By guest writer Matthew Lecher
My style is very representative of me: a creature of habit! I love sweaters, and I’ve learned that, more than just wearing them, I love how sweaters tell a story.
I am a religious sweater-wearer, in all four seasons and no matter the temperature, except for when I play tennis and channel my inner Rafael Nadal with the unorthodox tight-fitting tee shirt and above-the knee-length shorts. This could be caused by a many number of factors; perhaps the most plausible could be my identity as an italophile or francophile, and not wanting to out myself as a sloppily dressed American. I don’t really know what happened since then. The trend and fear stuck enough to want to be “stylish” year-round. I am a loyal brand aficionado, not because of the label but because of the trust instilled in me from that label. For example, take my affection for Polo and its hugging-feeling on my torso and arms, which gives me an embrace every time I put on one of its pieces of clothing. I will ALWAYS don a sweater when the weather gets chillier and more often than not a button down (only from Ralph Lauren or Brooks Brothers) will be under that sweater, making me look more like an English prep school boy rather than a student at a small liberal arts college in New England. Or both. Or a professor. I swear they all have the same style.
Other than the products of normal and more well-known commercial brands, the products of a small family-owned haberdashery and cutter called DE PAZ of BOLOGNA are even more meaningful to me, because they embody history and tradition.
It is actually a very interesting story, and to me it is a clear example of looking good in order to feel good. Dante De Paz (the current caretaker of the store) is a third-generation wool importer – along with his sons David and Dario – where their entire family grew up in a 125-person Jewish community. I learned the trials and tribulations of being Jewish, or at least visibly Jewish in a large Roman Catholic European city, especially the sacrifices Dante’s father Alfredo and grandfather Neldo made in order for their children to survive in an Italy that would be safe and free of antisemitism. 1938 brought the closing of their store and financial instability for the family due to the Italian Racial Laws against Jews, and as a result then both Neldo and Alfredo joined the Partisans against the Nazis and Italian Fascists. At the end of the war, as a means to rebuild and restore communal resolve, the rest of the tenants in the building chipped in to help Neldo regain their storefront which had been still seized by the Italian government.
Dante De Paz
Now the fun stuff! Most of their material is wool; and a lot of it. Lambswool, Shetland, Thornproof, Merino, Cashmere-Wool blend; anything underneath the sun it seems. About 40% of their merchandise are jackets and suits, 40% are sweaters, and 19% are shirts. The other 1% is custom. I remember vividly passing the store on my way home from class one evening well after closing time, and watching Dante caress each roll of material, getting ready for a pre-opening appointment to make his grandson Beniamino a custom suit for his Bar-Mitzvah. According to the local population, Dante is known as the “Emperor of Via Ugo Bassi”, occasionally standing outside of his glass door from what looks like 1950 with his perfectly coiffed Benjamin Franklin hairdo and pince-nez glasses just watching passers-by and drivers go about their business. Although their wool sweaters and scarves are quite itchy and maybe a little worn (and believe me, I have too many of both), I know now what it feels like to be wearing a little bit of history and eagerly await Dante’s slight (and very rare) smile emoji on our long WhatsApp conversation after sending him an OOTD photo every time I wear his sweaters with his bookbag (which he gifted me) over my shoulder.
In short, fashion is one’s expression of values and traditions that are touched upon in daily life from that of a young person to that of an adult. I feel grateful that I have the chance to show the andtoast.org community my distinct story and connection and look forward to continuing to develop my style and passions as my life goes beyond the academic setting and into the professional one.
@mjl817
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