Since 2009, when street-style photographer Scott Schuman published a picture of him on The Sartorialist, Milan-based prolific fashion entrepreneur Alessandro Squarzi‘s fame has constantly increased and now he is one of the most photographed style icons. His elegant but seemingly careless approach to dressing is much admired he has been described as “the master of Italian sprezz” – the art of doing something extremely well without showing effort.

Born in Forlì in 1965, at 27 he began his career in the fashion world working as a shop assistant in a clothing store in his home town. Months later, he opened the first of his four showrooms that currently employ 40 staff across different Italian cities. Today, he is also a talent scout and a designer on top of overseeing the marketing and distribution for various brands (including three of his own: Fortela, AS65, and Atlantic Stars).

The American men’s magazine Esquire placed Squarzi at the top of its ‘The 40 Best-Dressed Men In The World‘ ranking, pointing out that he does not have a personal stylists, but he is a man who is the picture of elegance embodying Orson Welles assertion that “style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.” The master of understated Italian cool once said “I never look out of the window before getting dressed. I just put things on according to the mood I’m in” to explain that he wears his beloved white trousers – which have become almost a trademark for him – whether or not it is sunny. He also refuses to forgo comfort, “Unless an invitation specifically requests a suit, I wear whatever I feel comfortable in at that given moment.”

Squarzi‘s effortlessly elegant style has been captured during four years by the lenses of Korean photographer Hooncheol Ko, who has published a book to collect the images and tell his life and style. The images contained in ‘Amico Mio’ – My Friend – feature Squarzi not only on public occasions or at work, but also in private, to presents to the readers the whole world of this genuine interpreter of the Italian lifestyle.