Famed for a predisposition to mise-en-scène in his biannual Band of Outsiders presentations, Scott Sternberg upped the cinematic ante at this year’s Pitti Uomo 80 with a West Side Story-inspired extravaganza. NOWNESS trailed the designer before and after the show, which featured 46 dancers and models sashaying to Leonard Bernstein's iconic score while outfitted in the brand’s eponymous line of preppy menswear for spring/summer 2012, as well as the tomboy-inspired womenswear range Boy and its offshoot Girl. “I wanted to play with this idea of fashion and theater or cinema,” Sternberg explains. “Things that I might have found hokey and corny I really responded to.” He worked nonstop to coordinate the casting, styling and choreography for the Broadway-worthy production, staged at Florence’s Manifattura Tabacchi, and spent his scant downtime in the opulent environs of Villa Cora. Based in Los Angeles, Sternberg travels to Italy nearly every six weeks to oversee the fabrication of his lines, which are manufactured outside of Venice. We asked the showman to compile a list of some other favorite musicals.

Sweet Charity: It's awesome, as is Shirley Mclaine. It feels really funny, odd and obtuse in a way.

Funny Girl: I love it, even though that sounds super gay to say. I don’t find Barbara Streisand to be the most appealing person in the world, but she’s so terrific in it. 

Everyone Says I Love You: Woody Allen's movie is a really great musical about musicals.

Labyrinth: There are numbers in this weird sci-fi Jim Henson movie which are hilarious and so out of control: freaky Fraggles and David Bowie’s hair—so good!

Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: I really do have an affection for Veruca Salt and Augustus Gloop. The new version is freaking terrible. The Johnny Depp/Tim Burton combo has to stop. It’s like he’s playing Edward Scissorhands again.