Page 48 - Sharp: The Book For Men SS21

THE MOMENT a thing becomes practical is the moment it risks becoming boring. Ease is the end of excitement. Italians seem to understand this very well. Look at an Ettore Sottsass bookcase. All wonky surfaces, it is, frankly, amazing that it can hold any books at all. Similarly, it seems unfathomable that anyone could actually walk in a pair of Salvatore Ferragamo’s ver- tiginous heels. The Castiglioni brothers’ famous Arco Lamp is so delightful because it permanently looks as if it’s about to tip over.
Lamborghini also understands the crucial impor- tance of impracticality. Contorting yourself to fit inside the Aventador SVJ Roadster — the most extreme Lambo money can buy, limited to just 800 cars worldwide — you immediately feel that practicality was not a priority. Your legs are stretched out, your back is too upright, the infotainment screen has all the graphic fidelity of Microsoft Windows 98, and your head, even if you’re not especially tall, will graze the carbon-fibre
48 BFM / SS21 CARS / IMPRACTICAL MAGIC