Every great journey begins with a spark.

For me, that spark ignited the moment I decided to put into writing my vision of classic men's style, bringing my first book to life. It was 2016, or perhaps 2017, when "The Secrets of Style" took shape, the result of years of experience, observations, and passion.

I could never have imagined that that book could change my life so much. Immediately after publication, phone calls and messages began to arrive: entrepreneurs asking for personal consultations, companies wanting me to train their managers, events where they invited me to speak about elegance and motivation. And then there were private individuals: friends, acquaintances, complete strangers, all curious to know what the secret was to dressing with taste for every occasion, to choosing a tie, to standing out naturally.

In those moments, I understood how deep my passion was and how rooted my knowledge was. It was not just a question of clothes or accessories: it was culture, a culture I had built with patience and dedication for over fifty years. Tailoring shops, shoemakers, and shirtmakers were not just places: they were worlds, microcosms of artisanal wisdom, where every detail tells a story.

Despite my lifelong work – an entrepreneur in the world of communication, marketing, and advertising – classic men's style has always been my refuge, my constant. And, over time, it became clear that that passion could not remain only mine. It was knowledge at risk of being lost in an era dominated by appearance, where many pretend to be experts, ignoring the depth of what "style" truly means.

Thus, together with my team and other enthusiasts, we decided to transform this heritage into something greater. The idea was born of a non-profit association, a real academy, dedicated to protecting and passing on the values of Italian style. It was not just a project, but a mission: to bring to the world the beauty of Italian tailoring, shoemaking, and shirtmaking; to enhance the craftsmanship, the codes, and the secrets that make classic men's style a timeless art.

ITALIAN STYLE NETWORK APS is today accredited:
1) National entity with assistance purposes recognized by the Ministry of the Interior [D.M. 559/C 3206-12000 - A (101) of 29-02-1992];
2) National Third Sector Association Network and Social Promotion Association (Decree of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies n.290 of 28/10/2022 - Article 54 of Legislative Decree n.117/2017 - Article 32, paragraph 4 of D.M. 106/2020);
3) Entity compliant with ISO 9001:2008 standard (Certificate n°28746/13/S);
4) Entity recognized by the Ministry of Education Ministry of University and Research.

We started with an ambitious training course

A kind of map to navigate the universe of style. More than seventy videos exploring every detail: from how to dress for various occasions – whether informal, work-related, or gala – to the knowledge of fabrics, because every pairing is born from there, from a weave, from an interlace. And then, the beating heart of the course: the elegance of fit. Because elegance is not a bespoke suit, it is not a perfect tie or a formal jacket. Elegance is harmony, it is moving through the world with grace and awareness.

Soon we realized that our knowledge also spoke to other worlds. Companies, maisons, artisans, entities in search of coherence and depth began to look for us. Not for simple consulting, but for something rarer: a code, a grammar of style that cannot be improvised and that few today know how to preserve.

They chose us because we do not offer off-the-shelf solutions, but access keys to an ancient yet extremely current language, which sinks its roots into the culture of beauty and translates into a recognizable identity. Because in a fast-paced time, standing out is not a matter of speed. It is a matter of direction.

This project is not just mine

It is a shared dream, a legacy that I want to pass on. It is my way of expressing gratitude to the mentors who have guided me since youth and of giving back to the world a part of the beauty that I have had the privilege to know and live.

And so, the journey continues. Every step is a discovery, every day an opportunity to carry forward the tradition and culture of what I love most: style, the true one.

- Antonino Ubaldo Caltagirone