Some say he represents all that it's wrong with Italian style, some other's say he's the best of Italian style. I think he knows how to tailor a persona that fits the perception of many; an international Italian style it is.
"Berlin: Lapo Elkann on The Corner
Godfrey DeenyJuly 16th, 2007 @ 00:17 AM - Berlin Though the fashion establishment has greedily embraced Lapo Elkann and fallen in love with his 1,000 Euro carbon shades and haute hipster sense of style, the hipper end of our industry has largely reserved judgment on someone so pre-eminently born with a silver ladle in his mouth.
His luxury project, Italia Independent, garnered an impressive amount of ink and editorial pages; but then again being the prodigal grandson of Gianni Agnelli generates an enormous amount of media momentum.
It was with this in mind that we went along to the German launch of Lapo’s sunglasses in The Corner, the justly famous fashion emporium located on a tony block just off Unter den Linden, Berlin’s Fifth Avenue.
Our all seeing skeptical eye was prepared to be under-impressed until we spotted the Mediterranean blue suit Lapo was wearing, made with super exaggerated gros grain lapels and devilishly well cut silhouette.
Not only was it as good as any suit we’d seen on designer runways in Paris or Milan in the spring 2007 season it also turned out, hang it all, to be designed by Lapo himself.
“It’s from Caraceni and they did exactly as I asked,” explained Lapo, showing off the clever, built-in cummerbund waistband.
“Try it on yourself. See how it feels,” said Elkann as he fitted me into the jacket, whose miniature Italian tricolor crest and hidden flower loop had all the quality and chic one expects from Caraceni, the legendary tailors of Rome favored by so many designers, but rarely so smartly directed.
Hats off to the man. He may be blessed with wealth, dollops of Italian charm and a quirky English that glides like a double scoop of Giolitti ice cream, but this guy has real, and novel, taste.
The suit said more about his ambitions than any pair of eyewear on display in The Corner, the airy and impressive boutique created by Emmanuel de Bayser, a tall Frenchman with a large business card, and Josef Voelk, a German of more Napoleonic stature, with a more moderately sized card.
“We want to edit what’s on the catwalk to give our customers the very best of modern, international fashion and luxury. That’s where Lapo fits in,” explained Voelk, standing close to the famous carbon sunglasses - used last month in a space launch from New Mexico - plus other edgier models in hand-tinted celluloid acetate.
At the risk of upsetting some of our retailer pals in Sao Paulo, New York, London, Paris, Moscow or Milan, we’d have to say that The Corner has, arguably, the best edited choice any major international boutique we have visited.
The only pity was they did not have Lapo’s great suit. Not yet, anyway." Source
