Everyone Loves Beauty
Most all who know me to any such degree, are acutely aware of my love affair (and let’s just be honest, obsession) with the beautiful land of Italy. Further, this passion for Italia hits a different level when we think about the city of Florence. I’ll save my ode to Italy for another time, however, something that will be presented here, is the concept of…beauty.
If you know anything about the city of Florence, you know it is a special place filled with artisans who create amazing things. It’s actually quite magical! One of these artisans is master tailor, Antonio Liverano (whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting) from Liverano e Liverano. In Gianluca Migliarotti’s film, I Colori di Antonio or “Antonio’s Colors” there’s a moment Antonio describes an encounter with a client and posits that he sees no difference between classical and modern tailoring. He goes on to say that “tailors create beauty, beauty has no confines, and everyone loves beauty”.
Say what you will about tailoring, beauty, and how these two things are related, but I would offer that Antonio’s take is spot on. I find myself enamored with this perspective, because not only do I feel it has broad appeal across many segments of society (industry, age, gender, culture, etc.), it speaks to the essence of the human soul and how we perceive the world around us. This is especially true with tailored menswear and principles of art, elegance, precision, and craftsmanship. I think we can all agree (something that is already quite rare) that we have things we find beautiful. Whatever those things may be, there is always an emotion, a connection, a “love” that is palpable and undeniable.
Interestingly enough, global pandemics have a way of redefining, or at the very least “defining” what we consider to be beautiful. Maybe now more than ever, as we prepare to turn the page on a new year, similar to the handmade details created by the artisan, hopefully our acknowledgement, appreciation, and (for all intents and purposes) “love” of beautiful things will continue to heal us and inspire us.
*This article is dedicated to all those who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 and the brave healthcare workers on the front lines risking their lives each day.