Nicola Cornacchia grey summer suit: Review

June 1st 2020

This summer suit from Sartoria Cornacchia was made for me last year, and I would like to apologise for the delay in covering it. I didn’t get around to shooting the suit until the end of the Summer; events and the pop-up then got in the way; a...

Nicola Cornacchia grey summer suit: Review

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Fabric at that point in the chest, near the bottom of the armhole, often folds and wrinkles when the armhole is a little too high...

SuitsJune 1st 2020

White tie and blue shirt: Sunny formal in Sartori...

November 7th 2018

Wearing a white tie with a blue shirt is something that makes perfect sense in Naples. To a certain extent, wearing sugary-pink jackets and lapis-blue tailoring makes sense too. It's just sunny so much of the time, even in winter - and that sun is s...

White tie and blue shirt: Sunny formal in Sartori...

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I don't have a close-up I'm afraid. I think this one on that page is closest though: https://www.emarinella.com/product/tie-cr3086/...

Style - SuitsNovember 7th 2018

Sartoria Pasinato cavalry-twill suit: Review

August 29th 2018

This suit from Vicenza-based Sartoria Pasinato has turned out very smartly, with a clean fit and very sharp line. Part of this is a result of the cloth, which is a cavalry twill from Vitale Barberis Canonico (584, 440g). Twills like this (covert is ...

Sartoria Pasinato cavalry-twill suit: Review

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No, not at all...

Hats - Socks and underwearAugust 29th 2018

The first fitting process – with Sartoria P...

July 6th 2018

First, there must be coffee. With the Italians, always coffee. Being English I find it hard to relax and chat. I want to get straight to the fitting, rather than sit down and exchange niceties. But it is a nice social ritual, and does build relation...

The first fitting process – with Sartoria P...

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A few thoughts from a tailor’s point of view. When looking for a tailor I would suggest that research is key. Put the time into looking for someone who you feel you can talk to. If the company has sales people, ask to ...

SuitsJuly 6th 2018

Sartoria Panico fitting (and a roll neck for a lo...

March 30th 2018

One of the less-discussed sides of Pitti Uomo is the number of tailors that set up in a hotel or appartment at the same time as the fair, in order to see customers. Although most visitors to Pitti are buyers from around the world, those buyers are o...

Sartoria Panico fitting (and a roll neck for a lo...

Match in comments:
Not really. Bear in mind no one really wore T-shirts until after WW2....

SuitsMarch 30th 2018

Sartoria Ciardi – The next generation

November 27th 2017

Renato Ciardi, who sadly passed away earlier this year, was truly one of the greats of Neapolitan tailoring. Succession planning is rarely one of a bespoke tailor’s strengths, but fortunately the Ciardi family began planning for this several y...

Sartoria Ciardi – The next generation

Match in comments:
Simon, Shame that Ciardi does travel to the US. Which of the Neapolitan houses do travel to the States?...

SuitsNovember 27th 2017

Olive covert-cloth suit, from Sartoria Vergallo

May 31st 2017

It's hard not to feel that the future of the suit lies in more practical cloths than the fine worsteds of the past 30 years. We may move towards a situation where these cloths will be reserved for formal wear, while everyday suits and jackets are ma...

Olive covert-cloth suit, from Sartoria Vergallo

Match in comments:
I like Vergallo, particularly for value - they do a great suit. The style isn't one I've taken to particularly over the years though, and budget isn't that much of a factor for me any more...

Cloth - SuitsMay 31st 2017

Style Guide – the partners shoot

April 24th 2017

The Style Guide has been wonderfully received so far - at the launch events in London and New York, but also online and through personal messages. Thank you all. There are a few things I realise I haven't emphasised so far. One is that we proudly d...

Style Guide – the partners shoot

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Lots of things I think. Grey and navy as shown here, plus cream or white, and black. More tonally similar colours, like dark brown, might be Ok if there's some other contrast, such as a white shirt underneath...

Hanks and scarves - KnitwearApril 24th 2017

House styles and difficult customers: The Tailori...

August 19th 2015

Edward Sexton Before the public part of Tailoring Symposium in June, we all gathered next to the pool at the Four Seasons to have a chat about tailoring and its future, with The Rake busily making a video of the event in the background. This was ...

House styles and difficult customers: The Tailori...

Match in comments:
Thanks Chris. There is a post covering it here....

August 19th 2015

Short video from Vitale Barberis event in Milan

June 5th 2015

A nice little video here from our launch event in Milan for the Permanent Style 2015 book. Not much substance I’m afraid – more a promotional sting than anything else – but there are some nice shots of Simone, Fabio et...

