Once upon a time in Naples: the great names of Neapolitan tailoring

Overlooking the sea, like a siren, Naples has been an enchanting place. Sometimes, it is hard to understand. But no one is immune to its charm, its history, folklore, art, music, good food, and its tailoring tradition. Naples was and still is, the birthplace of the most important tailors in Italy. It is no surprise that a few years ago the New York Times and the Financial Times became interested in Neapolitan tailoring and its traditions.

Naples is a city of a thousand facets. Style, creativity, and elegance meet and collide. The sartorial tradition can be a loophole, a turning point for those who want to give life to works of art. Because this is what the clothes made in the shadow of Vesuvius are, works of art that embody the very history of the city. This story begins in 1351, the year of birth of the Confraternity of the Sartori, in the period in which Naples, capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, was with Paris and London, the reference point of fashion. Unlike the pompous French style, the Neapolitan tailored suit is elegant but never too plastered. The jacket can be recognized by the shorter sleeve, that reveals the cuff of the shirt, as well as by the light shoulders without padding and the unlined back, which allow the man to move and gesticulate with ease. These small details conquered nobles and sovereigns, celebrities and businessmen, and still today they are recognizable signs of a timeless tradition.

The history of Neapolitan men's tailoring is long and full of great names. What in the past were just small artisan shops are now international industries known all over the world.

Let us see what are the names that still make Naples great today

CESARE ATTOLINI

it all began in 1930, when Vincenzo Attolini gave new life to the classic suits for men, making them lighter and less plastered. His purpose was to create imperfect clothing for imperfect bodies. Among his clients Totò, Vittorio De Sica, Marcello Mastroianni and Clark Gable, as well as King Vittorio Emanuele III and the Duke of Windsor.

LUIGI BORRELLI

founded in 1957, it speaks of family tradition. Its story begins in 1928, when Luigi's mother, Anna, decides to open a workshop for tailoring garments. With Luigi, the atelier will give life to small art objects, much loved by connoisseurs, and which are a great success, also being awarded the title of "Supplier of the Royal House of Savoy". From 1977, the brand expands, creating casual garments, in addition to classic suits.

KITON

the keywords are love, passion, and mastery. The founder of the brand is Ciro Paone, a man who has always been in love with the quality and has been able to transform his "simple" work as a craftsman into true art. In 1968 the Kiton project was born, an artisan workshop with just over 40 tailors. Year after year the project has been increasingly successful, conquering many foreign countries, landing in New York in 1986, then in China and Korea. To consolidate the company and preserve the secrets of tailoring, the Kiton School of Haute Couture was founded in 2001.

EUGENIO MARINELLA

in 1914 Eugenio decided to open his shop in Piazza Vittoria on the elegant Riviera Chiaia in Naples. Thanks to the strategic position, the promenade was the favorite place for the nobles to stroll. With great entrepreneurial spirit and talent, the brand became one of the best known in Italy. The decline of the Neapolitan nobility impacted the sales, but Eugenio continues to work hard. In the 1980s, Francesco Cossiga became a testimonial of the brand, and so Marinella items, especially ties, began to be known all over the world.

EDDY MONETTI

the story begins in 1870 in Naples in Via Toledo where Eduardo Monetti opens the first shop, dedicated exclusively to hats. Later, his son Salvatore expands the production with ties and accessories. At the beginning of the 1960s, the company multiplied its stores, first in Rome and Milan, then abroad. Today, 150 years after its foundation, Eddy Monetti remains a family business and transmits its refined taste to the world, with a pinch of extravagance.

ISAIA NAPOLI

the birth of the brand dates back to 1920, thanks to the happy intuition of Enrico Isaia, who opened a fabric shop, flanked by a workshop where expert tailors make men's suits. But it was in the 1980s that the real process of industrialization of the brand began, which saw its success grow. It is the period of large distributions in Europe, America, and Asia. The strong point is still today, the strong attachment to his roots and to his city, Naples. Even the man must reflect Naples: he must be passionate, irreverent, and elegant.