Heroes of a nation sartorial: Luciano Barbera

Heroes of a nation sartorial: Luciano Barbera

Each week, I will attempt to present a person of style I think to be a hero and an inspiration. So much of even wonderful sartorial discussion, be it Flusser, or the gentlemen over at Men’s Flair, is focused around this or that detail – on talking about it. I think as much, if not more could be learned from simply absorbing great style icons, whose history to us has taken the sheen of polished old brown shoes. These lessons may teach us beyond words, so I will try to be brief and only point out the most salient of details.

Many of my future posts will doubtless be about movie stars and men of the public eye, but I want my first of this series to be about a man who the public little knows. Luciano Barbera’s life has been deeply involved with clothes. Barbera first rose to fame when he was photographed in his father’s cloth, which he designed into clothes himself (his father is the founder of perhaps the premier Italian mill for wool and cashmere). Today, Barbera’s age has only refined his style. He has been called “One of the style stars of our time” by the Sartorialist, and, most fascinatingly, he seems loved by all sorts of the clothing obsessed. From those who love the glamour of the fashion shows, to those who, like their fathers, think fashion shows garish, Mr. Barbera has won praise. He is a true gentleman of style, dressing to his own pleasure, and the pleasure of every person around him.

The last two images are from the Sartorialist. As someone with greenish eyes and reddish skin, Mr. Barbera's use of green inspires me. He combines it with golds, browns, greys and tans very, very well, but blues especially so.

One of the original pictures that began to bring sartorial fame. Photographed many years ago, stylish now. One needs only look at the cut of the sleeve to know why.


He wears striped shirts with ties so well.
His pocket squares are famous for not-quite matching, yet matching so perfectly.


I love his sense of texture, the playfulness of his lapels.


And what better to end with than formal wear.