Gentlemen,
Here are some beautiful and very rare photographs of a beautiful suit made in the late 60s by the Maison Lanvin.They were taken last April by Rose Callahan, photographer and videographer based in New York, for a captivating art project started years ago under the name The Dandy Portraits, The Lives of Exquisite Gentlemen.
For her project, the artist travels the world to meet famous or unknown gentlemen for whom elegance not only is a question of allure, but heightened to a genuine art de vivre.
I wholeheartedly recommend her blog for its splendid photographs that can be accessed through this link : THE DANDY PORTRAITS.
Wearing this 40 year-old suit (still in perfect condition) is none other than legendary artist Robert W. Richards, famous for his erotic drawings. He explains how perfectly well the suit still fits him. So much so that fantastic actress Louise Brooks (probably one of the most beautiful actresses in history) wrote him several love letters after seeing him in this particularly original trimmed suit.
Of course, by today’s standards, the lapels are completely oversized and the fabric extremely stiff. Moreover, the overall look clearly inspired the style of Savile Row black sheep Tommy Nutter in the 70s, a decade that inflicted some considerable hits to masculine elegance…
Nevertheless, one must admit that this suit from yesteryear remains a very fine piece of tailoring art, and that it oozes boldness and quality. Unquestionably flamboyant.
Cheers, HUGO
