STYLE
‘AN OBSESSION FOR PHYSICAL EFFORT’ I’ve witnessed and internalised the whole creative process of fashion.’ Ditto exercise. ‘Throughout my life, I’ve had a passion for working out. Whether it was running, cycling, swimming or strength training, I’ve always had an obsession for physical effort. I’ve also dedicated a huge portion of my life to science and engineering, which has shaped my way of thinking when it comes to design.’ The result is performance-driven garments for sports people looking for high-functioning fitness attire. There have been some clever design enhancements, especially in cycling, says Mike Finch, editor-in-chief of Bicycling magazine, South Africa. And, considering the fervour with which South Africans practise disciplines like mountain biking, accompanying garments need to be carefully chosen. ‘You pay for what you get in cycling,’ explains Finch, who adds that a purchase should never be made for aesthetics. ‘Don’t buy for style; you’ll regret style,’ he says. So, what won’t you regret as you pedal up a particularly technical section of mountainside? Clothing that requires zero attention. ‘Just like good architecture, good sportswear design should combine function and form in a harmonious way,’ says Boselli. And he explains, starting at the drawing board, like this: ‘It is an iterative process sometimes, but it begins with an idea of the overall aesthetics, shifting to anatomical consideration and textile research.’ As for the latter, Boselli has been particularly attentive to us in the southern hemisphere. And with South Africa’s perpetually sunny climate ranking us at number two in the UV-concentration stakes (Australia
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t’s easy to write-off a man who strides the catwalk for a living. But Italy’s Pietro Boselli’s brain power is just as becoming as his brawn. And boy, does he have a lot going on upstairs. Aside from his PhD in mechanical engineering, Boselli also taught maths at University College London. During this rigorous academic schedule, he also found time to stay incredibly fit (he started trail running at the age of 14, has always kept up with endurance sport and now hits the gym for intense strength training). It seems natural then that performance sportswear is a subject Boselli knows quite well. ‘Petra Design is a fusion of three aspects of my life: fashion, fitness and engineering,’ says Boselli of his collection. ‘Since the age of seven, I’ve been in fashion as a model, and being very curious and analytical,
5 0 P R I VAT E E D I T I O N ISSUE 46
PHOTOGRAPHY: GIAMPAOLO SGURA
The antithesis to Ben Stiller’s Derek Zoolander – although he is ridiculously good looking – engineering doctorate and model, Pietro Boselli tells HELEN CLEMSON why today’s high-tech sportswear is a hotbed for innovation.