Football: Italy set new unbeaten record as Germany thump Armenia

PARIS, France -- Italy broke the world record for the longest unbeaten run in international football with a goalless draw at Switzerland on Sunday, while Germany got their World Cup qualifying campaign back on track by thrashing Armenia 6-0.

European champions Italy should have taken all three points, but Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer saved Jorginho's second-half penalty.

"The ball didn't want to go into the goal," Italian coach Roberto Mancini told RAI.

"We had too many chances today not to win the match... We have to be more clinical and more precise."

The draw, however, extended Mancini's side's unbeaten run to 36 matches, breaking the previous mark they shared with Brazil and Spain.

The Azzurri remain top of Group C, four points above Switzerland who have two games in hand.

Italy are bidding to banish the memories of their shock failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

The group winners automatically reach next year's finals in Qatar, with the runners-up heading into the play-offs.

The Germans brushed off the cobwebs of their underwhelming 2-0 win over Liechtenstein in Hansi Flick's first match in charge by thrashing previous leaders Armenia to go top of Group J.

Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry scored twice in the first 15 minutes.

Timo Werner set up Marco Reus, who was recalled by Flick, to put the result beyond doubt before netting himself to complete a dominant opening 45 minutes.

The home crowd in Stuttgart were given a fifth goal to cheer by Jonas Hofmann early in the second period, before the four-time world champions added further gloss in added time through 19-year-old debutant Karim Adeyemi.

They now lead Armenia by two points, with Romania a point further back after beating Liechtenstein 2-0.

A shock home loss to North Macedonia earlier this year had put Germany's qualification in danger.

- England cruise at Wembley -

A much-changed England labored for long periods before seeing off Andorra 4-0 in their first match at Wembley since their Euro 2020 final defeat by Italy on penalties.

Jesse Lingard, who missed out on Gareth Southgate's Euro squad, put the hosts ahead in the 18th minute, but a second goal did not arrive until substitute Harry Kane's penalty 18 minutes from time.

England, for whom Southgate made 11 changes, did enjoy a late goal spree as Lingard netted a second and Bukayo Saka marked his birthday by finding the net.

That goal brought loud cheers from the crowd at Wembley -- where Saka missed the decisive penalty in the shootout against the Italians in July.

"He (Saka) got a fabulous reception, before and during the game," Southgate told ITV. "You can see how popular he is with the rest of the team as well."

England have won all five of their matches in Group I and visit Poland, who they lead by five points, on Wednesday.

Robert Lewandowski scored twice and Adam Buksa grabbed a hat-trick as the second-placed Poles hammered San Marino 7-1.

Spain, who are in danger of not qualifying automatically, thrashed Georgia 4-0 in Badajoz.

First-half goals from Jose Gaya, Carlos Soler and Ferran Torres ensured they would bounce back from their loss to Sweden with a win.

Pablo Sarabia also netted after half-time, but although the 2010 World Cup winners move top of Group B, they are only one point ahead of Sweden who have two games in hand.

Belgium put one foot in Qatar with an impressive 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic which saw Romelu Lukaku mark his 100th cap with a goal.

The Chelsea striker has now scored 67 goals for his country and 50 in his last 50 appearances.

Eden Hazard and Alexis Saelemaekers also got on the scoresheet as Roberto Martinez's Belgium stretched six points clear of the Czechs at the top of Group E.

"I know that if I continue and my body follows, it will get better and better," said Hazard following his first international goal since 2019 after suffering several injuries.

Wales are only a single point further back, having played two fewer matches, after Gareth Bale scored a hat-trick, including an injury-time winner, in a dramatic 3-2 success over Belarus in Kazan.

Agence France-Presse

Devastated Venice braced for third major flood

Venice was braced Saturday for an unprecednted third major flooding in less than a week, with sea water due to swamp the already devastated historic city where authorities have declared a state of emergency.

Mayor Luigi Brugnaro ordered the iconic St Mark’s Square closed on Friday as the latest sea surge struck with strong storms and winds battering the region.

