Waking up at the first pink flashes of dawn, relaxing by the pool under the most relaxing shade, having lunch with your closest entourage, greeting the sun at sunset, chatting in the moonlight under the stars of the Mediterranean Sea.
Summer pleasures, to be rediscovered in an ode to calmness and experienced from dawn to dusk – slowing down – hour by hour. In a dolce far niente represented by a statement of the summer wardrobe: the tailored shirt. Suitable for any occasion, with an attention to details as if it were a work of art.
Who better than Italians know what it means to enjoy beauty? A lifestyle that strikes the eye as much as the spirit envied all over the world, even by those who are experts in the matter.
Esquire had a chat about it with Charlie Siem, internationally renowned British violinist in love with the dolce vita and the most sophisticated Italian style.
A conversation accompanied by a visual journey through the highlights of Puglia – a precious Italian gem, in the summer more than ever – and the new Loro Piana collection for Spring Summer 2021.
“I performed for the first time in Rome in Renzo Piano’s magnificent Santa Cecilia concert hall,” he says.
“I remember taking a private tour of the Vatican the next day. I had the Sistine Chapel all to myself and I played the violin in the splendor of Michelangelo for a good half hour. A superb memory» recalls Charlie as he recounts his first encounter with the great beauty.
Born in London in 1986, the musician’s passion for Italy was born at a young age.
“The dream of Italy and its evasive lifestyle have always captured my imagination,” he confesses. An ever-growing love evolved to the point of choosing Italy as one of the dearest places of the heart and Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, as a fixed stop of his Italian adventures.
With the arrival of summer, the violinist opted for a long weekend with his friends and his sister Louisa in a destination set to become the new place to be of international tourism: Salento. And specifically, the very south of Italy at the heel of the boot, in the area of Gagliano del Capo, Santa Maria di Leuca and Finis Terrae.
“Puglia represents something totally authentic, unaltered, pure.”
These are the first three words that Charlie Siem names when thinking about the area. A particularly significant land for him, also – and above all – in his experience as an artist.
“For me it represents the ideal background to practice my music.”
A wild yet simple space, the perfect land to play outdoors under the setting sun.
“I feel like I’m moving towards the end of the world when I travel to the south of Italy, there is a sense of archaic energy and freedom to it that feels very attractive to me as an artist.”
A light-heartedness, allied with the most sophisticated simplicity, that is found in an iconic piece of the summer Loro Piana wardrobe. As a symbol of Italian excellence in the world, the Italian Maison has always stood out for its ability to combine comfort with extreme attention to details.
In the men’s collection for Spring Summer 2021, Loro Piana translates the elegance of the formal into the ease of the informal and names a cult garment as a symbol of this philosophy. The André shirt, based on a traditional Neapolitan tailoring style, characterized by a timeless débonnaire allure as well as a contemporary and easy to wear elegance.
Tailoring is a key word in the violinist’s style dictionary.
“I have a personal relationship with the artisans who make the garments and accessories I wear,” says Siem. ” To me, in a world dominated by mass production and homologation, this very intimate connection and desire for individuality in the clothes I wear, is deeper than aesthetics. ” A statement that captures all the care and poetry that define the musician’s lifestyle all round.
“In the creation of a sartorial garment there is a respect and appreciation for the craftsmanship and rigor that aligns with my principles as an artist. Self-discovery through the refinement of details is what guides me as a musician, and it can also be applied to my way of dressing”.
The same refinement of linen that takes the perfect shape on the placket neck, flawless even without a tie. Light and delicate, The André shirt becomes a symbol of relaxed elegance, effortless as the British would call it.
In a way, the same thing happens in Italian cuisine. However simple a traditional dish may be, care and attention to details are enough to elevate simplicity to excellence. Siem does not define himself as a master chef, he admits to depend quite a lot on restaurants to enjoy a good meal. But among the aspects of Italian cuisine that he finds most fascinating, he emphasizes the link between simplicity and excellence.
Sipping a drink as the sun sets is one of the pleasures of life that Italy has taught him.
“Enjoying the moment for what it is, without constantly projecting yourself onto the future, as it often becomes inevitable in big cities, is what I learn every day from this country,” he concludes.
Relaxed, conscious, extraordinary moments of life in all their simplicity. A lifestyle that appreciates beauty in everything, to the point of being worn on the skin.
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