Reference Point: Robert Rabensteiner

Robert Rabensteiner has my dream job.  As the Style and Fashion Editor of L’Uomo Vogue, his work for the Italian men’s magazine - sorely missing an American counterpart - takes him around the world to fashion shows and puts him in the lenses of street style photographers on both sides of the Atlantic.  I first discovered Rabensteiner through The Sartorialist (he’s one of Scott Schuman’s frequent subjects), and though he’s well into middle age he remains several steps ahead of trends.  One could argue that he creates trends, since Rabensteiner routinely sports styles that make it to the runway before anyone else has thought of them.

What’s impressive about Rabensteiner is how he wears each distinct look with ease.  His dress is not performative in the sense that he’s aiming to draw attention, rather he puts on a show for himself, drawing upon whatever influences he has at the time, from Roman Polanski films to 20th century French workwear.  One day he’ll sport a heritage ensemble and the next he’s in a scoop neck t-shirt and a sport coat, yet Rabensteiner’s exploration isn’t a pandering of trends but a curiosity of the world around him.  He understands where the pulse of the times is, and is prescient - if not omniscient - about what’s going to happen next.  Back in the mid aughts, Rabensteiner wore workwear before it exploded in America, and his penchant for high-rise pants and corduroy is coming full-circle, as more and more men, especially on the coasts, are adding them to their wardrobes.

There are elements that tie Rabensteiner’s looks together, however.  He’s almost always wearing a scarf or bandana - a move I adopted from him - that’s either rugged or refined depending on the rest of his look.  Rabensteiner pulls off neckwear with ease, and his nonchalant approach to it prevents him from looking stuffy or affected - a difficult task for a fashion editor indeed.  Furthermore, even in his most somber ensembles, Rabensteiner adds a dash of color, whether bright or deep, expressed through a rich brown three-piece suit or an emerald double-breasted blazer.  And, of course, fashion insiders caught on to these looks and now a brown suit belongs in every man’s arsenal, much like a gray or blue counterpart.  There’s also no coincidence that more men are wearing green now after Rabensteiner debuted his tailored jacket.

Developing a pulse like Rabensteiner’s is difficult.  Executing his cutting edge outfits is even more so.  Rabensteiner, however, gives a gentle reminder, through his expressive existence, that dressing is an art and that clothing is fun.  People too often - thanks to fashion spreads in mass-market men’s magazines - dress to get by, and even if their look is put together, they lack the oomph that Rabensteiner’s flawless imperfection embodies.  One day, they’ll perfect it and he’ll be on to the next big thing, five years before they even know about it.