After a brief respite on Saturday, the city forecast a high water of 160 centimetres (over five feet) for just after midday on Sunday, lower than Tuesday’s high of 187 centimetres but still dangerous.

Churches, shops and homes in the city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, have been inundated by unusually intense “acqua alta”, or high water, which on Tuesday hit its highest level in half a century.

“We’ve destroyed Venice, we’re talking about one billion (euros) in damage,” Brugnaro said after the second major flooding of around 160 centimetres hit on Friday.

The Italian football team travelled to Venice on Saturday to show solidarity with the stricken city.

“On behalf of the whole team, we stand close to the city of Venice,” said Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The Italian football federation delegation visited several businesses damaged by the flooding, and chatted with Venetians, volunteers and police.

“Venice will overcome this too. Like an athlete who suffers a serious injury and then gets up again,” said delegation chief and former Azzurri international Gianluca Vialli.


The crisis has prompted the government to release 20 million euros ($22 million) in funds to tackle the devastation.

Surveying the damage, Culture Minister Dario Franceschini warned the task of repairing the city would be huge. More than 50 churches had suffered damage, he said.

Hotel reservations cancelled

Residents whose houses have been hit are eligible for up to 5,000 euros in immediate government aid, while restaurant and shop owners can receive up to 20,000 euros and apply for more later.

Most of the city’s cash machines were no longer working because of the water, making life even more difficult for tourists and Venetians.

Despite being used to the inconvenience of their city’s rising waters, some inhabitants expressed frustration.

“All the stock in the basement is lost,” lamented Luciano, a worker at a shop along St. Mark’s Square.

He said he remembered well the infamous “acqua alta” of 1966, when the water rose to a level of 1.94 metres, the highest since records began in 1923.

“These so frequent high waters have never happened before…this time there’s so much more damage than in the past,” he said.

Hotels reported cancelled reservations, some as far ahead as December, following the widespread diffusion of images of Venice underwater.

Tuesday’s high waters submerged around 80 percent of the city, officials said.

Many, including Venice’s mayor, have blamed the disaster on global warming and warned that the country prone to natural disasters must wake up to the risks posed by ever more volatile seasons.

The Serenissima, as the floating city is called, is home to 50,000 residents but receives 36 million visitors each year.

A massive infrastructure project called MOSE has been under way since 2003 to protect the city, but it has been plagued by cost overruns, corruption scandals and delays.

The speaker of Italy’s Senate, Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, visited Venice on Saturday and called for the MOSE project to be completed.

“Once the emergency is over, the light on Venice should not go out,” Italian media reported.

“Venice needs attention. Now is the time to do it and if the MOSE serves as it should to avoid such disasters, then it must be finished.”

cjo/har

Agence France-Presse

Serbia shows US how it’s done at Fiba World Cup

Red-hot Serbia showed they — not reigning two-time champions the United States — are the team to beat at the Basketball World Cup with a 92-77 victory over Italy on Wednesday to top their group.

Gregg Popovich’s Team USA was pushed to the limit on Tuesday before finally swatting aside 17th-ranked Turkey in overtime to labor into the second round in China.


Just 24 hours later Serbia showed the Americans how to do it against the Italians, ranked 13th, in a battle for supremacy in Group D with both teams having already stormed through to the next stage.

In the next round, Italy and Serbia will be in a group with Spain and Puerto Rico.

Serbia was ahead at half-time against Italy in Foshan with the Sacramento Kings pair of Nemanja Bjelica and Bogdan Bogdanovic roaring to the fore.

Guard Bogdanovic totted up a game-leading 31 points and five steals. Bjelica, a forward, had nine assists.


The United States is the current Olympic and world champions but they look fallible in China with Popovich missing the Americans’ biggest names, forcing him to select a young, experimental team.

In contrast, Serbia — losers to the US in the last Olympic and world finals — are a settled side who know their jobs and what coach Sasha Djordjevic expects of them.

