Berlusconi style and the myth of the body between perfect jackets and little obsessions – Corriere.it

The myth Berlusconi
he knew how to build and express it also through his body. Giusi Ferr, a great fashion and lifestyle journalist, wrote it in 2016, at the Cavaliere’s 80th birthday. Because he has never been just the Lombard entrepreneur, the “cumenda”, commendatore, as they said in Milanese, but the evolution of the species. His were unforgettable complete with waistcoat (he could afford it, he was a thin forty year old), worn with ankle boots that were whispered to hide the internal rise. In a magnificent photograph by Alberto Roveri from 1977, an unpredictable accessory was also noticed: the pistol on the desk. More Texan billionaire than northern Newtown entrepreneur. The photo the Milanese journalist was talking about accompanied an article by Camilla Cederna in Espresso which described the Berlusconi man at the beginning of his entrepreneurial success, but also his style and the political and cultural world of reference. Always Ferr then, quoting Carlo Freccero, approached Berlusconi to JR, the oilman protagonist of Dallas: All he needed was the stetson, the wide-brimmed hat. But we are in Italy and Silvio Berlusconi has replaced it with Marinella’s ties
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Many things would have changed: the Knight, after taking to the field, probably never would have returned to a photo shoot flaunting “unpredictable” and embarrassing accessories, attentive as he was to the desire to appear reassuring to his audience. But his style has remained faithful over the years. Year after year he had become very selective about the choice of colors, in mature age almost monotonous: only blue. As Ferr always said: Dark, therefore excellent for elongating the figure, exactly like pinstripes that “exhaust”. From one point in his dazzling public career onwards, appear slimmer been one of his constant goals. See the unforgettable early 90s shot of him in Bermuda in white gym gear followed by an obedient line of training buddies in white shorts who look like breathless recruits. In the front row behind him Fedele Confalonieri and Adriano Galliani recognized each other.

The television man Berlusconi grappling with his first election campaign knew that the right cut and color of a jacket could make the difference in a TV comparison. This is what happened on March 23, 1994, in the televised duel with Achille Occhetto: the then leader of the center-left alliance wore an ugly brown jacket, the knight an impeccable blue suit. He was the image of the winner and he knew it well.

A few years (and a few kilos) later, here’s another summer and holiday photo destined to become famous. Porto Cervo, August 2004: tanned man in white unbuttoned shirt and bandana Berlusconi receives Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie on his head: he was wearing a bandana, it was said later, to hide a recent hair transplant. Cherie Blair revealed years later that she was dumbfounded and embarrassed. Here it is, the other worry that has always worried the president: hair loss. Transplants and artfully crafted dark shades of makeup on his skull never quite satisfied him, but he still wasn’t about to give them up. Even in old age. He had to remain, even in appearance, that of 1994, the winner who had conquered the Italians.

Thus, appearing younger, or at least youthful, in appearance as well as in temper, was the premise of every public appearance or official shot. Hence the choice to standardize the complexion with the foundation as befits a man who is always in front of the cameras.

For more than 30 years and until 2010 his jackets were made by Ferdinand Caraceni (disappeared in 2004), then the knight passed to Kiton (another Neapolitan brand). In recent years, Silvio had abandoned the double-breasted suit (the single-breasted suit slims and hides the belly a little) and reduced the use of ties. Forever staying true to dark blue. In winter, shirts began to be replaced by warmer and more comfortable ones round-neck or turtleneck sweaters . And shirts, when they reappeared, were dark: better suited to be worn without a tie.

In October 2022, fresh from his re-election, he presented himself to the Senate for registration practices, precisely, without a tie. Protocol violated, style gaffe wrote many. Mind the shape as it was if it must be taken. So, a few weeks later, when he went to the Quirinale for the consultations in view of the new government he was impeccably elegant: white shirt, tie and double-breasted suit. Not enough, she chose to be photographed seated on the throne in the Zodiac room with the leaders of his party behind him, Licia Ronzulli, Alessandro Cattaneo and the national coordinator Antonio Tajani. Silvio would have liked to enter those halls in another guise (and not in the sense of clothes) or rather as President, and for a while he really believed in it. But that’s another story.

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