Short video from Vitale Barberis event in Milan

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It wouldn't be worth the time and cost I'd imagine unfortunately....

June 5th 2015

Grey shirts with grey suits, at Milan launch

May 5th 2015

Last week was the official launch of the Permanent Style book, with an event in Milan hosted by Vitale Barberis Canonico and A Caraceni. I was interviewed by the fashion editor of La Repubblica, Simone Marchetti, about my history and views on cont...

Grey shirts with grey suits, at Milan launch

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I still quite like them with grey suits Philip, but it's certainly more of a fashion look...

Shirts - StyleMay 5th 2015

Vitale Barberis opens archives

February 18th 2014

Last week Vitale Barberis Canonico held a party at the mill in Patrivero, near Biella, to celebrate the refurnishing and opening up of its archives. It was a great event, and the archives have created a rich resource for designers the world over. Ale...

Vitale Barberis opens archives

Match in comments:
Lucky you, that's a pretty good team. Miss Yoshimi Hasegawa got a wonderful tumblr here -> http://yoshimihasegawa.tumblr.com...

February 18th 2014

The Rake opens London Collections: Men

January 7th 2014

This is probably the busiest week of the year. I tend to avoid the fashion shows, but there are now some great tailoring events in the calendar – including The Rake’s party at Claridge’s on Sunday night and the English G...

The Rake opens London Collections: Men

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I know Harry, yes. Not the others though...

StyleJanuary 7th 2014

Giovanni Barberis Organista

July 31st 2013

This is Giovanni Barberis Organista, tailor to the Vitale Barberis Canonico family. The two families are only distantly related (the last two names are both surnames, indicating a split at some point). More importantly, Giovanni’s family have m...

Giovanni Barberis Organista

Match in comments:
Maybe he works on three suits per week, which means he needs to stop and wait for the fitting. I don't think that a costumer will desire to visit his tailor 3/4 times in the same week ;)...

July 31st 2013

Italy’s mills and merchants explained

July 29th 2013

  This is a follow-up to my popular post on English mills and cloth merchants: how to tell them apart, how they are related and how to select between them (basically, don’t; there is little difference). Italian mills are a lot simple...

Italy’s mills and merchants explained

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I'm afraid I don't know currently - and it depends whether you're talking about retail or wholesale. Best to check with them....

ClothJuly 29th 2013

VBC Rides!

July 24th 2013

The glorious ‘VBC Rides’ cycling team, with riders from a variety of the local mills. We’re in front of the Oropa monastery, at the end of the glorious climb from Biella that was made famous by Pantani in the 1999 Giro:...

VBC Rides!

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Thanks. I don't intend to ever turn this into a cycling blog, but it's nice to inject a little of life outside clothing now and again. The ride was stunningly beautiful. Biella to Bielmonte, via Oropa. About 85km, with a...

July 24th 2013

Vitale Barberis Canonico

July 23rd 2013

This past week I’ve been in Biella, visiting the lovely people at Vitale Barberis Canonico and researching a piece on Italian mills and bunches – a follow-up to the popular post on English mills. Barberis is going through something of a t...

Vitale Barberis Canonico

Match in comments:
Raw materials as in merino, cashmere, silk and linen mixes, and of course Super 120s etc which tell you how fine the wool is. Then there's the weave and the set. All objective facts. Does that make sense?...

Cloth - July 23rd 2013

A travel innovation: VBC 1663 Bellagio Rolling Bag

May 20th 2013

I’ve been travelling for the past two weeks, and while I fold my suits very assiduously (inside out, shoulder into shoulder, around a pair of trousers), they clearly suffered over the multiple journeys. I have no solution for such long periods ...

A travel innovation: VBC 1663 Bellagio Rolling Bag

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I don't have it, no. And i tend to fold them into suitcases. As long as its done carefully, i rarely have any issues...

BagsMay 20th 2013

Huddersfield’s mills and merchants explained

April 15th 2013

  I was up in Yorkshire last week, based in Huddersfield and seeing a few of the mills and merchants, including Pennine, Johnsons and Dugdale. What struck me hardest when I got back was the lack of understanding among bespoke customers, ...

Huddersfield’s mills and merchants explained

Match in comments:
There's no guarantee that a cloth from an English name will be woven in England unfortunately. But you don't usually want Dormeuil, not being English, and you want to look at Dugdale, Huddersfield Fine Worsteds, Fox, Smi...

ClothApril 15th 2013