Serbia, the tallest team at the World Cup, racked up more than 100 points in handsome victories over outclassed Angola and the Philippines in their opening two matches.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Why was Lee Min-ho in Rome?

Hallyu star Lee Min-ho recently drew attention with his Instagram updates from Rome, Italy.

The reason for his European excursion was made public by Italian chocolate brand, Ferrero Rocher, who on Friday announced Lee as their newest model for the upcoming Christmas and Valentine’s seasons.

Starting from October, Lee will appear in TV commercials for the chocolate line, complete with the behind-the-scenes images of the commercial shoot and a close-up interview.

Ferrero Rocher Korea’s category director Luigi Mirri said, “Global star Lee Min-ho fits in well with the premium image of Ferrero Rocher. During the commercial shoot, he conveyed our selected theme of ‘Italian Flair” with composed and professional attitude unique to him.”

“Selecting Lee Min-ho as our model shows The Ferrero Group’s continued interest in the Korean market,” Mirri said.

The confectionary company made headlines in February with the passing away of its head Michele Ferrero, then Italy’s richest person and the world’s 30th richest, with his fortune estimated at 23.4 billion according to Forbes.

The Ferrero Group is responsible for Nutella, Kinder chocolates, Ferrero Rocher and Tic Tacs.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Prosciutto, salami, fine cheeses, wine–the best of Italy

Two weeks ago, I indulged in a selection of cured meats and cheeses with wine, all from Italy, specially picked by Adriano Steffanuti of Massimo Trulli Fashion, Food & Wine Concept Store.

Arranged neatly on the wooden board were Speck di Sauris (Friuli)— dry cured, lightly smoked prosciutto that was exquisite to the bite. It was aromatic, bold on the palate yet refined on the finish. The ham was tasty, moist, tender and not a tinge too salty.

Add to that the equally exquisite rose-tinged Prosciutto San Daniele (Friuli), with a distinct nibble, sweet and delicate.




Easy to eat

Between the two hams, I had bites of Raspini’s Salamino Pelafacile (small, easy-to-peel salami). The salami from Piedmont is the uncomplicated kind and can be enjoyed simply by itself or with crusty bread.

With the meats came the cheeses, all made from cow’s milk. It was an interesting mix, from easy eats to more complex tasting types.

Montasio (Friuli) is a hard, mild cheese that can be enjoyed by cheese and noncheese lovers alike. It is easy to snack on; nice chew.

The Latteria di Grotta (Friuli) is also a hard cheese, but crumbly with an intense flavor and aroma, made distinct by its aging process. In the olden days, this type of cheese was wrapped in hay and left to mature in caves, thus its name “Grotta” (cave).

Latteria, meanwhile, means the dairy shop where milk—“latte”—is processed.

The hay’s purpose is to absorb the moisture. The unique flavor and taste of this cheese is developed through this particular process. Though no longer matured in caves, the Latteria di Grotta is still wrapped in hay while being aged.

The Blu Ramandolo is cheese covered with pomace from Ramandolo wine and aged in cellars. The combination of the pomace and the mold from the cheese is what makes it blue—a must-try.

Ideal pairing

I was also most impressed with the wine selection. The bottle of Refosco (produced by Collavini) beautifully paired with the meats and cheeses.

Refosco is both the name of the grape as well as the red wine produced from it. Collavini’s Refosco was subtle, rounded, fresh, easy to drink and completely cleanses the palate after every bite, from one type of meat or cheese to the next.

The Italian red wine from Friuli has a tinge of sweetness that complements the cured meats and cheeses; the Blu Ramandolo, especially. A sip of the wine mellows the cheese, making the combination of both harmonious to the palate.

All these delicious Italian products are now available at Massimo Trulli Fashion, Food & Wine Concept Store.

At Massimo Trulli, diners enjoy the luxury of Italian designer Massimo Trulli’s home pieces, such as chairs, sofas and tables.

The cellar also has an interesting collection of Italian high-end wines that will impress aficionados.

