Gianni Agnelli for the 21st Century Man

It’s no secret that men are always on the hunt for role models. Guys do this all the time. For example, men make fashion decisions, workout choices, and even career choices by observing men they privately admire. Unfortunately, there are so many awesome guys out there, a decent fellow can’t possible observe every single masculine role model. However, you can learn about at least one new male role model below. Do you know who it is? It’s Gianni Agnelli.

Agnelli was an Italian man who died in 2003. He fought in World War II, ran his family’s car company, and loved fast boats and race cars. Also, his car company, by the way, was Fiat. Under his helm, Fiat also happened to be the largest privately run business in all of Italy. Of course, Agnelli was also fit and handsome. He had slicked back hair, an aquiline nose, and a gorgeous chest made bronze by all that Mediterranean sun. He was a playboy that had both depth and charisma.

Of course, Agnelli came from a different time period. Fatherhood wasn’t something that demanded much of his attention. He also viewed marriage as a type of business partnership, a viewpoint that granted him the ability to indulge in discreet affairs. He also made no effort to hide his vanity. However, notwithstanding these modern liabilities that would make entire feminist departments seethe with anger before reaching for their medications, there is plenty for the modern man to admire in Agnelli.

Agnelli was a courageous man. For example, in the 1970s, a communist organization was assassinating business and political leaders left and right. It would have been wise for Agnelli to lie low. Instead, he publicly drove to work each day to masterfully model how a courageous man lives. Agnelli was also a guy confident in his own fashion choices. For example, he was the only man who could get away with wearing his wristwatch over his shirt cuffs. It was a practical fashion decision for Agnelli, and he was the only one who could successfully pull it off. Agnelli also knew how to make an entrance, and he often arrived at vacation spots by jumping out of a helicopter to swim to his yacht.

If Agnelli sounds like a fascinating man to you, check out the new documentary about his life directed by Nick Hooker. It just might inspire you to be a better man.