I thought I’d share some photos today that Mina at Napoli Su Misura has posted over the years at StyleForum. In their five short years of existence, Napoli Su Misura has become one of the most talked about firms among those on the bleeding edge of bespoke tailoring. Whereas some tailoring houses use the traveling tailors model to reach new markets, Napoli Su Misura has made it the crux of their business. That means that more men abroad can now appreciate the soul and expertise of Neapolitan craftsmanship while their feet are firmly planted on home soil.
Pictured here are some of Napoli Su Misura’s sport coats. As you can see, they emphasize a very masculine silhouette. The chest is sculpted and the upper arms made full. At the same time, everything is soft, light, and curvy. The quarters are opened a bit so that there is a graceful line going from the top of the lapels down to the hem, and the soft, unpadded shoulder give a nice rounded, natural line. In addition, the curved barchetta pocket and waterfall sleevehead tell of the jacket’s provenance.
Many have said that Mina can be quite insistent on her house style. I’ve found that she’s willing to budge, but you have to be absolutely sure of your decisions. If she senses that you’re making a mistake, she’ll try to guide you to something she thinks is more correct. On my sport coat, for example, I was able to get a longer jacket cut, but when I asked for a 3/2 roll, two patch pockets, barchetta breast, and four buttons per sleeve, she jotted things down until I got to the last part.
“Well, then, it won’t be a Neapolitan jacket,” she said as she looked up from her notepad.
She advised getting between one and three, as is customary for odd jackets in Naples. I ended up going with her advice and choose three. The jacket has yet to come, but I think it was the right decision. In fact, I’ve been admiring how sporting a one button cuff looks, and am thinking about getting it on some country tweeds.
In any case, I may miss Mina on her next visit to San Francisco. I have to go to either Moscow or Beijing in September, so I probably won’t get my jacket until next year. In the meantime, I can admire the pictures below of various sport coats Mina has made for her many clients and friends abroad.
