Far from the frenzied crowds of the fashion capitals, journalist Angelo Flaccavento retreats from the shows to pen his analysis of the collections in the comparative calm of Sicily—a lifestyle choice that points to a character full of contrasts and contradictions. Indeed, quiet yet bold, shy yet daring, Flaccavento is known for his somewhat confrontational reviews, yet he couldn’t be more polite and reserved in person. The fashion oracle writes for heavyweight publications such as Business of Fashion and Il Sole 24 Ore, and was Dapper Dan’s very first fashion features editor. We checked in with him to take the current temperature of the fashion world and to find out whether those no-holds-barred views had been getting him into any trouble lately. Continue reading “Angelo Flaccavento talks to Nicholas Georgiou” →

Peter Lindbergh has been a photographer for more than 40 years. It is hard to find the right words to describe his vast body of work and singular vision—an approach based on simplicity and the truth embodied in each of his images. Rising above changes in the fashion industry, his work remains as pertinent as ever. An emotional boldness is echoed in the models’ faces, their surroundings and the clothes they wear. From September 2016 to February 2017, Kunsthal Rotterdam, in collaboration with guest curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot, gives access to the photographer’s archives with Peter Lindbergh: A Different History of Fashion Photography, an exhibition featuring over 200 of his most iconic images, along with original pieces by 25 renowned fashion designers from different eras and previously unseen additional material, including personal notes, contact sheets and films. Dapper Dan spoke to Lindbergh just after he finished working on the latest Pirelli Calendar. Continue reading “Peter Lindbergh talks to Filep Motwary” →

I am having a video call with Pierre Hardy, who is known for the various shifts in colour and shape in his work. He appears on the screen wearing a vibrant orange jumper and during our conversation he reveals his fondness for black at a younger age, how he worked simultaneously for Dior and Hermès in his mid-twenties and how dancing and sports formed the man he has become. Confusing? You bet, but his work is creative, constantly flourishing and continues to be copied throughout the world. Continue reading “Pierre Hardy talks to Filep Motwary” →

It’s been almost two years since Ann Demeulemeester chose Sebastien Meunier as her successor. Since then, the brand’s atmosphere has moved towards a freshness with a sense of an urgent appeal for a new start. One would expect that a great loss for fashion would follow this enormously onerous transfer of responsibilities, but thankfully, Meunier’s collections are far from being a failure. The clothes are good, the sales are good, the mood is good—and today is a bank holiday in Belgium to boot. Continue reading “Sebastien Meunier talks to Filep Motwary” →

Olivier Rabourdin is an actor. His face encapsulates the myriad paths of French cinema. He represents both the most niche arthouse cinema and today’s mainstream cinema, characterised by television series. This actor has both a man next door side to him and an unsettling strangeness, thanks to his deep blue eyes, somewhat unexpected or out of place in this face marked with lines that have been lightly and perfectly etched into it over the passage of time. It is in his dulcet tones that he tells us more about himself and his work. Continue reading “Olivier Rabourdin talks to John Jefferson Selve” →

Danish filmmaker Christian Braad Thomsen is a man of many talents, with a CV encompassing feature films, documentaries and books about the silver screen. At the last Berlin Film Festival he showed his documentary, Fassbinder: To Love Without Demands, examining the life and work of iconic director Rainer Werner Fassbinder, who was a close friend of Thomsen’s until his death in 1982. Thomsen took time out from promoting the film to talk to Dapper Dan about his approach to filmmaking, his influences and, of course, the legendary work of his old pal Fassbinder. Continue reading “Chrisitian Braad Thomsen talks to Kim Laidlaw” →

Apart from shaping a new era for menswear, Thom Browne is also a skilled storyteller. It’s considered a true privilege to be invited to his shows because they exceed all expectations. There is no element of risk, as his world is very precise and draws circles around terms like elegance and classic while always managing to raise questions. Such was the case for his recent show where everything was about a gathering, or, more specifically, a funeral. Continue reading “Thom Browne talks to Filep Motwary” →