Beautiful

Let is snow, Let it snow, Let is snow...

The European Gay Ski Week 2009 will take place for the second following year in Tignes – Val d’Isère in the French Alps, during the week of March 21st to 28th of 2009. This event is an initiative of Man Mountain/Happy Gay Ski Week and sponsored by ES Collection, the underwear and swimwear for today’s man, and your own BeautifulMag. Participants to the European Gay Ski Week are the following international party events: Salvation, La Demence, Trade, Love Ball and Jungle.

To learn more about the European Gay Ski Week and find out about this years program and how to subscribe, please visit the official website at www.europeangayskiweek.com.

See you there… -B-

EUROPEAN GAY SKI WEEK | BEAUTIFUL

Ciao

"DEAR ANDREA, I’M SORRY TO TELL YOU THIS. MARK PASSED AWAY LAST WEEK. HE WAS KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. I’M JEFF, I WAS HIS FRIEND. DEAR ANDREA, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT YOU STICK TO YOUR PLAN AND COME HERE ANYWAY..." IF YOU COULD GO BACK, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE ONE YOU LOVED? WHEN FATES COLLIDE, A NEW STORY BEGINS.

Andrea and Mark have been writing for over a year after meeting on-line. When Andrea plans to visit new York for the wedding of a friend, the two men decide it is time to meet in person and schedule a meeting in Dallas. But when Andrea tries to contact Mark again while being in New York, he doesn’t hear from him anymore. Deciding it is in his best interest to cancel his visit to Dallas and return to Genova, he suddenly receives an email from Mark’s best friend Jeff, giving him the devastating news of Marks sudden death after a car accident.

While searching through previous emails between Mark and Andrea, it dawns upon Jeff that the Italian might have been an important figure to Mark, and thus he decides to persuade Andrea to visit Dallas after all. The situation is awkward. Although struck by the charm of Andrea, Jeff doesn’t really know what to do with him. And Andrea is just as uneasy: why did he come since the reason to be there in the first place is not there anymore? But with the deceased Mark as a catalyst, both men learn to get to know each other, and their common friend, from a totally different side.

When graphic artist Alessandro Calza decided to write to film director Yen Tan to compliment him with his accomplishments, it was the start of an unexpected but pleasant long-lasting correspondence. Alessandro, living in Genova, Italy and Yen Tan, living in Dallas, USA, got along well and decided to turn their on-line friendship into a story of friendship and love.

We gave you the first preview of Ciao two years ago, and now finally since December 05, Ciao can be seen in selected theaters. The film is directed by Yen Tan, inspired by his real life correspondence with the Italian graphic artist Alessandro Calza, and written by the two men themselves. Ciao is a true masterpiece, and probably one of the best and most important gay films of the year, starring Adam Neal Smith in the role of Jeff, and Alessandro Calza himself in the role of Andrea. -B-

CIAO | BEAUTIFUL

Madonna for Louis Vuitton | It's Good to be Queen

IT REALLY DOESN’T TAKE THAT MUCH TO GET ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS AND MOST PHOTOGRAPHED WOMEN ON EARTH IN FRONT OF YOUR CAMERA. IN FACT, ACCORDING TO DESIGNER MARC JACOBS, IT JUST TAKES A CONCERT TICKET AND A GOOD IDEA AT THE RIGHT TIME. ALTHOUGH THE FACT HE IS ASSOCIATED WITH LOUIS VUITTON MIGHT HELP AS WELL. IN OTHER WORDS, MADONNA STRIKES A POSE FOR VUITTON’S SPRING 09 CAMPAIGN. STICKY OR SWEET? YOU DECIDE.

Apparently the Paris edition of Madonna’s well visited Sticky And Sweet World Tour wasn’t one of her best performances, but still it landed her a nice gig. Marc Jacobs, creative director of the prestigious French design house Louis Vuitton went to see the pop singer and immediately thought she would be great for his upcoming Spring 09 campaign. Well, not immediately. It took him more or less one day. But that is close enough.

Louis Vuitton was founded in 1854 and has established a name as a qualitative leather goods (and we aren’t talking chaps here gentlemen). Over the years it has also become one of the most renowned and highly regarded international fashion brands and thanks to successful and continuous reinventions, it can easily compete with design houses like with Versace, Prada, Chanel, Armani and Gucci. And when we talk reinvention, we talk Madonna. Hence the fact she will be the LV face for this spring season. “I wanted the campaign to be very bold, very sensual and very atmospheric. To carry off all these references and all this sophistication, we needed the ultimate performer – and for me, that is Madonna”, says Marc Jacobs.

