica. Someone else I admired deeply, who was always positive and elegant in every circumstance, whether in swimwear, on a boat, or at a press conference, was Sergio Loro Piana. In our magazine, we always try to highlight living examples. In every issue, we feature the wardrobes of ‘ordinary’ people who believe that being is far more important than appearing. Step inside an elegant man’s walk-in closet to see proof of this: once inside, you immediately see that these men have their own fabrics, their own style and their passions. Authentic people. They are examples we should follow.
Here is the personal interpretation of elegance from one of today’s greatest philosophers, Giacomo Marramao, professor of Political Philosophy at Roma Tre University, scientific director of the Basso Issoco Foundation, member of the Collège International de Philosophie in Paris, and part of the editorial board of the philosophical journal Iride.
Giacomo Marramao: Elegance is the ability to avoid excess, to maintain a subdued style in the face of things. It’s simplicity, and sometimes a game of subtraction: removing and minimizing. Dandyism, by contrast, is a game of ostentation, though it can be a deliberate one. Elegance is also the ability to convey strong emotions without being intrusive, to make those around us feel comfortable rather than uneasy. Elegance isn’t reserved for an elite; it can belong to everyone because it allows one to adapt their look in an original way and to express something personal and unique.
How can one add a touch of extravagance to classic elegance without falling into dandyism?
Aldo Invitti di Conca: Assuming that extravagance – the essential element of flair and therefore of personality – can be achieved through posture alone, without adding specific elements (for example, turning up the collar of a shirt or overcoat, or more structurally, through a distinctive jacket and trouser cut), ties and pocket squares are certainly the simplest and most immediate way. Without resorting to eccentric patterns or bright colors (always be careful not to sacrifice equilibrium), a knit tie, for instance, gives just the right touch of personality to a gray or otherwise monochrome suit. If one wishes to go a bit further, there’s the world of shirts, with colorful multi-stripe collections in the British style leading the way. Last but not least are eyeglass frames, for those fortunate or unfortunate enough to need them. There’s an entire world behind frames: materials, shapes and colors, as well as lenses, making the difference not only between one pair of glasses and another but also between a distinctive look and an anonymous one. And finally, I’d add a beautiful hat, an accessory once worn by every man on every occasion, but now almost forgotten. As a result, wearing a Panama in summer or a Fedora in winter has become an expression of distinction and personality.
Does fragrance contribute to a man’s elegance?
Silvio Levi is recognized as one of the leading figures in the world of artistic perfumery. In 1995, he took over the management of Calé, a distribution company founded in 1955 by his grandfather and heir to a legacy of expertise dating back to the 1920s. In 2008, he founded Calé Fragranze d’Autore, whose olfactory creations are developed under his supervision by exceptional noses, such as Mark Buxton, Maurizio Cerizza, and Arturetto Landi.
Silvio Levi: Among fine fragrances, artistic perfumes – distinguished by their originality and rich composition – are like a bespoke suit. The small details, the nuances, the skillful contrasts all highlight the uniqueness of one’s character. A perfume of this kind creates expectations which, if met by what the eye perceives as well — color, gesture, movement — contribute greatly to a man’s elegance. What could be more flattering than to be told, ‘To me, you are that fragrance. Every time I smell it, I think of you.’ That is what it means to leave a mark, to lead others to follow the refined, graceful trail that announces a sophisticated elegance.
Cover photo: Franz Botré at Pitti Uomo Arbiter magazine stand
