L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE A debate on whether a man in a suit gener- ates appeal might last a minute or two. The same debate on a man in an Italian suit would be over before I finished typing this sentence. Given the fact that Italy is known for its superior prod- ucts, both hedonistic and cultur- al, is it surprising that the world's sexiest suit is also Italian? Suave, sophisticated, worthy of a second — or third — glance; a man wearing an Italian suit can't help but get the attention his choice of clothing demands. But I digress — my first-hand observations in Italy might afford a biased point of view, but cer- tainly one that is shared by many! Delving into the mysteries of the Italian men's suit in compari- son to other models, such as British and American, helps understand the combined ele- ments that result in the appeal of an Italian suit. And as with any topic, viewing a slice of history always helps prepare the path to understanding. One must look across the waters to merry old England to trace the origin of the modern men's suit. There, a charmer by the name of Beau Brummell sin- gle-handedly changed the course of men's fashion. Somewhat like a social media influencer of today to the fashionistas of Lon- don, Brummell's popularity and following in the early 1800's set in motion a radical new take on menswear. At Brummell's behest, fancy silk stockings, powdering wigs, and frilly coats of the day fell out of favor – rules were cast aside and fashion reinvented. Over-the-top fop gave way to "dandyism:" close- cut tailored jackets, long trousers paired with boots, and natural, unadorned hair. Brummel daring- ly went so far as to advocate daily bathing over powders and perfumes to keep one smelling acceptable…shocking at the time! Erstwhile in mid 1800's Italy, the first bespoke (individualized custom clothing) Italian tailor shop opened its doors on the granite shoals of Sardinia. The Castangia brand took a chance on this British fad and began custom making Brummell-style men's suits, adding his own Italian flair, of course. The gamble paid off: Castangia 1850 remains one of Italy's most prestigious menswear labels today and is found in high end markets world- wide. The 1930's ushered in a new era for Italian suit design. Never before had the "proper English suit" been so radically chal- lenged and altered. Names such as Canali and Vincenzo Attolini led the way, furthering a distinct and unique Italian stylization that became known as Neapolitan — a more relaxed, body friendly fit — that was rapidly embraced by prestigious men of the time. Fast forward to 1945 Italy. The war was over – Italy was struggling to rebuild, the econo- my was shattered, and Federico Fellini's neo-realism gave face to this new reality. Yet optimism prevailed. On Rome's Via Bar- berini, master tailor Nazareno Fonticolo and entrepreneur Gae- tano Savini partnered to open an unassuming men's boutique spe- cializing in bespoke luxury menswear: they called it Brioni. Extraordinary attention to detail, superior fabric quality, and inno- vative colors marked the begin- nings of what would become known as the Roman style suit and a brand name still equated with the finest in menswear. By 1952, Brioni was the embodiment of men's haute cou- ture for northern Italian elite. Empowered, Fonticolo made the decision to showcase his cre- ations on a style show catwalk – something unheard of at the time for men's fashion. Held at Sala Bianca within the walls of Flo- PAULA REYNOLDS Attention to detail is one characteristic of Italian men fashion (© Dreamstime) An example of the elegance of Italian menswear (© Dreamstime) Italian men's suits – why are they so special? Continued to page 14

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