May 20, 2020 |
Instead of asking one person to curate their world for us, for Issue 51 of 10 Men, we presented our own list of designers who we think are making menswear sexy again. While some like the instant reveal and others prefer the more subversive kind of erotica, they’re all giving us hope for a hotter tomorrow. Our ninth designer to meet is jewellery’s bad buy, Alan Crocetti.
Gisele, Adriana, Alessandra… The list of Brazilian babes goes on and on, but are any of them also one of the hottest names in jewellery, worn by the likes of Ezra Miller, Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa? Thought not. Born in a tropical climate but now based in east London, jewellery’s bad boy Alan Crocetti is crafting precious metal pieces that are making the idea of men wearing stacked rings decidedly hotter than that tired image of Johnny Depp in his everyday Jack Sparrow drag.
“When I was 18, I told my dad I was no longer pursuing a career as a doctor, and instead I was going to be a fashion designer,” he says. He went on to study womenswear at Central Saint Martins, before dropping out just a week before graduation due to a disagreement.“I liked all facets of design from a very young age, but I was also into drama, music and anatomy,” he says. The visual delight of his digital presence, thanks to the buff boys in his homoerotic campaigns, also transforms into sales, his criss-cross Space ear cuffs being a clear favourite among young twinks and the ladies who lunch.
A lot of Crocetti’s work plays with the notion of novelty as he creates heirlooms out of mundane or erotic objects. Crystal-covered chastity belts and nose plasters in silver and gold prove he’s an expert craftsman and also likes injecting a sense of humour into a world focused on portraying only one side of luxury. So forget about a diamond engagement ring and consider one of Crocetti’s viper fang rings for your mouth.
The first garment you ever created?
“When I was 17, I made a black knit top – half of it was a racer-back vest and the other half was long sleeve. My mom helped me make the knitted fabric, back when my parents owned a knitwear factory. My first jewellery piece, the Pearl Core earpiece, came to life in my final year at Central Saint Martins.”
Who are the menswear designers that inspire you?
“Jean-Paul Gaultier and Helmut Lang. I’m into the shifts between maximal and minimal – the unbalance of things usually makes much more sense to me.”
When in life did you feel sexiest?
“The first time I went to a gay club. It was the very first time that I felt wanted, understood and when I grasped the dynamics of desiring and pursuing.”
What do you wear when you want to feel sexy?
“My jewellery and jeans.”
How would you describe your SS20 collection?
“Sexy without being vulgar. I’m quite into vulgarity, though.”
Your perfect date-night scenario?
“Drinks at a pub with someone who makes me laugh and doesn’t take me or themselves seriously.”
Top image by Ferry Van Der Nat. Taken from Issue 51 of 10 Men – GENTLE, SENSUAL, FANTASY – on newsstands now.