Massimo Trulli Fashion, Food & Wine Concept Store is at LRI Design Plaza, 210 Nicanor Garcia, Bel-Air II, Makati City; tel. 8329600 and 0915-4181407.

Chocolate bars with a Pinoy twist

This week, I tried interesting chocolates by Theo & Philo.

The turon variety was quite a treat—creamy milk chocolate with fruity-chewy banana bits, a sprinkling of crispy caramel and roasted sesame seeds, all of which gave it depth and nuttiness. Its texture was a delight. It’s a well-conceived, well-executed bar.

Another bar from the collection that I fancied was the barako. It’s the perfect shot of espresso in a milk chocolate bar that perks you up at first bite. Once you sink your teeth into the chocolate, the barako comes alive, tingling the buds and awakening the palate.

These ingenious chocolate creations with a Pinoy touch are the brainchild of Philo Chua, who learned how to cook while working in Information Technology in the United States.

After a few years, he decided to come home and start a business—he wasn’t certain what kind, but it had to be food-related.

He was later inspired by a shop in Pittsburgh that sold gourmet chocolates from around the world. The trend at that time was “single-origin” chocolates, which meant that the cacao bean used in the chocolate must come from just one locale.

Chua knew there’s cacao in the Philippines. He did his research, then came home to pursue his dream of making his own single-origin chocolate bars.

Special flavors

In the beginning, his company produced only 70-percent dark and plain milk chocolates; then he slowly concocted special flavors for the holidays.

“We focused on what was unique to us and also what was in line with our concept of Philippine single-origin chocolates. So we decided to go with Filipino flavors,” says Chua.

He kept to safe flavors in the beginning, adapting classic flavors but giving them a native twist. The chocolate with calamansi was a take on the chocolate with orange; the chocolate and chili he translated into chocolate with labuyo.

But over time, Chua has become bolder, creating variants such as adobo and green mango and salt.

I learned that there is more to him than just his love for chocolates. Every fancy flavored chocolate bar he makes is made even more special by the advocacies he supports, such as employing the less fortunate without requiring previous experience, awarding scholarships, assisting the farmers they work with to secure equipment and using local ingredients whenever possible.

The brand Theo & Philo means “chocolate and love” or lover of chocolate. “Theo” comes from Theobroma cacao, the scientific name of the cacao plant. “Philo” is the Greek word for love. Amazingly, whether coincidence or not, it’s Chua’s first name, too.
Theo & Philo, tel. 6311362 and 0920-4315650.

For a copy of my latest cooking class schedule, call 0908-2372346 or 0917- 5543700.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Jay Leno to drive $1 million classic Jaguar for the Mille Miglia race

This year’s Mille Miglia is packed full of famous cars and equally famous drivers – but when it comes to prodigious competition histories paired with A-list names, the combination of Jaguar Heritage Racing’s 1951 Ecurie Ecosse XK 120 roadster with Jay Leno and Ian Callum is hard to beat.

US TV talk show host, Jaguar collector and classic car enthusiast, Jay Leno, and Jaguar Design Director, Ian Callum, are legends of the automotive industry – and at the Mille Miglia this year their presence is complemented by that of the 1951 XK 120 Ecurie Ecosse roadster.

One of the most valuable and important XK 120s in the world, ‘LXO 126′ is the only surviving example of three original cars built to launch the Scottish racing team in 1952. A race winner in its period, it is most famously associated with raffish Anglo-Scottish aristocrat Sir James Scott-Douglas.

Scott-Douglas competed in a number of endurance races across Europe with Ecurie Ecosse and even went on to keep ‘LXO 126′ as a road car in 1953. In the same year, the car returned to the race track at the infamous Nurburgring; Ecurie Ecosse mechanics hastily converting it back into a competition car when one of the team’s C-type’s met with an accident.

Since then the car has been the subject of a meticulous restoration. Resplendent in the classic Flag Metallic Blue of the Ecurie Ecosse racing team, it was recently sold by Bonhams Auctions for $965,827 at the end of 2013 and has been loaned to Jaguar Heritage Racing for the Mille Miglia.

