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Meet Andrea Vailetti (@_mr_half_), a photographer living in Milano, Italy, and the man behind Fuel Is Not A Crime.
1. What are your main passions and how do you cultivate them?
I’m lucky enough to have more than one passion. The main one is certainly motorcycles and cars, mostly vintage; then photography, which is also my profession, and finally travelling.
I started riding a little enduro bike when I was 4 years old and learned how to drive a car (a 5.0 V8 CJ7) when I was 12… My dad has always spent his free time in the countryside, restoring and riding cars and motorcycles, and that’s exactly what I do now as an adult, sparring my time between my family and my engines.
2. Describe your morning routine and how it sets the tone for your day.
Usually, I’m an early bird: I have a quick breakfast, I often bring my daughter to school, then I swing by the bar for a second coffee, the espresso as we call it in Italy, and I’m ready for the day.
3. How do you find time to unwind and slow down?
Even though my work can get quite stressful at times (I’m a fashion and ADV photographer), I’m a relaxed person; still, I need weekends to live my real life, seeking freedom in the open spaces. Countryside, seaside, or travelling: that’s me, and that’s what I search the most.
4. Where do you primarily draw your style inspiration from?
I don’t know if I have a strong personal style, but I like to keep it simple: no logos, good quality. For several years now I’ve been trying to buy fewer clothes, only focusing on timeless, high-quality garments made to last.
Accessories, details, and items – that’s what really catches me, but honestly, I don’t follow any “social media” figure to get inspiration, I just rely on my instinct.
5. Is there a particular item in your wardrobe or accessory that holds special meaning for you?
Some items are a part of me: I like to carry them with me for many years… and the more I own and wear them, the more they become a part of myself. But if I really need to pick up one, it is probably my Explorer II. Since I bought it new in 2001, it has been on my wrist on every single trip I took, and throughout most of my daily life.
6. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received and who gave it to you?
Be kind, be respectful, and try to leave a place better than when you arrived. And always do what you have to do!
7. What do you value most in a conversation?
Somebody wiser than me once said, “Listening is a part of the Conversation”.
8. If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?
That’s a scary choice: I could be disappointed! You know, they say “Never meet your heroes”… Anyway, it could be Steve McQueen: I’ve been a fan since I was 5, before the hype around his myth. In 1985 my dad hung a poster of McQueen in our motorcycle garage, and something just clicked!
9. How do you define success and what motivates you to achieve it?
For me, success is serenity. It’s having time to do what I want. It’s the freedom to take my motorcycle out and travel. My own happiness is the fuel of my motivation.
10. Can you share an instance when someone exemplified the character of a gentleman in a memorable way?
Nobody ever provided me with the definition of being a gentleman, but I think I know what it means. To me, being a gentleman is striking the right balance between lightness, style, education, understatement, simplicity and sophistication.
11. Describe an interesting trip you’ve taken. What’s the next destination on your bucket list?
I have taken some interesting trips over the years: I’ve been to Iceland a couple of times, once alone when I was 22, and once last summer with my wife and daughter. Both times I loved that place: the wildlife and nature there are amazing. I also liked exploring Morocco with my motorcycle last February: again, freedom and wilderness.
In a few days I’m leaving for a trip to Japan; it won’t be my first time there, but I know it’s going to be good, and that I’m going to have new experiences. That’s why, after some years, I like to travel again to the same destination, but adding new things to do and to see.
12. What are your three favorite books?
– Someone to Run With, David Grossman
– Barbarian Days, William Finnegan
– Let My People Go Surfing, Yvon Chouinard
13. What are your three favorite movies?
Though one! There are so many… can I get away with 4?
– Il Sorpasso, Dino Risi
– I Soliti Ignoti, Mario Monicelli
– Big Wednesday, John Milius
– The Great Escape, John Sturges
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