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Meet Carlo Nussio Cosmacini (@carlo.nussio), a tax consultant and vintage menswear collector based in Udine, Italy.
1. What are your main passions and how do you cultivate them?
I have an obsession with all kinds of beautiful things, from vintage clothing to designer furniture, to vintage cars. Let me explain – by “beautiful” I mean objects that have been skilfully and carefully made by people who have taken time to make it and have loved the process. I am convinced that these objects retain a part of the soul of those who created them, and it is as if I can feel it.
2. Describe your morning routine and how it sets the tone for your day.
My morning routine is very simple, and perhaps a bit boring to most (I myself love boring routines). I usually wake up at 7 AM, and as the coffee is on the stove, I take my little poodle to the newsstand; when I’m back, I read the Sole24Ore, an Italian Business newspaper, while sipping on my coffee.
3. How do you find time to unwind and slow down?
It is very difficult to get away from it all. I usually take one day a week where I force myself to dedicate it to my passions, no matter the deadlines at work. I would not sacrifice that day a week for anything in the world!
4. Where do you primarily draw your style inspiration from?
Instagram is the first source of inspiration. I follow a lot of cool guys from many parts of the world (not necessarily influencers, or brands), and borrow or re-interpretate details that these guys do well. The beauty of vintage fashion is that everyone can unleash their imagination and give a personal interpretation to a given garment. I don’t like when people conform to certain patterns.
5. Is there a particular item in your wardrobe or accessory that holds special meaning for you?
I don’t have a specific piece I’m most attached to. Every item in my wardrobe reminds me of a time or place when I bought it, and they all carry important memories. Anyway, I could never part with my watch, my turquoise bracelet and my fountain pen.
6. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received and who gave it to you?
Live the moment and be present in every action you make, because you cannot do anything about the past, and the future is now – a great life lesson by my mother.
7. What do you value most in a conversation?
When I am talking to a person I appreciate if they can maintain stable eye contact – it means they are listening to me and their focus is on me. On the contrary, I hate when people text back or scroll through social media while they’re having a conversation.
8. If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?
Tough question. I think I’d have dinner with Gianni Agnelli, Karim Aga Khan, or Brad Pitt: they all seem to be cool guys.
9. How do you define success and what motivates you to achieve it?
To me, success is the freedom to devote time to family, friends and passions.
10. Describe an interesting trip you’ve taken. What’s the next destination on your bucket list?
Last year, I finally realised my dream of going on a vintage hunting trip to America. I planned the trip in order to stop by the vintage shops I follow on Instagram: this took me from Los Angeles to Santa Fe in New Mexico via Sedona in Arizona, to eventually end up in New York.
11. What are your three favorite books?
Two books I love are “The Lüneburg Variation” by Paolo Maurensig and “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. Then, I’ve recently been reading “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” by Robert M. Pirsig; it is a semi-autobiographical book about a journey (somewhere between the real and the metaphorical) that took the author and his son Chris across the United States from Minnesota to California by motorbike. The author compares this motorbike travel to the journey of life and tries to answer an existential question: “What is the difference between those who ride motorbikes knowing how the bike works and those who do not?”
12. What are your three favorite movies?
Bullitt, Casino Royale, Interstellar.
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