Considered by many publications as one of the fifty most elegant men on the planet, Lino Ieluzzi is easily recognizable by his double-breasted suits, the light blue color palette he usually chooses, and his iconic ‘lucky # 7’ embroidered ties. To us, Lino is the epitome of a true watch collector with an unlimited love for watches and we recognize him by his hands and what’s on his wrist.
If you are a regular attendee of Pitti Uomo, you know that a morning spent with Lino Ieluzzi —often referred to as ‘The Prince of Pitti’— is a morning very well spent and quite an experience. Lino Ieluzzi is not only a man who has been setting fashion trends around the streets of Milano for almost half a century, but his unique style and personality have also captivated many followers around the globe, especially all over Europe and Asia. An icon when it comes to Milanese sartorialism and an impeccably well-dressed gentleman.
Milanese sartorialism is a time-honored tradition that embodies the elegance and refinement of Italian fashion. Renowned for its meticulous attention to detail and exquisite craftsmanship, Milanese sartorialism represents the pinnacle of tailoring expertise. From perfectly constructed suits to impeccably tailored shirts, this style exudes sophistication and luxury. The mastery of fine fabrics and the art of hand-stitching are central to Milanese sartorialism, producing garments that are not just clothing but rather works of art. The emphasis on clean lines, impeccable fit, and a harmonious blend of classic and contemporary elements makes Milanese sartorialism a timeless and enduring expression of Italian style and elegance.
While most people recognize Lino by his outfits and his iconic double monk strap —often with a fringe— bi-color shoes, we recognize him by his watches. Lino typically wears the now discontinued Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711/1A or the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5712G, and occasionally his Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Scuba, among other watches we’ve seen him sport around.
Getting to Lino's Al Bazar boutique from the 'Duomo di Milano' is quite easy but tricky once you've exited the Metro station. Hop on the Metropolitana Linea 1 —red line— and get off at the Conciliazione stop. Once there, Al Bazar is located within a 10-minute walk if you know where you're going. One tip we can give you is to walk west and then get to Via Giovanni Rasori.
Once you make a right turn onto Via Antonio Scarpa, you'll see Al Bazar's green awnings waving at you at the number 9 on the street. As soon as you walk into this true haberdasher, be prepared to go on a shopping spree and have one of the best shopping experiences of your life, along with some good eye candy when it comes to watches.
Whether it's the wall behind the checkout counter with endless business cards from visitors to the shop, the IWC Schaffhausen clock at the back of the store, or maybe just the pictures of Lino on the wall, there's something very special on every corner and every nook in this boutique.
Even that iconic basketball-shaped box for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Shaquille O'Neal Limited Edition ref. 26133ST is somewhere around his boutique. For over fifty years, Al Bazar Milano has been a must-stop for men who appreciate Italian style, Milanese tailors, and anyone who wants to feel special when shopping.
Lino Ieluzzi is also a man of bright colors and you will never find a black sportscoat or black suit in his collection. His sportscoats, sweaters and ties are all colorful and very striking. Lino's favorite color is blue and he prides himself in carrying all sorts of accessories in blue, including the blue dials on most of his watches. Lino's love for watches has taken him as far as creating a very exclusive limited line of straps for the Millenary collection at the Audemars Piguet Ginza boutique a while back. Among some of the candid pictures of Lino laying around the store, there's one that caught our eye, and is the one of him at 15 years of age as he had just entered the fashion world.
Dressed impeccably, sporting a classic double-breasted light blue sportscoat and a beautiful navy blue Lucky 7 embroidered tie, Lino reached out to shake our hand unveiling his discontinued Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711/1A on his wrist. After we started talking about his love for all things blue, he then pulled out his Moscot glasses, S.T. Dupont lighter, and his Montegrappa pen, to reassure us how much he likes blue.
In his own words about Patek he said: "I love Patek and I only buy Patek now. When you buy Patek, you don't lose any money. If you have to sell down the road, it is very likely that you'll profit or at least get your money back without any loses".
As we were about to take a full shot of him, he kindly asked us to wait. After quickly heading to the back of his boutique, Lino came back holding a second Patek Philippe, this time a now discontinued Nautilus ref. 5712G in white gold.
Lino just wanted to pose with two of his favorite watches for the picture. In the true style of a real watch collector, he took off his Nautilus ref. 5711/1A and decided to hold both watches for the shot without us even asking him.
Like a kid in a candy store, his smile while holding his precious Pateks is just priceless.
For the third time during our time with Lino Ieluzzi, he again headed to the back, this time to bring a special Patek Philippe 175th anniversary display which features almost every iconic watch that has been released by Patek either on the occasion of one of their anniversaries or marking a milestone.
As you can see, Lino's love for Patek Philippe makes him one of the wildest patekaholics we've ever met.
Lino 'è stato un piacere conoscerti e grazie mille per un grande mattina al suo negozio' —it was a pleasure meeting you and thank you for a great morning at your shop.
For more info on Al Bazar and Lino Ieluzzi click here.