It won’t be the only Ecurie Ecosse car in Italy for this event – the Ecurie Ecosse C-type and D-type the original Ecurie Ecosse racing transporter will also be present at the start of the Mille Miglia in Brescia.

Ian Callum, Jaguar Design Director, said, “As a Scotsman, Ecurie Ecosse is incredibly close to my heart – so the chance to drive this incredible XK 120 through Italy is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Factor in a co-driver who’s almost as much of a Jaguar man as me – and there’s no doubt I’m going to love every minute!”

Jay Leno commented, “I’m fortunate to have an XK 120 in my garage – not to mention a few other incredible cars from Coventry – but this Ecurie Ecosse XK 120 is one of the most beautiful Jaguars ever built. I absolutely adore it. It’s a real honor to be asked to drive it on the Mille Miglia and to be able to revel in its history with someone like Ian is a true privilege.”

Jaguar Heritage Racing will be tackling the legendary Mille Miglia classic car endurance event from May 15-18 with a line-up of top-name drivers, which will be traversed over 1,000 grueling miles from Brescia-Rome-Brescia in ten of the most revered and sought-after historic Jaguar cars ever produced.

Meanwhile, ex-Jaguar Le Mans and World Sports Prototype Championship winner, Formula 1 driver and SKY F1 TV pundit Brundle along with ex-Formula 1 racer Bruno Senna are sharing the famous ‘Long Nose’ Jaguar D-type.

The penultimate example built, the D-type carries the registration 393 RW and is a true racing thoroughbred. Produced in March 1956 for the works team, it won the Reims 12-hour race, driven by Duncan Hamilton and Ivor Bueb then went on to finish sixth in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Such is its originality, 393 RW carries the same wraparound aero windscreen, passenger seat, door and famous integrated tailfin as it did when it competed in 1956. After retiring from European competition, the car even had an extended career on American shores too, finishing third in the 1957 Sebring 12-hour race.

With D-type production beginning in 1954, the sight of this legendary Jaguar model in this year’s Mille Miglia is a fitting way to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2014.

source: motioncars.inquirer.net

Star of Tod’s collection is Sella purse

Tod’s is one of the most successful leather goods brands because it never veers far away from its roots, and thus does not alienate its core customers. The coming Fall-Winter season is no different; it is a collection that is a nod to “the quality and craftsmanship of Made in Italy.”

Tod’s has been masterfully reinventing its classic wheel. Apart from new iterations of its signature Gommini driving shoes—in polka dot suede, and zebra stripes and mottled calf pony for women this season—some of its Fall bags are reinterpretations of its classic styles, including the iconic D-bag.

The D-bag has five limited-edition couture styles, one of which is fully hand-embroidered with crystals. It weighs more than a supermodel.

Star

The star of Tod’s 2013 Fall-Winter collection, however, is the Sella purse, inspired by saddlemaking but interpreted in a minimalist, feminine, curved shape. It comes in three sizes: a full-size shopper in dark purple or brown calfskin; a small satchel in several colorways; and a stunning mini version with a detachable shoulder strap—in yellow, orange, hot pink, turquoise, nude and black.

The mini Sella also comes in zebra-striped and leopard-print calf pony. The bigger sizes have variants in crocodile and python.

The Italian company, one of the last brands to still craft all its products in Italy, incorporates an often-used signature element—the Gommini pebbles—on the dressier women’s footwear, on the heels of its calf pony booties and metallic pumps. Tod’s fans will also find saddle straps on its other booties and boots styles, done in either plain calf or calf pony.

Two loafers get the metallic treatment, with the vamp embossed with the Tod’s emblem.

At the recent presentation at Tod’s Greenbelt 4 in Makati City, the Stores Specialists Inc. (SSI) team highlighted Tod’s’ made-to-order men’s footwear business, offered only at the Italian flagship store in Milan. It’s a luxury space called Sartorial Touch, akin to an English men’s club, and includes a bar and a lounge. (SSI is Tod’s’ exclusive distributor here.)

