Gentle luxury, a symbol of tailored beauty

Solomeo, 17 August 2024

The product of my work is, in important respects, based on luxury, and I have always thought that speaking of luxury means speaking of beauty. As a child, I lived in the countryside and was in constant contact with the purest form of beauty, which is that of Creation; every morning and every evening, I would observe the turning of the seasons that came back year after year, always the same and eternal.

The word beauty is among the first to appear in the Bible; I think of beautiful and good as a single meaning, and I am convinced that both exist if measure exists. I am very fond of the words that the Greeks chose as a guide: kalòs kai agathòs (beautiful and good) and katà metron (according to measure), and I sometimes view beauty as a universal rule for a serene life, a rule that is like the side of a coin, on the opposite side of which there is aesthetics. For all these reasons, I believe that there is also a direct, lively and effective link between aesthetics – which governs beauty – and ethics – which guides behaviour according to moral values. I am fascinated by Dostoevsky’s words, Beauty will save the world.

I like beauty even if it cannot be explained according to reason, and perhaps precisely because of that: there is some golden dust of madness in it, that of the poets, and how can one not see that truth too is a fruitful product of beauty? Every day I am reminded of the link between beauty and truth and, as Aristotle argued, truth in turn has to do with wonder. Even though I am not a philosopher, I love philosophy and the great thinkers, who have given me a thousand teachings.

According to Plato, starting from physical beauty, through the beauty of gods and laws, one finally reaches the beauty of knowledge; a great saint like Thomas simply stated that when something generates pleasure in us, that is beauty. Another immense thinker, Kant, maintained that beauty is without concept or purpose other than to stir gentle pleasures in us, and regarding luxury he stated: "Luxury is found in human beings of taste, it satisfies, with its variety, our capacity for judgement, it provides many with employment, and enlivens the whole of social life".

From this, the idea of gentle luxury was born in me as the most faithful expression of our idea, of our creations, of our style; for gentleness is one of the greatest factors of happiness, as, I believe, it allows us to follow our good "demon". The ancient Greeks called happiness eudaimonia for this reason.

So what is gentle luxury? As a concept very close to that of beauty, it is not easy to find an exclusive definition, but I see luxury as a symbol: it appears symbolic to me because it is something that binds us to beauty. Gentle luxury, more simply, is a friend who welcomes you with a sincere smile, it is someone who reaches out to you, it is creativity and genius that do not cross the line, it means finding beauty in simplicity. It is welcoming to all, it is within measure and is always appreciated, as it knows the value of respecting others. This is why gentle luxury has a universal value, which is well represented by women. Hence the idea of a contextual figurative representation of some of the many women whose history has left us with glorious memories. The idea has taken the form of a poster, almost a contemporary tapestry, which brings together nine evocative female figures from across the ages, including Sappho, the famous poet who lived between the 7th and 6th centuries BC; Theano, a Greek philosopher and probably the wife of Pythagoras; and Hypatia, the Alexandrian philosopher and mathematician from the 4th and 5th centuries. The idea of such a testimony expresses, I hope, with simplicity, a feeling of gratitude for these and all women who have contributed to the greatness of culture and the arts in humanity.

The faces of the Campaign

As part of a sort of ideal and symbolical storytelling of the expression of the artistic genius, the female figures depicted in the Campaign embody, in a deep yet subtle way, the universal principle of “tailored beauty” on which the concept of gentle luxury is based.

Sappho – Poet – 7th-6th century BC

Living in the Greek island of Lesbos, Sappho fascinated her peers with the elegance of her poetry, and is still considered one of the greatest artists that Ancient Greece gifted humanity with.

Theano – Philosopher – 6th century BC

A student of the School of Pythagoras, Theano lived in the city of Crotone, which at the time was part of Magna Grecia. She was said to be a role model for women who lived in the community founded by Pythagoras.

Iaia – Painter – 2nd-1st century BC

A native of the city of Cyzicus, in Ancient Greece, Iaia first moved to Naples and then to Rome, where she soon became a skillful and talented portrait painter, much sought after for her fine style.

Hypatia – Philosopher – 4th-5th century

An influential figure on the academic scene in Alexandria, Egypt, Hypatia excelled in philosophy, mathematics and astronomy, promoting the teaching of philosophical studies in public.

Sofonisba Anguissola – Painter – 16th-17th century

Sofonisba started her apprenticeship as a painter at an early age, with the objective of turning it into a real profession. Her talent as a portrait painter was also recognized abroad, and she served at the court of Philip II of Spain.

Elisabetta Sirani – Painter – 17th century

A leading figure in Bolognese Baroque, Elisabetta was also highly appreciated for her drawing and engraving skills. In addition to teaching, she also established the first art school for women artists in Europe.

Plautilla Bricci – Architect – 17th century

Also known as “architettrice” (meaning female architect), Plautilla was the only female architect in Italy at that time who, based on a reliable source, was commissioned to create both paintings and architectural works.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu – Poet – 17th- 18th century

Lady Mary lived in Istanbul for a few years, where she wrote extensively on the Ottoman culture of the time and where she learned a practice to combat smallpox that she later tenaciously tried to introduce in Britain.

Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun – Painter – 18th- 19th century

Court portrait painter to Louis XIV of France and other European dynasties, Élisabeth showcased her artistic talent from an early age, later becoming a highly appreciated professional painter.

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