  The quest for a model that is able to explain, describe, analyze and simulate
real-world complex networks is of uttermost practical as well as theoretical
interest. In this paper we introduce and study a network model that is based on
a latent attribute structure: each node is characterized by a number of
features and the probability of the existence of an edge between two nodes
depends on the features they share. Features are chosen according to a process
of Indian-Buffet type but with an additional random "fitness" parameter
attached to each node, that determines its ability to transmit its own features
to other nodes. As a consequence, a node's connectivity does not depend on its
age alone, so also "young" nodes are able to compete and succeed in acquiring
links. One of the advantages of our model for the latent bipartite
"node-attribute" network is that it depends on few parameters with a
straightforward interpretation. We provide some theoretical, as well
experimental, results regarding the power-law behaviour of the model and the
estimation of the parameters. By experimental data, we also show how the
proposed model for the attribute structure naturally captures most local and
global properties (e.g., degree distributions, connectivity and distance
distributions) real networks exhibit. keyword: Complex network, social network,
attribute matrix, Indian Buffet process