The iPad presentation underscored each step of the handcrafted process, from the choice of leather to the painstaking hand-dyeing, all the way to the finished product.

Tod’s also offers made-to-order luggage, bags and small leather goods.

But if a trip to the Milan flagship isn’t an option, men can choose from the new season’s in-store collection that includes boots with elastic bands on the uppers, classic calf loafers, and suede or calf pony Gomminis, as well as sturdy-looking lace-ups with boot-lacing details reminiscent of trekking shoes.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Food writer reveals unusual side of Italian desserts

Italian delicacies like tiramisu and cannolis are familiar to people around the globe and the list may grow as veteran food writer Francine Segan shares unusual Italian desserts in her newest book.

"Dolci: Italy's Sweets," is the result of her extensive research looking for recipes. Segan met Italian home cooks and professional chefs who make usual pairings like sugar, honey and chocolate with pasta, chickpeas, eggplant and even meat.

The New York native spoke to Reuters about the wide range of Italian desserts, her motivation for doing the book and the surprises she encountered.

Q: Why did you decide to focus on desserts with this book?

A: "I felt I traveled a lot through Italy. While my first loves are pizzas, pasta and prosciutto, I realized that there are so many desserts we don't know about here in the States. I was shocked. As I travel more and more, I realize not only don't we know about them in the states. But from one region (in Italy) to the next, they don't even know them."

Q: How do you think that happened?

A: "Italy was so divided. It was more like 20 different countries. Now it's definitely like 10 major regions. They are really competitive with each other. It became a treasure hunt for me to discover authentic recipes, not just from a restaurant, but a restaurant that's been around and is really entrenched ... Then I was fascinated by some of the bizarre ones."

Q: What is the biggest shock you discover during your research for the book?

A: "The biggest surprise is that they eat pasta for dessert. That was a shock. I thought it was a joke. I thought it was just one place. And then I was doing an article on chocolate in Piedmont. That's where I learned about it two years ago ... More and more people started looking at me like 'You don't know we have pasta for dessert?' There are dessert raviolis. Then I was shocked by how many recipes there were in the different regions. Some of these recipes you could find them in books going back to the 1700s. They are not new at all."

Q: Did you manage to convince anyone here to taste those unusual desserts?

A: "There is this mini meat-and-chocolate turnover pie from Sicily. When I tell people that it has meat and chocolate, people don't want to taste it. I have to lie to them. I have to say there is a surprise in there and ask whether you are vegetarian."

Q: This book is a collection of other people's recipes, not original ones you created for your other books? Why?

A: "I personally feel I want to preserve the integrity of regional food. Sometimes I feel there is almost a little too much tweaking going on. I personally don't love going to an Italian restaurant here in the States and find dishes you have never even seen in Italy, that would appall Italians, the combination of flavors.

"There is too much sauce. I feel like they really do a good job over there. Most of all, I feel like I want to give you a little travel trip about what is real in Italy, so I wanted them to be 100 percent authentic.

"When I wanted panna cotta, I went to the region where it was created. I went to a cooking school where the person is known to make the best panna cotta. I went to establishments which have been around for dozens and dozens of years. There are recipes handwritten in books going back to the 1800s and made the same way. There are also bloggers who are doing what I am hoping to do, which is to preserve some of the classic recipes before we nouveau cuisine, gastro, micro ourselves crazy."

Q: What is a common mistake of making Italian desserts?

A: "People put too much butter and sugar (in the dessert). You don't drown butter and sugar in Italian desserts. You don't want too many ingredients."

Q: Since writing this book, what Italian desserts you make at home for yourself?

A: "The thing I want to go back to a lot because they are so amazingly flexible ... are these little peach-shaped cookies (pesche dolci). They could sit inside a sealed bag for months. You could fill them with lemon curd, Nutella or pastry cream. There are also the pasta crisps. You use leftover pasta, twirl it with fork and fry it in olive oil and drizzle them with honey and pistachio nuts. It sounds so simple but it really holds together. It's not greasy. It's crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside."

