By Lee Jin-eun
“My specialty is to build up original style that reflects individual life, not to follow a fad.”
Italian fashion icon Lino Ieluzzi is in Seoul for the 2012 FW Seoul Fashion Week, which started on April 2 and continue through Saturday. The owner of “Al BAzar,” one of the leading select shops in the fashion capital Milan, will watch the VanHart Homme show at the fashion week.
Ieluzzi made an agreement to collaborate with the contemporary brand ‘VanHart Homme’ of Korean fashion company Shinwon as a style director. Nicknamed Al BAzar Lino, as he has directed marketing and design of his brand, he has been often put in men’s fashion magazines and fashion blogs for his great sense of style.
“I want to introduce more various styles to Koreans,” said Ieluzzi at a meeting in Shinwon head office Monday, “The minute I stepped into the airport, most of Korean men dressed in similar fashion.” He said it is because they concern what outfit people would like rather than what themselves like. “For example, many of them dress pale-colored clothes such as black and gray. It makes them so stereotype and featureless.”
He pointed out that the problem is lack of various information that the fashion industry offers to the public to help their styling. “Sometimes I argue with colleagues as I think the real fashion should reflect one’s life such as occupation or backgrounds instead of temporary trend,” he said.
He also criticized blind consumption of luxury brand that pursues pride from the label. “When I look at the mirror before going out, I think people will like my outfit or style,” said the director. “If you choose clothes with confidence, surely others love them, too.”
Ieluzzi, born as a son of a poor worker family, dreamed a businessman while he was working as a carpenter’s assistant, a watchmaker, a hairdresser, a fitting model and an actor. And at last, in 1974, he opened the select shop of 10 square meters by transforming a jeans shop. Shortly, he and his brand got popular for the unique style. “I was wearing white jacket and headband with long hair at that time and many people were interested in my style,” he recalls.
He received Commendatore, a medal given to an individual for his or her outstanding contribution in each field, as he devoted himself to fashion industry for nearly 40 years. When other children were interested in soccer, cars or bikes, he was stuck on clothing, he said. “I was really vigorous as I have worked what I love, for example, I promoted myself all day and night in the old days.”
Ieluzzi will leave the country Thursday after having a styling class for Korean guys. “What I really want to emphasize is to treasure your life as valuable present so that you challenge whatever you want with courage not only choosing clothes,” he said. “A happy life will lead fine style.”
The writer is an intern at The Korea Times