The Journal
Ode to Milan
Ode to Milan
Read Time:
3 min
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THE TIMELESS MODERNITY OF THE NEW IWC PORTUGIESER COLLECTION HAS INSPIRED A SERIES OF PORTRAITS TAKEN BY SCOTT SCHUMAN, THE ARTIST WHO IMMORTALIZED THE ETERNITY OF A MOMENT IN THE MOST ELEGANT STREETS OF THE WORLD.
Eternity in a glance: illustrated by Francesco, Valeria, Enrico, Valentina and Alberto, five Milanese creatives involved in the world of design, art, communication and events. Their portraits are the “Tribute to Eternity” that Scott Schuman has created in collaboration with IWC Italy to celebrate the timeless elegance of the new Portugieser models.
Now known by his alias The Sartorialist, in 2005 Scott Schuman left his job as a fashion buyer to photograph the beauty of everyday life throughout the world’s most iconic streets, starting in his hometown, New York. Because it’s there, in the folds of ordinary people’s clothes and in the way they look, that Scott has always sought the very lifeblood of the fashion system. He left runways and showrooms for bustling sidewalks, waiting at traffic lights and hurrying to cross the street. Over 20 years, The Sartorialist has become a point of reference for millions who work in or follow the fashion world, inspired every day by the innate elegance and uncompromising style of his unknowing models.
— Valeria Frigerio co-founded a communications company in one of the European capitals of communication and marketing. “What I like about Milan is that it is a ‘box city,’ because the real beauty is inside: from the gardens hidden in seemingly anonymous buildings to the unexpected artistic contaminations that can be discovered in the different neighborhoods. Milan is the perfect city for those who are curious: it is a constantly evolving place that never loses its historical identity.” What piqued Valeria’s curiosity was the Portugieser Automatic 40 Ref. IW358402 with Horizon Blue dial.
— Designer Francesco Meda has creativity in his DNA: “I have breathed this profession,” he says, “since I was a child because my father’s studio was on the same floor of the house and my brother and I spent a lot of time looking around.” What makes Milan unique, for Francesco, “is its capillarity in terms of craftsmanship: within a 20 km radius there are unique workers who can prototype or find all the solutions necessary to make an industrial product.” Francesco appreciates the understatement of the Portugieser Automatic 42 Ref. IW501707 with Obsidian dial.
CAPTURING ETERNITY
For a while now, Scott Schuman has chosen Milan as his home and the setting for his new projects, the most recent of which, created in collaboration with IWC Italy, tells a story through images dedicated to the eternity that lies in every glance. This affinity is strengthened by the recent launch of the new IWC Portugieser models, masterpieces of watchmaking craftsmanship in which the eternal cycle of day and night is channeled through the charm of their timeless design, the same eternity that The Sartorialist has captured “forever” in the eyes of the five models who put themselves in front of his lens.
— Alberto Zanet has been living in Milan since 2015 and is madly in love with his city. At the age of 12, after seeing the movie “Stand by Me,” he decided to study cinema and become a screenwriter, “but maybe I should have taken a different path to reach this goal,” he says. Today, he is a creative director and writer. He is currently working on his second novel. He chose the IWC Portugieser Automatic 42 Ref. IW501705 with Dune dial.
THE DREAMER
Matteo Maresi: What do you look for, exactly, when you go out onto the street with your camera?
Scott Schuman: The secret isn’t to ‘look for something,’ but to react to what you see. I love surprises and mystery, that’s what interests me and guides my work. If I started looking for something specific, I’d miss a lot of the beauty that’s already around me.
Does the definition of an explorer fit you?
I prefer to consider myself a dreamer. I always used to look at pictures wondering what that person was like in that particular place, until curiosity took over and made me go out there and discover the wonders of the world.
How did you choose the models for your “Tribute to Eternity” for IWC?
I contacted some friends who, in my opinion, best represent the spirit of Milan. They are people who are similar in their uniqueness because Milan brings them together and defines their style somehow. But, most importantly, I knew that they would be interesting to chat with during the shooting, allowing me to find a moment of eternity in each of them.
IWC watches are fascinating because they’re so elegant and beautiful; rather than being overpowering, they subtly enhance your style.
STREET VS. STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY
What did you find challenging about taking posed photographs compared to spotting interesting-looking people on the street?
Usually, on the street, I portray who I think the subjects might be in my photographs. With a studio portrait, however, I have more time to get to know the models and put together an image that better represents their true character.
What were you trying to capture? A facial expression, an intimate moment, a gesture?
In the outside world, I don’t interact with a photo subject for very long - only a few minutes. But thanks to this project, I’ve been able to sit down and interact with them, talking to them while I take the picture. The final images that I’ve chosen from all the ones I took are the ones that I think capture something authentic from our interaction on the day.
— Valentina Contato is an entrepreneur in the digital and events world. Today, she leads numerous projects aimed at guiding companies toward inclusion, diversity, and equality. Her main asset? “Problem-solving.” For her, Milan is “an opportunity. It is a city made up of people looking for something. To find themselves, to have a career, to be successful, to be noticed.” But without excess. Valentina’s style is defined by refined essentiality, exemplified by her choice of watch, the Portugieser Chronograph Ref. IW371624 with Dune dial.
— Enrico Dal Buono is a writer. He says that “writing fiction etymologically means pretending, telling more reasonable lies than this senseless reality: selling hot air. After all, who doesn’t like fried food?” In his latest novel, “Ali,” he imagines a dystopian Milan in which we are all born with the gift of flight, but no longer know what to do with it. His energetic gestures while speaking power the Portugieser Automatic 42 Ref. IW501701 with Silver Moon dial.
SUBTLE STYLING
The creative spark of this collaboration stems from the concept of eternity, to which the new IWC Portugieser watches are intended to be an emblematic tribute. How did their presence on the wrists of Francesco, Enrico, Valentina, Alberto and Valeria affect the shooting?
IWC watches are fascinating because they’re so elegant and beautiful; rather than being overpowering, they subtly enhance your style. Our five protagonists all have very different styles, but the Portugieser watches perfectly helped bring out each of their personalities.
Why did you choose Milan as your second home?
Milan is the most fashionable city in the world. Nowhere combines style, elegance and incredible beauty like Milan does. Beauty is its business, just like entertainment is the business of Los Angeles.
BEHIND THE CAMERA
We can’t not talk about time with an artist who works with it every day. How does the flow of time affect your life as an artist?
When I take photos on the street, I rarely get more than one or two photos in a 6-hour session, and I often come back empty-handed, meaning time does not fly, so to speak. But I think I’m very good at living in the present. When I see something interesting, I’m ready to react immediately and understand how I feel about what I’m seeing, and how I’d like to communicate that in an image.
All artists need inspiration. What fuels your creativity?
Exploring new places and meeting new people. I’m proud of the fact that The Sartorialist isn't really about me, but about celebrating other people. It’s the idea of continuing for eternity that inspires me the most.
— Founder and photographer Scott Schuman – wearing the Portugieser Automatic 42 IW501702 - launched The Sartorialist with the aim of fostering a dialogue between fashion and everyday life.