Marc contacted photographer Steven Meisel, who also happens to be the one who can sign of on Madonna’s infamous 1992 coffee table (or night stand) book SEX and together they created a nice French scene in an authentic Parisian coffee bar, located in Los Angeles. A smoky atmosphere for a smoking hot pop diva. And yes, the shown products are nice as well. And Madonna? Well, it definitely pays off to be queen. Let’s face it, you can do whatever you want. And that includes wearing fishnet tights (her idea) and throwing your legs up in the air at age 50. Apparently her wages were comfortable as well. It seems like Madge has found her candy store, and it is named Louis Vuitton. –B-

MADONNA | BEAUTIFUL

Beautiful Cover Story | Veni, Vidi, Vici

ON AUGUST 2, IN THE YEAR 47 BC, A BLOODY BUT SWIFT BATTLE TOOK PLACE ON THE HILLTOP OF ZILE, IN THE TOKAT PROVINCE OF NORTHERN TURKEY. THE FIGHT WAS BETWEEN THE FORCES OF JULIUS CESAR AND ONE OF HIS STRONGEST ENEMIES, PHARNACES II. CESAR CAME TO MEET PHARNACES AFTER HE WON THE BATTLE OF THE NILE IN EGYPT. THE BATTLE ON THE SMALL HILL WAS ANOTHER VICTORY FOR ROME AND A DECISIVE POINT IN CESAR’S CIVIL WAR. THE CAMPAIGN ONLY TOOK 5 DAYS AND WAS SO COMPLETE THAT WHEN CESAR RETURNED HOME HIS SPEECH ONLY CONTAINED THREE WORDS: VENI, VIDI, VICI. I CAME, I SAW, I CONQUERED.

London based photographer Dylan Rosser had seen Simone Lucioli around in the British capital city several times. But as usual he was too shy to approach him, until he noticed the handsome Italian in the portfolio of another model. He learned Simone had an online profile and it was there when the two actually met. After that, it was just a matter of time before a real encounter between the two men took place.

Simone Lucioli was born on February 8, 1980, in the city of Rome, where his mother was running a hairdresser salon. After studying foreign languages and the performing arts of dance, song and drama, Simone actually followed in his mother footsteps and started working as hairdresser and make up artist for theaters and musical shows and Italian TV shows. Life eventually brought the sexy Simone to London, where he started his own business in a studio situated in the luxury of the rejuvenation spa in the London Baglioni Hotel, located in Kensington Garden. Here he got the opportunity to work with many celebrities, such as Alessandra Martines, Courtney Love and Geri Halliwell. It was also in this period in his life he had his first experiences in fashion photoshoots, working for Azagury and Fashion156.

As it is often the case with people who work in the creative industry, Simone’s freetime activities are closely related to his professional life. He loves fashion. He loves taking care of himself, meaning going to the gym on regular times and following a healthy diet and life style. He likes to cook, watch comedy shows and hang out with friends in trendy bars and London clubs. Like his illustrious ancestor, he likes to travel, when time allows him. Single at the moment, he does have a special someone in his life. Simone Lucioli is a new victory for Dylan Rosser, soon to be seen on his online portfolio, and with a face and body like his, it seems only a matter of time before he will conquer not only London, but the rest of world as well. –B-

DYLAN ROSSER | BEAUTIFUL

Mario Campanaro, an American Dream

THERE IS PROBABLY NO OTHER COUNTRY ON EARTH THAT SPEAKS SO MUCH TO OUR IMAGINATION AS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. BEING A RELATIVELY YOUNG NATION, MANY OF ITS CURRENT INHABITANTS STILL HAVE VERY CLOSE LINKS TO THEIR – MOSTLY – EUROPEAN ORIGINS. ONCE A COUNTRY OF HOPE AND INSPIRATION, MODERN DAY DEVELOPMENTS HAVE NOW SCRAPED AWAY A LITTLE BIT OF THAT GOLDEN LAYER OF MAGIC. BUT REGARDLESS OF ALL, FOR SOME AMERICA IS STILL THE PLACE WHERE DREAMS CAN COME TRUE.

Eugenio Campanaro was born in Napoli, Italy and is one of those courageous young men who made the journey to the New World in a time not so long ago. According to his grandson, Eugenio was an extraordinary man with simple dreams, consisting of a decent life, an honest occupation and a loving family. He entered his new life through Ellis island and so many emigrants before him, and embraced every challenge that came upon his path, eventually succeeding in building a business and having that family he dreamed of.

Mario Campanaro is second generation American, born and raised in New Jersey. With a name like that doesn’t seem hard to guess Mario’s original background, and the fact that even though American, his Italian blood runs thick through his veins. Hence his Mediterranean looks. Mario started his career as actor at the very early age of eight years, learning the craft by working in regional theaters. It payed off though, because he later was able to continue his classical training at the prestigious conservatory The North Carolina School of the Arts. Like his grandfather, Mario doesn’t walk away from any challenge that comes on his way, and after his studies he eventually returned to New York, landing shows both on and off Broadway. On stage you could have seen the handsome new Jersey native in plays like Indoor/Outdoor, My Andy, The King Of Mackie Street and Tony Award winning Metamorphoses. But also in more known musicals, like Fame and Cabaret.

If you aren’t such a theater fan but still have the feeling Mario’s Italian features look familiar to you, it is very possible you have seen him on screen or TV. He played in Frat Brothers of KVL, Knitting Is Dangerous, The Good Student, Guiding light, Instant Adoring Boyfriend and the long running Soap opera As The World Turns. If that isn’t enough, Mario’s features have graced 15 TV commercials and about 60 print campaigns. Currently Mario still resides in New York City, taking one step at a time but smiling with each step, as once his grandfather must have done, following his American dream. –B-

Photography by Kent Taylor.

Mario Campanaro can be contacted through his profile on bigmuscle.com, profilename alkalinenyc.

MARIO CAMPANARO | BEAUTIFUL