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SMAGAZINEOFFICIAL.COM FASHION
Photography by Luis Mora (Common Good).
Initial Reaction
@SMAGAZINEOFFICIAL
Sahar Nooraei
Editorial and Creative Director
sahar.nooraei@contempomedia.com
T his past year, I’ve made a big effort to feed several of my passions. This includes taking myself to the
movies and being more mindful of what I watch when I’m at home.
Getting reacquainted with that rewarding feeling of seeing something new has been an enormous source
of inspiration. Not only has it rewired my brain from my not-so-guilty pleasures (I still love watching Real
Housewives, Love is Blind, and the very underrated Southern Charm, sparingly), but it’s unsurprisingly influenced
my personal style.
Over the summer, Toronto’s beloved Revue Cinema screened all of Elaine May’s features—a director I
was unfamiliar with until this year. Aside from May’s uncompromising vision and brilliant comedic timing,
the film that stayed with me for a few days was Mikey and Nicky, and not necessarily for the obvious reason of
it being one of the best films I’ve seen in a really long time.
The film follows an increasingly paranoid wise guy named Nicky (played by the achingly handsome John
Cassavetes) who believes wholeheartedly that there’s an imminent hit on his head. His childhood friend
Mikey (played by Peter Falk) pays him a visit to cool his nerves, and instead, a drama-filled evening unfolds
with their long-standing friendship crumbling.
Beyond the magnetic chemistry between the two actors, and unsettling-at-times plot, it’s the white dress
shirt worn by Nicky that sparked something within me. Initialled “NG,” it’s a small detail that says a lot—
and if you blink you might miss it. In my view, this is one of the most important costume design choices in
the film, not only representing Nicky’s standing, but symbolizing a man spiralling into desperation and losing
control of the power he once had.
Despite the dark undertones of the film—when I came out of the theatre, all I could think of was how I
wanted a shirt just like Nicky’s, and how it’s something I’ll gift myself at the end of the year as a pat on the
shoulder. For those of you interested in knowing which shirt I’ve settled on, it’s a cotton-linen blend shirt
from Husbands, a Parisian brand I’ve coveted for a long time.
As the holiday season nears and the year draws to a close, it feels like the perfect time to refresh our
perspective on gifting. Draw your focus to selecting pieces or experiences—whether for yourself or loved
ones—that are thoughtful, carry personal significance, and maybe even hold a bit of nostalgia.