Five men’s fashion tips from Gianni Agnelli – the iconoclast who did things his way
On the eve of a new HBO documentary about the legendary Italian tycoon and playboy of the Dolce Vita era, we take a look at the menswear lessons to be learned from one of the most stylish men of the 20th century
They say that in order to break the rules, you must first know them.
Having grown up as the privileged scion of one of Europe’s most prominent establishment clans – the proprietors of automotive giant Fiat, intermarried with aristocracy and considered the “Kennedys of Italy” – Gianni Agnelli certainly understood the strictures of decorum in behaviour and dress. Nevertheless, this iconoclast chose to flout convention and do things his own way.
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A famous playboy of the Dolce Vita era and prolific serial philanderer who was known as “The Rake of the Riviera”, Agnelli was also a one-of-a-kind style icon, living and dressing entirely as he pleased, bourgeois conservatism be damned. Agnelli, a new documentary premiering on HBO tonight, celebrates Agnelli’s life and style – including these trademark rebellious menswear moves.
1. All the right buttons?
A tailor will tell you, when wearing a double-breasted suit coat, the interior “jigger” button should be fastened, and generally only the uppermost exterior button done up. Certainly, never let a double-breasted jacket hang haphazardly unbuttoned, they will gravely admonish.