Published in L'Officiel Hommes Italia No. 8

     A New Year, 2013 to be exact. And like a glossy, supermarket-aisle fashion rag, we name names and reveal birthdates. We’re letting the cat out of the bag on who is old and who is getting even older. However, the passing of the years for our particular list of notables serves only to increase their gravitas, character and renown. The following birthdays demonstrate that good things become great with the passing of time.   

70th

     Born in 1943, Michael Philip “Mick” Jagger is easily one of the most recognizable figures in rock n roll, singing in a little band called The Rolling Stones. From their first show in 1962, to BBC’s Pop Go the Sixties in 1969, Saturday Night Live in 1978, to a 2006 concert in Rio de Janeiro with over 1.5 million people, Mick and the Stones have held our attention for five decades. 

     Not since Elvis has a singer possessed such raw sexuality, but Jagger’s was even more explicit. Whereas Elvis seemed a bit oblivious to his attraction, Jagger was overtly sexual, proudly throwing it in the face of society. With sensual pouting lips and prancing stage moves, combining camp and feminine agility, he blurred fixed sexual stereotypes. He wore eye makeup in the 1960s and dressed in drag in the 1970s. His provocative lyrics and public drug use made him a prominent countercultural celebrity. If one were to confuse his mascara and louche decadence with a failure to attract women, one would be sorely mistaken. Jagger had affairs (some very public) with Marianne Faithfull, Carly Simon, Margaret Trudeau, Linda Ronstadt, Uschi Obermaier, Carla Bruni and others. But it was not all surface. The musical chemistry of the Stones produced songs like: “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction”, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”, “Under My Thumb” “Honky Tonk Women”, “Brown Sugar”. Top selling albums and sold-out tours have been the norm. The Altamont Free Concert in 1969, with the infamous Harley Davidson-riding Hell’s Angels, was a cultural touchstone. The 2007 Bigger Bang Tour grossed $558 million and broke their own previous Guinness Book of World Records entry. Knighted in 2003, the father of eight children, over 200 million albums sold, presently on the road promoting the 50 And Counting tour, and as he celebrates his 70th birthday, what else to say but the guy has still got it.     

80th 

    Rene Lacoste’s talent on the tennis courts in the 1920s has been largely forgotten but his legacy lives on in the shape of a small alligator. Though it cannot claim to be the first visible brand logo, at 80 years old, it can possibly claim to be the oldest. But beyond the conspicuous logo, the true legacy of the Frenchman lies in his invention of the polo shirt. He managed to break tennis’ strict sartorial requirements in 1929, playing in a short sleeved, lightweight cotton shirt made of jersey petit piqué. The liberating white shirt was quickly adopted by polo players, who previously were constricted by long sleeve shirts with button down collars. Slightly more formal than a t-shirt, with its soft collar and three-button placket, Rene found it immensely comfortable and convenient off the courts as well. Espying a potential ace, Mr. Lacoste played financial doubles with knitwear manufacturer Andre Gillier and in 1933, the Chemise Lacoste debuted. Marketed “pour le tennis, le golf, la plage”, sales were brisk and by 1951, the original tennis white was joined by a rainbow of colors. Brooks Brothers carried the “status symbol of the competent sportsman” and was soon a menswear staple. In 1963 the company passed to son Bernard and the brand continued to flourish. Branching into shorts, perfume, glasses, tennis shoes, watches and leather goods, sales and brand awareness increased formidably. The alligator was reinvigorated and revamped in 2000 under the tenure of designer Christophe Lemaire. By 2005, an incredible 50 million Lacoste products were sold in 110 countries. You needn’t look any further than the omnipresence of the polo shirt, on all ages, classes and nationalities, to see that the alligator is still snapping. 

90th  

      Brothers Harry, Albert, Jack and Sam Wonskolaser began producing films during WWI and soon opened Warner Bros. Studio on Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California. Formally incorporating in 1923, the studio distinguished itself by pioneering sound films, “talkies”, releasing the first one ever in 1927, The Jazz Singer. Early successes were inspired by violent hoods and tended to glamorize crime. Little Caesar (1931), The Public Enemy (1931), I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932), Angles with Dirty Faces (1938), made Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney stars and earned Warner Bros. the moniker of the “gangster studio”. Yet not all was blood, revenge and bootlegging. A lighter side of the studio began in 1931 with Leon Schlesinger producing animated cartoons for the studio. Schlesinger delivered Looney Tones and Merrie Melodies, employed greats such as Tex Avery, Chuck Jones and Mel Blanc, and they orchestrated Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and friends into the fabric of America. The 1940s was a heady time for the studio, with a war weary people eager for entertainment. Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall and Joan Crawford became household names. The offerings were rich; Casablanca (1941), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) and box office receipts were enormous. In 1946, the studio’s net profit was $19.4 million (about €176 million today). 

