Sanremo 2020: fashion, show and slip-ups

Sanremo: the Italian Song Festival. But not only that. It's history, of music and of our country. It's art, poetry of sound and emotion. It's a show, for the people in the studio and for the millions watching from home. A full immersion of five intense, long, eagerly awaited days. Days in which we really heard, read and saw a lot: social media literally went wild, in a race to the last post. Everything was analysed and judged: from the looks to the songs, from the monologues to the performances. At the end of this great event, I don't want to be one of the hundreds of “shoot everything down” commentators, but simply to write, on “digital pen and paper”, what struck me and what stayed with me from this seventieth edition of the Sanremo Festival 2020.

The hosting of Sanremo: mark 9.

I saw an Amadeus who was professional, ironic, never too intrusive. (At least he didn't sing for 3/4 of the Festival. Let's say I didn't miss this little great love to death. Ciao Baglioni, legend, lol.) A great sidekick to the very talented showman Fiorello, impeccable presentation. He made a great recovery from the pre-festival fall. I really appreciated the choice to be flanked for most of the time by professional journalists, from Diletta Leotta to Laura Chimenti, from Emma d'Aquino to Rula Jebreal.

I admired our fellow Sicilian Diletta Leotta with pride. Beautiful? Obviously. But not only that. Prepared, at ease on stage, professional and witty. She wore elegant looks, never over the top or vulgar, carried off impeccably. The first dress, in yellow, won my heart. All smooth until the final, and then… Dilè, but ciuri ciuri to the notes of Eminem… between you and me… but who made you do it?

Going unnoticed vs look at me, I'm here: you're doing it wrong!

I saw Achille Lauro in heels, coming down the stairs better than Irene Grandi (and I imagined her rehearsing the descent a thousand times, since, I admit, over the evenings she improved).

Latest research from Elettra Lamborghini: how to win the stage at the Festival.
Twerking: ✓. Failed miserably.
Letting the boobs spill out: ✓. Double, miserable failure.

Fashion parades down the Ariston staircase… but watch out for the slip-ups!

Gassman junior, my love, but getting outfit advice from that great hottie of a father of yours, no? I still appreciated the attempt to get out of the “PE lesson” mood. He almost made it in the final, but then in his rush he forgot the gym shoes on his feet.

You know those classic movie scenes where career men open their wardrobe and it's full of the same suit, in different shades? Well, that's how I imagine the wardrobe of Romina Power, who has been wearing the same trouser and tunic set for over 30 years.

I saw Anastasio show up on the first night in a straitjacket. But I must say, I liked the idea of echoing the song with the outfit too, and not only on the first night. So, paradoxically, passed!

And now the part I appreciated most of the Festival: the contamination between music, art and fashion, thanks to two sublime figures: Achille Lauro and Elodie. She, beautiful, sexy, elegant: as on a catwalk during fashion week, paraded down the Ariston stairs, dressed only in Versace. Congratulations to the stylist Ramona Tabita.

Achille Lauro. One, no one, one hundred thousand. Singer. Performer. Diva. A messenger of freedom, he brought iconic characters to the stage: Giotto's St Francis; Ziggy Stardust, Bowie's alter ego; the Marchesa Casati Stampa and finally Queen Elizabeth I. A stage presence destined to make history, eccentric, provocative, never vulgar. Head to toe designer, dressed in Gucci, in close collaboration with Alessandro Michele, creative director of the maison, to whom we owe the outfits created ad hoc for the singer. Sanremo is today the biggest Italian musical stage, and exposing himself in this way, so complete, bold and meaningful, was the best way to pay tribute to it. Congratulations Achille and, to conclude, what can I say but “God save the Queen”!

(Photo credits cover: Instagram/achilleidol & funweek/kikapress for Elodie picture)