My Style: Paolo Stella
Portrait: Nikola Borissov for Fashion We Like
The three essential things a man should know about style are…
Roses are always gifted in a dozen. White sponge socks can have their reason for existence. If you know how to wear it, a tuxedo is fine even when going out to the supermarket. That is, if you actually go grocery shopping.
Please describe your style in three words.
Casual, causal, and necessary.
What is the biggest mistake one can make when getting dressed?
Not being tuned and balanced with the prevailing sentiment of the day.
Do you believe in role models?
In absence of a strong personality, yes I do.
What are your favourite fabrics?
Cashmere and linen.
Are there any style combinations that you object to?
No, we are a free country. At least that's what they tell me.
Which city has the best-dressed men?
Turin and Palermo.
Would you say that you are conservative or bold?
I live having daring outings that try to escape the severe control of my conservative context.
What are the rules in the way you dress?
I like playing with volumes and fabrics. Shorts with long sleeved t-shirts and vice versa; light fabrics with the overlap of heavy fabrics. I think it is a simple way of my subconscious to underline the sea of contradictions that make me who I am.
Celebrities and style...
And the stylist that makes these two meet for the first time.
Name one garment/accessory that you can never have enough of?
Sunglasses.
A man should always look like…
A man.
Who taught you what you know about style?
Yves Saint Laurent, my dad, Francesco Cominelli, Fabrizio Viti and all the mistakes I have made in these years. And there are many.
How do you select your clothing every morning?
I pause to see how I feel and decide based on that.
What is your biggest regret?
Every mistake has brought me where I am now. And I like it here very much.
Do you have any shopping rituals?
No. I only have the ritual of shopping.
We will never see you wearing...
I can't say. Last time I said I wouldn't do something it became my job.
The most stylish person you have ever seen...
Sofia Coppola for her ability to be evanescent but at the same time present.
What is the first thing you notice on a man?
Their presence. There are some people that meeting them once, albeit very briefly, is all it takes to understand if they've got charisma or not.
The one image that defined your approach to style...
Steve McQueen in his underwear and his wife in the kitchen.
Which new designers do you follow and why?
Marco de Vincenzo because he combines stylistic innovation with an incredible research on fabrics.
The only article of clothing that a man needs to pay close attention to is…
His shoes. It is the only thing where a man can error enormously.
What are the most treasured items in your wardrobe?
Some sneakers in white mink fur and crocodile leather that don't really showcase sobriety in a proper way.
Is comfort an enemy of style?
Being uncomfortable is the only enemy of style.
Which designer never fails to impress you?
Nicholas Ghesquière, and Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, the duo behind Valentino.
Who would you like to recommend for My Style?
Vinicio Marchioni, actor.
The best words of advice you have ever heard?
“Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say and not giving a damn.” — Orson Welles
