Armani vs. Versace…Dueling Bios
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010Here are two reviews on recent biographies on Italy’s two most famous fashion designers…
> Being Armani
From www.popmatters.com:
“Renata Molho’s Being Armani, the authorized biography of the man behind Italy’s most successful fashion brand, tries to minimize any negative impressions of Giorgio’s domineering personality by celebrating his work ethic, and it consequently often reads more like a defense than a life story. Sadly, this defense does include any anecdotes as amusing as Dickinson’s, although the characterization of Armani is often the same. “Armani walks a fine line between democracy and tyranny,” Molho warns, yet she presents little evidence of his democratic moments. “He demands absolute loyalty, turning his back on anyone who leaves his orbit.” This is unsurprising behavior from a man the press once com monly called “King Giorgio,” and who admits that the best compliment he’ll give an employee is “I really taught you well.”Armani’s childhood and career trajectory are dutifully recounted in the book’s first two chapters. He entered the world of fashion via the world of retail, as a consultant and window dresser for a large Italian department store, and this background, according to Molho, was crucial in shaping his instinct for creating clothing that the public wants, rather than fanciful designs that are conceived without the thought of consumers’ needs. It was not until 1975, at the age of 39, that Armani created the eponymous empire he’s known for today after an eight year stint designing menswear for another label.
>House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder, and Survival by Deborah Ball
From Amazon reader…
“A WSJ biz writer who lived in Europe for 15 years wrote this full scale business bio of the Versace tragedy, and it’s a
great read in all its pathos. She received full cooperation from everyone except Allegra Versace, daughter of Donatella and heiress to the house of Versace because her late uncle willed it all to her when she was just 12. Donatella’s drug use is not spared here, but she received even-handed treatment as we see exactly what she faced when Gianni Versace was murdered in Miami and left her to replace him as the designing genius. She wasn’t up to the task, but she muddled through. The story ends recently, but the tale of Versace is still unfolding. The main flaw is the relative lack of good photos. We get several generic shots of Casa Casuarina, the Ocean Drive mansion where Versace was shot. But there are none of the Milan atelier where all the clothes are designed and where a lot of this tale takes place.
> Osteria da Marino
> Capocotta Beach, Lazio – This beach isn’t far from Rome, and there’s a dedicated nude beach section that’s about 250 meters long. The whole beach is part of an official nature reserve, and nudists have been baring everything on this beach for more than 30 years. It wasn’t until 2000 that local officials set aside the special section for naturists, however. free admission, chairs & umbrellas available, showers, bar/restaurant, public toilets
Here then is the full scoop of five great Chianti choices. (We note with satisfaction A&B recently developed a personal wine tour for a client that went to two of five of these estates.)
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