Hazelnut Chocolate Pasta (Pasta al Gianduiotti)
Serves 4

1/2 pound angel hair or other thin long pasta
12 gianduiotti, hazelnut chocolate candies, or 12 tablespoons quality hazelnut chocolate spread
Whipped cream or mascarpone cheese
Chopped hazelnuts
Hazelnut liqueur such as Frangelico (optional)

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Put 1 gianduiotti in each of 4 wine glasses or dessert bowls. Divide the hot pasta among them and top each with 2 more gianduiotti.

Serve immediately, topped with a dollop of whipped cream or mascarpone cheese, a splash of hazelnut liqueur and sprinkle of hazelnuts, if you like. –Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Costume National: Essential, edgy chic, rock & roll

MANILA, Philippines - Brad Pitt loves it. And so do Keanu Reeves, Jude Law and Lenny Kravitz.

They all wear Costume National, an avant-garde line which has been defined as edgy chic, a blend of minimalism and rock ‘n’ roll with a very iconic, slim and sensual silhouette.

Costume National is recognized for its excellent “value for price” ratio. The clientele is modern, dynamic, often characterized by a well-informed background. The Costume National lifestyle is shaped by a modern and international calling.

Ennio Capasa, Costume National’s designer, was born in Lecce in the Apulia region of Italy.

In 1982 Capasa completed his studies at Milan’s Belle Arti Academy, obtaining his degree with a thesis on Russian constructivism. His fascination with design in its most pure and essential nature led him to move to Japan where he lived for three years working as an assistant for Yohji Yamamoto. In 1986 on his return to Italy, he founded Costume National with his brother Carlo. The name of the maison was inspired by a book on French uniforms.

The line evolved while keeping true to the core inspiration: the rock ‘n’ roll of the ’70s — revisited in campaigns starring the children of rock — filtered by the concept of tailoring, which remains crucial for Capasa. In order to maintain this delicate balance — which over the years has developed into an instantly recognizable aesthetics — the designer has delved into technological minimalism with laser-cut fabrics, Pantone colors and futuristic silhouettes.

However, there are no signs of excessive abstraction. According to Capasa, one of the cardinal rules of fashion is that it should maintain a dialogue with the person who wears it — that it should change according to the needs and desires of the individuals who make a piece of the collection their own. Thus a garment relives, thanks to the person who wears it. “Fashion is a form of pleasure, it seduces the self and others,” states the designer. This fashion is more centered on the dialogue with the wearer than on a narcissistic monologue.

“I believe that my aim or ambition has always been creating a style, an aesthetic point of view. Traditional tailoring and research merge with the rebellious core that lies at the heart of the creative spirit. This is a collection that needs to be touched. The experimentation is never-ending: clean cuts, jackets without seams are assembled by a laser technique, knit becomes one with the fabric. I worked on many different possibilities of a synthesis between formal and sportswear, eliminating shirts and ties in the name of a creative rebellion,” says Capasa.

The new men’s winter collection abandons ties and shirts — the traditions of tailoring — integrating new creative structures into this wardrobe.

A dip into a delicate world that fits the undisputable element of post-punk, perfectly. Adherent, second skin pants reinterpret the miniature camouflage designs, and combat design almost demands a powerful tank in order to conquer quotidian life. A sort of neo-formal freedom emerges from the energy of the early days: the first blazer worn casually, spontaneously; the Parka as a cult object — but this time in high-tech, colored shiny fabrics; pants that belong to the dynamism of street culture.

Memories and borrowed elements come from the ’80s, from the New Wave style – which stole the element of non-color from punk, while re-appropriating its clean forms, void of details, stitching and shaping.

In Manila, Costume National is now available only at Adora, 2/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City. Tel. 217-4029.

Article Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=740263&publicationSubCategoryId=86