In memory of Wicky Hassan

I met Wicky on the set of HOTEL ITALIA, back in 1999. He asked me to pay a visit to his (huge) store in Rome: we've been friends since. Long-distance friends --we were seldom in the same place at the same time. But we've kept in touch: I'd  write him about Miss Sixty opening in LA or Vegas, he'd inquire about my latest productions. Though openly gay (his pool parties were legendary), Wicky seldom advertised in the glbt press and was often criticized for it. But personally he's always sponsored LucasKazan, always clothed our models. Big boxes of jeans wear, underwear, swimwear would await us on our sets.  That alone would make Wicky 'one of a kind' amongst the many Italian fashion designers  (most of them gay, most of them deeply closeted). He wasn't afraid to embrace his own self, nor was he afraid to lend a mainstream label as ENERGIE to the 'blue' screen. Farewell, my friend. We'll miss you