The years passed and the memorable films continued to pile up:

1950s: Strangers on a Train (1951), A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), Dial ‘M’ for Murder (1954), Rebel Without a Cause (1955), Baby Doll (1956).

1960s: Ocean’s Eleven (1960), The Music Man (1962), My Fair Lady (1964), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Cool Hand Luke (1967), The Wild Bunch (1969). 

1970s: A Clockwork Orange (1971), Dirty Harry (1971), Mean Streets (1973), The Exorcist (1973), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), All the President’s Men (1976), The Goodbye Girl (1977), Superman (1978).

1980s: Chariots of Fire (1981), Blade Runner (1982), The Color Purple (1985), The Outsiders (1983), Purple Rain (1984), Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985), Full Metal Jacket (1987), The Witches of Eastwick (1987), Lethal Weapon (1987).

1990s: Driving Miss Daisy (1989), Goodfellas (1990), JFK (1991), Unforgiven (1992), The Fugitive (1993), True Romance (1993), L.A. Confidential (1997), The Matrix (1999).

The 21st century: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001), Million Dollar Baby (2004), The Dark Knight trilogy (2005, 2008, 2012), The Artist (2010). 

So Happy Birthday, Warner Bros. With a roster like this, your famous water tower will surely beckon Tinseltown dreams for another 90 years.   

100th 

     Originally founded as Fratelli Prada by Mario and Martino Prada in 1913, Prada still occupies its original storefront in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in the center of Milan. In the beginnings, their luxury accessories of exceptionally high quality and carefully chosen imports attracted the cream of European society. By 1919, it was designated as an official supplier to the Italian royal family. The Prada logo still bears the crest and heraldic knot of the House of Savoy. Having Italian royalty for your fan base is not an unfavorable situation and its offerings of fine British leather goods and Italian-made luggage allowed Prada to respectably prosper for decades. After first passing to Mario’s daughter Luisa, granddaughter Miuccia Prada took over the company in 1977. By then it was a brand of faded glory and outdated offerings. Fortuitously in 1978, she finds a mentor (and later husband) in Patrizio Bertelli. The two set on a strategic path: he with business acumen, her with innate taste and incredible creativity. In 1979 they begin to offer women’s footwear. In 1983, a new store opens on via della Spiga, which introduced the iconic pale-green color and presented a mix of traditional elements with modern architecture. But it was in 1984 that the game changed entirely. A black nylon fabric developed by Miuccia’s grandfather was originally used to protect the steamer trunks for sale but to her, the fine nylon was a genesis. The steamer trunk also provided the inspiration for a metal triangle emblem. This discrete logo was a below-the-radar approach, an example of reverse snobbery. While other designers garishly festooned their products with large logos, Prada resided in understated elegance. The metal triangle was instantly identifiable but it did not scream like a two year old baby. The black nylon backpacks and totes with the inverted triangle were the status symbols of a decade. Boutiques opened in Madrid, New York, Paris, London and Tokyo. 1993 saw the launch of sister brand Miu Miu and Prada’s first menswear collection. Sales in 1990 were 70 billion lira (about $32 million) and by 1998, 136 stores worldwide generated $674 million in revenue.

     Throughout this incredible growth, Prada had the restraint to avoid over-licensing while keeping hasty expansion in check. Despite being a favorite of counterfeiters, the brand has maintained its aspirational image and price point. Scratching her itch for avant garde architecture, Miuccia Prada commissioned designs from Pritzker Prize winners Rem Koolhaas and Herzog & de Meuron, who opened stores in New York in 2001, and Tokyo in 2003, respectively. These “Epicenter” stores are visually thrilling and present a new approach to the shopping experience. And let us not forget the extraordinary collections that Ms. Prada has delivered year after year. She has the talent to give us what we don’t yet know we desire. Prada has a rich history of fabric and design innovations, and though the specific look of the collections can swing from one extreme to the other, the house is always captivating, always talked about, always precisely itself. 

