Threading Through Italy

A regional guide to top tailors in the country that sets the standard for the well-dressed man.

- David Coggins

The Italians have mastered the art of sprezzatura — appearing effortlessly put together and stylish. This seeming nonchalance is in fact the result of measured and deliberate skill in the case of a man’s suit. As any well-heeled Italian can tell you, a Neapolitan cut is noticeably different from a Milanese silhouette. Because clothing has evolved to reflect the character of the city where it is made, Italian style is as varied as its geography. Milanese discretion prevails in the north, where sober blue and grey suits are the preference; to the south, in Naples, where the jacket is a statement piece, an exquisite expressiveness meets the eye. Florence is influenced by the nearby Tuscan countryside, where men tend to wear tweed in shades of olive and rust resembling the hills, while Rome exudes cosmopolitan glamour thanks to slightly bolder suits. For the sartorially minded traveller, we map out the peninsula’s best regional tailors and other points of interest to the well-dressed gentleman.

NAPLES

Threading Through Italy

KITON

Kiton has long set its own standard for style. Although the brand’s Italian stores are located in Milan, Rome, Capri and Venice, its soul and workshop remain in Naples, where Ciro Paone — who came from a line of fabric merchants — established the business in 1956 and where VIP clients are welcomed. Having acquired the Biella-based Carlo Barbera textile mill in 2010, Kiton is now pioneering some of the most luxurious performance materials on the market. Look for jackets with a pronounced, well-rounded lapel roll that can only be made by hand. kiton.it

Speciality: Completely handmade tailored clothing; a top-notch selection of fine and rare fabrics, such as vicuna.

ISAIA