Photographer Laura Sciacovelli has been committed to her artistic craft since her teenage years, when she left her hometown of Bari to study at the Paris Photographic Institute. Attracted by the particularly beautiful light of Italy’s south, this mother of one today works in the city of Rome, shooting for top style magazines including Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, and ID.
I first started wearing Armani in the 80s– the jeans, the underwear, the swimwear– I was in love with the clothes and that powerful imagery of the athletic bodies in the photos by Herb Ritts.
The first time I met Mr. Armani, I was shooting him in Paris when he had his first haute couture show in 2005. He ordered me around, directing me about where to put the light, where he’d sit, how he’d pose. He was definitely in charge, but he still gave me a chance to try things my way after we had done what he wanted.
The most important thing in my work is to convey beauty. Fashion isn’t that important to me. Beauty is the thread that runs through everything I shoot, from portraits to landscapes.
Artists are more susceptible to the seduction of beauty– that’s what motivates us: our soft spot for beauty.
I love to shoot the southern light of Italy, and anything’s that’s got a soul, which is subjective, but that’s art.
The easiest thing to shoot is Armani clothing. As a photographer, these clothes are a dream. They’re so structured, so perfect, that they always make a really strong photo.
In my Armani look, I feel like Annie Hall. A suit is the perfect way to dress.
I love to wear men’s clothes. I wear men’s suits, sweaters, and coats– and lots of my granddad’s hats with my dad’s jackets. They were both great dressers. My wardrobe is so unisex that I think my son will be stealing clothes from me when he’s old enough.
What’s really important in clothing is the quality of the fabric– more than the design– which is why I prefer menswear. Men’s clothes are more about the fabric, and they’re more comfortable. I’m really basic, so I don’t want anything over-designed– just simple, high-quality things.
-Laura Rysman
