Barneys Man March 3rd, 2016 (http://thewindow.barneys.com/category/barneys- Benjamin Jackson man/) From The Desk Of: Massimo Alba Photographed by Justin Bridges (http://www.justinbridges.com/) The veteran designer gives us an inside look at his Milan home and work space. It may be apt to call Massimo Alba (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new- york?pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) an old- school designer, considering that he cut his teeth working for Italian brands like Malo and Piombo and his own namesake line focuses on quality hand- made pieces manufactured in Italian workshops using soft, luxurious fabrics. But if he’s old-school, it’s safe to say his home and work space is really old- school. That’s because he’s based at Palazzo Atellani (https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Atellani), a fifteenth century villa in the heart of Milan that was once the residence of Leonardo da Vinci. With its airy feeling and amazing natural light, the palazzo both inspires Alba in the creativity of his designs and is itself a reflection of that creativity and inspiration. The designer recently invited us into his space and gave us a tour of the special place he calls home. Read on to find out about his antique plants, why he’s so obsessed with lamps, and what life lessons he’s learned from his dog. Then head over to Barneys (http://www.barneys.com/barneys- new-york?pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) to see how this same unexpected charm filters into the clothing he creates. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) Massimo strolls the gardens of Palazzo Atellani with Piero Castellini, architect and owner of the property, as well a close friend. The Window: How would you describe the aesthetic of the Massimo Alba brand? Massimo Alba: There’s a very Milanese approach to personal style that I’ve always found compelling. Milan is a secret city—a city of courtyards, of ancient palazzos, where beauty reveals itself to you slowly, deliberately even, as if by its own accord. The Milanese style, when it comes to clothing, is very attuned to the city’s mood and its pragmatic attitude. It’s a style that’s allergic to excess, almost on the basis of ethics, not aesthetics. For menswear, obviously, it’s influenced by the English, but also, funnily enough, Austrian ideas—the beautiful Loden coat’s popularity here never ceases to baffle outsiders. And it’s where bespoke tailors still matter but ready-to-wear rules, because in the end this is the city where the industrialization process of the fashion business truly began. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) The quiet courtyard offers Alba his slice of Milan’s hidden treasures. So would it be safe to say that Milan itself is one of your most significant influences? Milanese style is central to my own idea of beauty, because I like deconstructed clothes that are in fact very carefully constructed, inside where it’s invisible. Milan is a city of invisible details and my idea of fashion is very much in tune with that—I like cashmere that feels really soft but not too soft, cashmere that feels real to the touch. I’ve had to create special yarns that didn’t exist before in order to accomplish that—garments that get nicer and more beautiful the more you wear them, that don’t really wear out but become better, fitting closer and more beautifully to one’s body. That way, they become capable of telling your story even before you have to say a word. Comfortable, in Milan, is never slouchy, never sloppy, antithetical to dressing down, really. This is the central idea I try to infuse in my own clothes. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) Alba’s extensive art collection is beautifully displayed throughout his home. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) Touches like family photos make the space feel personal and intimate. After years of building other brands, what prompted you to launch your own namesake line in 2006? My company—its DNA, really—began as a gift: I made two coats, a sweater, and a pair of pants as gifts for my wife, because I wanted to see her in those clothes. Then the whole company was born, created all around that gift. My work, the clothes I design, always feel like an extension of my life. A Massimo Alba shirt, to me, carries the same emotional weight as my books do, or my furniture. I try to make clothes that feel like they belong to me, in the hope that an audience will feel the same thing on an emotional level. And of course, having my namesake brand means freedom. And with freedom comes the possibility of growth, of new challenges. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) Alba’s austere work space is anchored by a large-format photograph by Gianni Pezzani. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) The same care that Alba takes with textures in his collection can be seen throughout the space. A central focus of the brand is on the personal connection with objects and memories. Is there a specific object in your space to which you feel the strongest connection? A plant. I went looking for plants—huge, big, old plants that I eventually found abandoned in a conservatory. I like the feeling of the seasons changing inside our space even before they do outside. Leaves fall, flowers disappear. Seeing the new, fresh leaves makes me happy. I’m happy every time I realize how intense and slow and deeply beautiful, in its economy of means, the life of plants is. Plants have a secret life, too, that reveals itself to those who are willing to listen and to look. In Italy everything has history. That goes for plants, too. We choose old, abandoned plants—not easy to do, but typically Italian. We like to make our lives more difficult, not easier. We’re exactly the opposite of the Americans in this. Maybe it’s because we feel the actual need to see and feel history around us—we need a sense of past, a sense of memory. It is a matter of empathy, of being in touch and feeling part of something. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) This rescued plant is thriving in its new home. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) Eclectic furnishings meld seamlessly under Alba’s curatorial eye. Can you talk us through your design process? That’s exactly what I mean: everything starts from somewhere. Generally speaking, my feeling is that if something happens to me it’s because I receive information from the outside world. A certain transformation happens. It’s a difficult process to explain. I’m always trying to see with the eyes of the others. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) A watercolor portrait of Jasper, Alba’s Labrador. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) As part of a special project commissioned by Massimo for the presentation of his men’s collection, he asked to a good friend to draw portraits of men, which he then embroidered on pillows. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) Artwork and furniture aren’t the only elements that introduce bright colors into Alba’s space. How is your space a reflection of your own personal history? Sometimes I think I’m obsessed by lamps. They’re hard to resist, whenever I find one that catches my interest—just ask my wife! I really like the fact that whenever we need to illuminate something, they’re there to help us, but they remain even more beautiful when they’re turned off, either in darkness or in lower, more diffuse natural light. Not many objects are as beautiful when they’re off—certainly, TVs aren’t. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) Alba’s quirky collections are scattered throughout his home, but his love of lamps in on view wherever one looks. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) Alba’s signature style draws global influences. How would you say your space relates to the aesthetic you’ve created for your brand? Everything that surrounds us is always in movement, in flux, and at a certain point I feel we need something and I start to research. And then a couple of armchairs, a lamp or a table or books, they just arrive—they just materialize in my life. The only thing to do is to take them. Sometimes it is a matter of finding the right music for the space, or buying flowers, or chocolates, or eating a good plate of spaghetti with a simple tomato sauce. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) A piece of art by Hannah Starkey hangs over the comfy couch. (http://www.barneys.com/barneys-new-york? pagetype=brand&prefn1=brand&prefv1=Massimo%20Alba) A dark paint color makes Alba’s diverse pieces pop.