Fashion

Moodboard: Astronomy vs Astrology

I don’t believe in horoscope, I’m more a “Man the Maker” kind of guy, but every year I have fun reading my future predictions. In doing so, this time, I let myself be seduced by the images drawn from old Maps of the Sky; which turned out to be the main inspiration for this post of the Moodboard series.

Maps of the sky - Leo

They said that 2015 would have been a good year for people born under the sign of Leo especially from the professional point of view; and actually they were right!
With devotion and hard work I became an architect; thanks to my blog, in summer I taught a Fashion Writing course at ISI Florence; I’ve been selected to work at the Fondazione Giovanni Michelucci in Fiesole and in a few months I was part of the curators’ team of the permanent exhibition “Firenze Santa Maria Novella Station 1935-2015. For 80 years the gate of the city” which gave back to the main railway station of Florence, its dignity as a monument. In order to these goals I travelled a lot, discovering near places like Umbria, but I also enjoied far cities as Marrakech in Morocco. Then I did the best crazy thing of my life, a 24h trip to London, just to visit the Alexander McQueen’s Savage Beauty exhibition at the V&A. Obviously I had also down moments that I shared with my besties, and unfortunately I completely forgot the meaning of having a love life. But above all this, when I noticed that I achieved 8 of 10 of my “intentions” for 2015, I couldn’t stop to think new ones for 2016.

 

Maps of the sky - Leo

Maps of the sky - Liber locis stellarum fixarum - Abd ar-Rahman as-Sufi, 964
Liber locis stellarum fixarum – Abd ar-Rahman as-Sufi, 964

It seems that also 2016 will be a good year for Leos, but honestly, regardless of the stars, I will commit myself to make it happen. I believe that young Italian generations are really hungry for work and personally I’m tired of being a spectator of a stationary cultural scene led by old caryatids who don’t realize that we are no longer in the 19th century. Lately I got in touch with dynamic realities and start-ups led by young teams excited about what they do, and their enthusiasm was so contagious, that I hope and wish to me and to you a 2016 full of satisfactions and no regrets, like them.

Leo on astronomical ceiling at Hathor Temple in Dendera

Maps of the sky - Leo

Maps of the Sky

Why did I put this personal post in the Moodboard series?
Simple, although I do not believe in astrology, I’ve always been fascinated by astronomy, especially the old Maps of the Sky with zoomorphic constellations. Swans, Bulls, Leos, Rams, Crabs, Fishes and all the other fantasy animals drawn in those huge volumes have become sartorial masterpieces under the hands of skilled fashion designers, such as Elsa Schiaparelli, who entitled her iconic autumn winter 1938-39 collection, the Zodiac collection.

So, here it is the right opportunity to “study” this starry theme with a moodboard dedicated to our lucky stars.

Elsa Schiaparelli Zodiac Collection (Winter 1938)
Elsa Schiaparelli – Zodiac Collection, Fall Winter 1938

 

Elsa Schiaparelli, Apollo of Versailles cape, from the Zodiac Collection, AutumnWinter 1938-1939
Elsa Schiaparelli – Apollo of Versailles cape, Zodiac Collection, Fall Winter 1938

 

Elsa Schiaparelli, Zodiac collection, Evening jacket, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Elsa Schiaparelli – Evening jacket, Zodiac collection, Fall Winter 1938 – The Metropolitan Museum of Art

 

Phoebus cape by Elsa Schiaparelli 1938
Elsa Schiaparelli – Phoebus cape, Zodiac collection, Fall Winter 1938

 

Jean Clement For Schiaparelli - Zodiac necklace, Zodiac collection, Fall Winter 1938 - The Billyboy Paris Collection
Jean Clement For Schiaparelli – Zodiac necklace, Zodiac collection, Fall Winter 1938 – The Billyboy Paris Collection

 

Elsa Schiaparelli - belt and dress from the Zodiac collection, Fall Winter 1938
Elsa Schiaparelli – belt and dress from the Zodiac collection, Fall Winter 1938

 

Elsa Schiaparelli (embroidery by Lesage) - Blouse, Zodiac collection, Fall Winter 1938
Elsa Schiaparelli (embroidery by Lesage) – Blouse, Zodiac collection, Fall Winter 1938

 

Elsa Schiaparelli (embroidery by Lesage) - Blouse, Zodiac collection, Fall Winter 1938
Elsa Schiaparelli (embroidery by Lesage) – Blouse, Zodiac collection, Fall Winter 1938

Alessandro Masetti – The Fashion Commentator

Italian architect into fashion. Art curator in love with books, flea markets and interior design.

3 Comments on “Moodboard: Astronomy vs Astrology

  1. Leggere opinioni sul mondo del lavoro, caro Alessandro, mi crea sempre un certo scompiglio, soprattutto se si tratta di miei coetanei e di persone che stanno duramente lottando per arrivare dove vogliono (e dove dovrebbero essere). Non che spartire un mal comune sia di sollievo, tutt’altro. Getta ancora di più nello sconforto. Però quest’anno sono giunta alla conclusione (amara) che sì, è giusto inseguire i sogni, è bello, è romantico, è appagante. Però, sulla strada dei 31, mi accorgo che non sono dove vorrei. Sento sempre di esserci vicina, ma poi incontri lo stronzo di turno sulla via e capisci che il mondo non cambierà se non cambiano le teste. E più le teste si incaponiscono su regole-per-fare-andare-avanti-il-mondo-del-lavoro che si reggono sullo sfruttamento, la disonestà e la presa per il culo, più questa cultura si sedimenterà e diverrà la norma per le generazioni a venire, che crederanno di poter andare avanti soltanto calpestando gli altri, e fanculo il talento. Io, e lo dico senza vergogna, voglio un 2016 di soldi. E non lo dico perchè bramo denaro, lo dico perchè desidero stabilità, un pochino almeno, una piccola indipendenza, un barlume di futuro che mi possa far pensare di diventare adulta. E se questo significherà accantonare un sogno, beh, va bene. Perchè i sogni ci fanno sorridere per un attimo, ma non ci danno da mangiare.

    Scusa lo sfogo 🙂
    Un bacio e buon anno, che i tuoi desideri “leonini” s’avverino!

    Angela
    http://www.madamelagruccia.blogspot.it

  2. il Leone è uno dei miei segni preferiti, sono persone che non conoscono la meschinità, il doppiogiochismo e l’essere piccoli, adoro la loro dignità e la loro regalità onesta
    buon 2016!

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