110th 

      Without a doubt, Harley Davidson is one of the most recognized American brands in the world. Named after founders, Walter Davidson and William Harley, the company is celebrating their one hundred and tenth birthday this year. It has come a long way from its humble beginnings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The two childhood friends developing prototypes in a 3m by 4.5m wooden shed in the backyard of the Davidson family home is a perfect symbol of the American “can-do” attitude. During WWI, motorcycles were used on the battlefields and Harley Davidson was awarded a large government contract to supply bikes for the war effort. Mr. Davidson was a peripatetic businessman whose wanderlust helped export the Harley name. As early as 1920, the H-D dealer network spanned 67 countries. With immense foresight, they supplied dealers with signage, repair manuals, training sessions and even accounting tips. H-D wanted just two qualities in their dealers: to be motorcycle obsessed and to possess a bit of business sense. This worldwide network helped H-D survive the Great Depression and was an early example of shrewd franchising and successful branding. 

     WWII ended and the American GIs returned home. Peacetime America was rather staid and dull to these fighter pilots, fearless motorcycle scouts, and down and dirty infantrymen. They yearned for a thrill, they missed the intense camaraderie of the battlefield—they purchased Harley motorcycles. On bikes, they found the freedom and speed they desired; with other riders, the brotherhood they missed. These early riders perhaps fell through the cracks of society. The 2.5 children, white-picket-fence-version of America was not for them; they were restless, boisterous, unafraid to kick ass. The initial motorcycle clubs kept the military look of leather bomber jackets and long scarves, along with the fighting spirit of battle. Being mechanically inclined from their wartime experience, the servicemen wrenched, stripped, chopped, fiddled with, bobbed and reconfigured their Harley Davidsons, a trend that continued for decades. The biker persona that developed, though inseparable from the motorcycle he rode, is in fact the quality that makes Harley Davidson grand. For it was not the specific Harley model or innovation that mattered, but rather the badass spirit of the rider that sat on top. Outlaw bikers have been an inspiration for film, music and fashion: from Marlon Brando in The Wild One (1953) to the current Sons of Anarchy.     

      Just like the Italian Vespa, Harley Davidson reflects a national character. In the Americans’ case, the qualities of uncompromising independence, ingenuity and perseverance come to mind. There is a connection between man and machine. The soul of Harley Davidson lives on in its hundreds of thousands of riders around the globe.  

120th 

     It is not surprising that our oldest anniversary comes from Rome, the Eternal City. In ancient times, Licinio Lucullo, a Roman general, tastemaker and art patron built a villa on the Pincio hill, a quiet and beautiful location suitable for a man of his stature. When the Swiss hotelier Albert Hassler arrived centuries later, he concurred with Lucullo’s real estate choice. He selected a picturesque spot near the famed Spanish Steps and in 1893 the Hotel Hassler Roma opened. As the new political capital of recently reunited Italy, Rome’s already formidable magnetism was amplified. Hassler gambled that it would also become a hugely popular tourist destination and he was correct. Soon after its opening, the hotel became the central meeting point of Rome’s high society. After WWII, the American military found the digs quite acceptable and requisitioned the hotel as its Italian headquarters. Reopening to the public in 1947, more congenial guests filled the registry: the royal families of Spain, Sweden, Denmark; heads of State Eisenhower, Adenauer, Nixon, Truman; Hollywood glitterati Marlene Dietrich, Audrey Hepburn, Charlie Chaplin, Grace Kelly, Angelina Jolie, Tom Cruise. 

      The Hassler is also notable for being independently owned and managed. Since the 1920s it has been in the capable hands of the Wirth family, with Roberto Wirth the fifth generation family president. The strategic location atop the Spanish Steps gives its rooms breathtaking views of the city below. The Parthenon, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Villa Borghese gardens are all visible from its glamorous suites. Within walking distance of the hotel sits the famous Trevi Fountain. Completed in 1762, it is an icon of Rome. The films Roman Holiday (1953) exposed it to thousands outside of Italy and a year later, Three Coins in the Fountain immortalized it in song. What else but the Trevi could be the fountain the song bespeaks? As if that was not enough, Mastroianni and Ekberg in 1961’s La Dolce Vita memorably turn the fountain into a decadent swimming pool. When staying at the Hotel Hassler, one cannot help but feel like a movie star.    

       There’s an air of Bogart about you, as you take your leave of the Hassler. Following the lead of Mick Jagger, you have an immeasurably younger girl under your arm. You are wearing a Lacoste polo shirt, dark sunglasses; the warm breeze rustles your thick hair. Your valet dutifully follows behind, carrying your set of exquisite Prada luggage which contains a first-rate wardrobe, your etchings and personal effects. As you straddle your Harley-Davidson, a small crowd of gawkers has gathered, snapping photos and wondering just who the devil you are. And who are you? Why just a man, celebrating a few friends’ birthdays.