Over the years, I’ve come to find that bespoke isn’t necessarily better than ready-to-wear. Each production technique has its own advantages and disadvantages, and if you can find what you want off-the-rack, there’s little reason to go custom. Still, I’m often amazed by what some of the high-end, luxury brands charge: $10,000 for suits, $6,000 for sport coats, and $1,500 for pants. With good bespoke tailoring starting at about half as much, I don’t understand why anyone would pay those prices.
This past Friday, Napolisumisura was in town as part of their US tour, and I stopped by to order some trousers. The ones they made for me last year have been fantastic. The cut is slim, but genuinely not skinny, and the rise is classic without without being fuddy duddy. Plus, the prices are just so attractive. On this last visit, I choose a gray pick-and-pick wool from Dormeuil, a brown moleskin from Holland & Sherry, and two fabrics from the Neapolitan supplier Caccioppoli (the dark blue cotton and tan linen you see below). All will be made with an unnecessary number of buttons – four on the fly and an additional four for closure, giving you a total of eight to deal with when you’re just trying to get your pants on or off. I think of these as Neapolitan chastity belts.
For men in San Francisco, there’s a bit of good news. Napolismisura’s founder, Mina, is now traveling to the city with her partner Dino. One of the nice things about Mina is that she’s not afraid to gently push back when she thinks the client is making a mistake. It makes for a much more comfortable process and, I think, better outcomes. In fact, on this last visit, my fittings went so well that I added a new suit to the order – an olive cotton number with a suit jacket designed so it can be worn alone as a sport coat. It’ll be single breasted with a 3/2 roll, but will have patch pockets, a barchetta breast, and a subtle spalla camicia detailing at the sleeveheads to give it the right casual vibe.
The only thing I’m unsure of is the fabric. Mina and Dino recommended an 8oz cotton from Caccioppoli, which has a kind of softness to it that makes it feel like a basic worsted wool (though, obviously without the sheen). When I think of cotton sport coats, however, I think of those thick and rumply ones you can beat around like jeans. I may change the fabric, but with their next visit being in February, there’s still time to decide. Especially when one is wearing a softly tailored chastity belt, there’s little else to do besides think about clothes.