Testa

Michelangelo Testa (1913-1980). Publisher and editor-in-chief of the magazine Arbiter from 1946 on, and from 1951, the mastermind, organizer, and manager of the Festival della Moda Maschile in San Remo. In 1971 he was named by an English jury as one of the 100 most elegant men in the world. He began his career in the field of cultural and literary journalism: he chanced to become acquainted with the owner of Arbiter who insisted on hiring him as an editor. He grew to love it so that he purchased the publishing house, L’Editore, which published many magazines besides Arbiter, including some on sports. It was under the aegis of Arbiter, which employed major names in journalism and graphics, that a conference was held in 1951 with textiles and apparel manufacturers, major figures in the press and advertising, in order to explore the possibility of an initiative that appeared odd, if not provocative at the time: a Collection of men’s fashion that many considered both radical and useless. The project was submitted to a number of tourist boards, which all responded with a sharp “no”; in San Remo, on the other hand — thanks to the insistance of the Commissioner of Tourism Adriano Morosetti — the idea was accepted (though reluctantly). Even if many looked upon the idea of a men’s tailored fashion event with irony, and even though there were no professional male models and the ideas were still quite unclear, the events were very popular with both the public and the press. Spontaneous, human, and authentic, the Festival of San Remo brought on stage genuine wizards of scissors and needle and thread, from all over Italy and in some cases from outside of Italy, joined by their love and passion for their work. It was the right setting for a great school of couture that had its high points in Naples, Abruzzo, Rome and Milan. After Testa’s death, there were some who tried, with high points and low points (mostly low points), to keep the event going. But their charismatic leader was gone. It all ended. Arbiter was sold to Rusconi Editore: but shortly thereafter, the magazine ceased publication, and was replaced by Il Piacere.