This story originally appeared on the Gents Cafe Newsletter. You can subscribe here.
Meet Alvise Mori (@alvuz), from Milan, Italy — account manager at ERG Media and content director at Gents Cafe. With a lifelong passion for menswear and an eye for the cultural stories behind every garment, Alvise brings a thoughtful approach to both his personal style and his professional path. Whether mapping hidden gems while traveling or embracing the quiet ritual of a Friday evening unwind, he believes in the beauty of taking time — and trusting that every experience adds meaning along the way.
What are your main passions and how do you cultivate them?
I am deeply passionate about menswear, and I tend to obsess over specific garments from time to time. It can be a vintage military jacket, a pair of jeans, a pair of shoes; whatever it is, I absolutely enjoy the research process that leads me to add that piece to my wardrobe – both the “cultural” investigation to understand the history of a the garment, its origins, the reasons behind its details, and the actual hunt to find the right one.
I also love traveling, and I like to keep a personal map of every city I visit, pinning down all the monuments, restaurants and shops that others recommend or that I discover during the trip. I found out over time that this is also a great way to share travel tips with friends who plan to visit those same cities.
How did you first develop an appreciation for style?
It might sound strange, but I can pin down the exact moment it happened. I must have been around ten, and I was walking around with my mother, a pharmacist, when she discreetly pointed at an older man stepping out of his car. “You see that gentleman? He’s a client of mine, and he’s probably the best dressed man in town”. Funnily enough, I can’t remember what he was wearing, but I recall thinking “Well, this is something I could aspire to!”
What does “being well-dressed” mean to you?
Although I appreciate a nice suit or a pair of handmade shoes, I don’t think a formal attire is mandatory in order to be well dressed. To some extent, it’s not even about dressing appropriately for the occasion. What’s paramount is the confidence one exudes in his clothes: some people look sharp in a pair of jeans and an old military jacket, while others wouldn’t look well at all in a Liverano bespoke suit.
What does your ‘daily uniform’ look like?
These past months, and despite having a rather broad wardrobe, I found myself consistently wearing the same set of clothes: Alden 990, Superstitch LR01, a Shetland jumper in a bright colour and a 1970s M65 field jacket.
Is there a particular item in your wardrobe or accessory that holds special meaning for you?
Probably, my Red Wing boots. They’re the first piece of clothing I ever obsessed about – I remember I spent an entire summer watching the videos on their Youtube channel, getting to know how and where they’re made, the history of the brand… now, eleven years, two soles and four pairs of laces later, I still have a big smile on my face whenever I put them on.
What’s the next destination on your bucket list?
If I had to be reasonable, I’d say Japan. But if I had to follow my heart, I’d embark on a perilous trips across Central Asia to visit all the locations from Peter Hopkirk’s “The Great Game”. It’s a part of the world I knew so little about, and reading that book opened my eyes to the rich, complex history and untamed natural beauty of those lands.
How do you find time to unwind and slow down?
On Fridays, I like to carve out some time just for myself: I turn off the laptop, set the phone aside, pour myself a cocktail (invariably and very creatively ranging between a Negroni and an Americano, depending on the mood), and read a magazine while snacking on some wasabi peas or habas fritas. It’s a recurring ritual, and I try to remember that no matter how many things I might have to do, there’s always time for the good things in life – a cold drink and an interesting story.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?
It wasn’t told to me directly, but there’s a part of Steve Jobs’ legendary Stanford speech that I try to live by: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” No other sentence had such an impact on my attitude, and I have to say that so far this belief has never let me down one.
If you have made a significant career change, can you describe it? What motivated that decision?
I am an architect by studies, and I worked in an interior design firm for four years after graduating. Then, at some point, I realised it was not what I really wanted to do. It wasn’t easy to acknowledge at first: especially after lenghty years of university, dropping out of the job you studied to do might look like a defeat.
However, as some wise men once said, it’s better to admit you walked into the wrong door than spending your entire life in that room. So don’t be afraid to switch paths if that’s what your heart tells you, and rest assured that not a single minute spent in school or university was wasted – everything you learned will come back useful at some point.
What are your three favorite books?
Islands In The Stream by Ernest Hemingway – certainly my favourite author.
The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger – there’s a precise time in life when it hits just right, and I’ve been lucky enough to read it at that exact time.
The Bridge on The Drina by Ivo Andric – I always like a good historical novel, and Andric’s masterpiece happens to be set in one of the regions that intrigue me the most.
What are your three favorite restaurants?
Osteria Anice Stellato in Venice – I feel right at home every time I go there, and the menu is always perfect.
Gallagher’s in NYC – it’s the quintessential American steakhouse and the place where my wife and I had dinner after I proposed.
Da Bacchetti in Sospirolo – a small restaurant, totally off the beaten path but right on the road to our mountain house. It brings back childhood memories, and it’s a temple of simple but genuine cuisine.
