SimplyAbuDhabi XIV

8 5 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I N amed in 2011 as artistic director of Berluti, Alessandro Sartori brings new life to a timeless style. Like the founders of the Italian house, which dates back to its first leather shoe for men in 1895, Alessandro is possessed by the desire and the gift to create, a drive that has been with him since his earliest years. Today, Alessandro Sartori talks of the tradition of inherited excellence which he shares with the craftsmen of the House with whom he works each day. Mr. Sartori graciously spent time with Simply Abu Dhabi recently to share with us his background and inspirations. What was your first job? My first job was as junior designer. Did you always intend to work in the fashion industry? Yes, I always did – and, more than that, I don’t even knowwhat I could have done apart from that...... ;) How would you describe your personal style? My personal style is a mix of traditional tailoring with more modern pieces. I also like to mix the volumes with oversize outerwear that I wear over fitted narrow suits and jackets. To me, the contrast between the fit and the volume is an expression of modernity. Who would you say is your biggest inspiration? The biggest inspiration for me is simply this Berluti Man that I always envision in my mind. He is constantly evolving, and so his style can change, too – and that is what makes the trend change from one season to another. I imagine him in different situations or contexts, and it helps me a lot in the design. What is best career advice you’ve received? I remember the advice that a very inspiring teacher gave to me when I was studying at the design school. He told me to always follow my own feeling and not accept any compromise in my career choices. Where would you say your love for tailoring and craftsmanship originate from? It simply comes from my family background, since I grew up in my mum’s atelier. What drew you to the Berluti brand? The fantastic meeting during a lovely lunch I had with Antoine Arnault, our CEO. What are your main objectives as artistic director? To carve, shape, design, and create the perfect Berluti style for the ideal Berluti man. Anything in particular you love about your job? I love every aspect of my job, but the creation part is what excites me the most. And by creation I mean the mood, the inspiration, the colour palette and the design. How would you describe the ethos of the Berluti brand? Quality, authenticity, craftsmanship, colours, leather, and a very artistic Berluti style are the iconic trademarks of our brand. In your eyes, who is the ‘Berluti man’? The Berluti man doesn’t have a specific age; however, he does have a specific sense of style. He can be a man in his thirties wearing a beautiful suit or a 70-year-old man wearing sportswear or Grande Mesure formal wear. Whoever he is, he has personality and is always impeccable and stylish in his very own way. It is said that you can tell everything about a man by the shoes he wears… do you agree? I completely agree! There is nothing more exciting than reading the personality of a man through the shoes he is wearing. What are the challenges in translating the ethos of the shoes in the ready-to-wear range? It seemed more difficult than it was – working with the best artisans was kind of simple yet interesting to create the perfect Berluti silhouette. To do this, we started designing our outfits from the bottom up. What do you think it is about Berluti which makes it such an esteemed luxury brand? It is probably the fact that we invest the same level of quality and expertise in our ready-to-wear collection as in our shoes. There are also a lot of handmade details in our products, and these products are made to last. Not only because of their quality, but also because we want to create timeless pieces with shoes or clothes that a man can wear season after season while still looking elegant. Besides that, we are also the only ones to offer a full bespoke wardrobe from head to toe with our bespoke shoe service and our Grande Mesure offer. What does the future hold for Berluti? We aim to represent the ideal home for our beautiful customers, and to continue writing amazing stories with them for years to come. Finally, our signature question: what do you think of our Simply Abu Dhabi publication? I think it is a beautiful magazine which knows exactly how to convey the sensibility and taste of Abu Dhabi. It brings the best and the exclusive to an audience who knows what it wants.