How much do you actually know? An interview with ...
August 4th 2023By Manish Puri A few months ago I had the privilege of speaking with Alan Flusser about the history of New York bespoke tailoring . From the opening beats of our conversation it was clear that Alan wasn’t about to be constrained by the narrow ...
How much do you actually know? An interview with ...
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Marketing. Brooks Brothers did have a wider appeal during the first 150 years, but by the late 20th century it faded further into obscurity as more of an establishment brand rather than an aspirational brand. Also Brooks...
The glow and romance of it: Douglas Fairbanks on ...
July 31st 2023By Tom Mastronardi. Anyone that knows me appreciates my resolute affection for being well-tailored. Even as a kid raised in a decidedly blue-collar neighbourhood on Chicago’s South Side, I never required any coaxing to don a jacket and tie. Bu...
The glow and romance of it: Douglas Fairbanks on ...
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Hi Thomas, I must have missed this post. Around 1969/1970 , I was about 22 and after a year or so of saving as much as possible I bought my first proper bespoke suit from a wonderful tailor named Bobby Valentine.. I had ...
Black corduroy suit from Zizolfi/Pommella: Learni...
June 19th 2023In my continued exploration of all things the colour of mourning, I commissioned this black-corduroy suit from Pommella (trousers) and Zizolfi (jacket) last year. The logic seemed sound: if black is going to work in tailoring, I’d consistentl...
Black corduroy suit from Zizolfi/Pommella: Learni...
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I wouldn't do velvet, but yes dark brown cord could be great in that respect - see mine here, I wear it all the time....
Tokyo: A sartorial shopping guide – 2023 Up...
June 7th 2023Tokyo is one of the most varied, creative and stimulating retail experiences in the world. Not only is the city huge, but each area has a distinct feel and atmosphere, reflected in its shopping. There are small, niche brands everywhere, as well as wo...
Tokyo: A sartorial shopping guide – 2023 Up...
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Yes, good point Davide, his work is great...
Dunhill Tailors: The brothers that dressed the pa...
May 15th 2023*This article is part of a series that looks at the history of New York’s bespoke tailoring. You can see the first, introductory article here and a subsequent piece on Bill Fioravanti here* By Manish Puri It’s 1966 and you’re Truma...
Dunhill Tailors: The brothers that dressed the pa...
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I remember reading biographies of the 1950s Dominican playboy, Porfirio Rubirosa, and learning that he had his suits cut by Dunhill in New York. I had originally thought it odd that Alfred Dunhill were offering a bespoke...
William Fioravanti: The power tailor
May 1st 2023*This article is part of a series that looks at the history of New York’s bespoke tailoring. You can see the first, introductory article, here* By Manish Puri “Ready-made men’s wear was never more varied. Nevertheless, an increasin...
William Fioravanti: The power tailor
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Thank you for sharing, James...
The history of New York bespoke tailoring: An int...
April 19th 2023* This article is the first in a series that will look at New York bespoke over the years* By Manish Puri. In the 1956 version of the song New York’s My Home, Sammy Davis Jr. is eager to address the crazy rumour that some foolhardy New Yorkers...
The history of New York bespoke tailoring: An int...
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What a fantastic exploration of New York's bespoke tailoring history! Sammy Davis Jr. had a point about the unique charm of NYC, but you’ve truly highlighted the city’s rich sartorial legacy. The insights from Bruce ...
The practicality of a sweater over the shoulders
April 12th 2023Wearing a sweater over the shoulders has a lot of negative connotations. But if you can get away with it - because of your style, of where you are, or just because of your personality - it’s incredibly practical. This suit I wore at Pitti earl...
The practicality of a sweater over the shoulders
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I probably haven't done it often enough Mark, but I think most are robust enough...
Tommy & Giulio Caraceni: Modernising the Rom...
September 16th 2022Tommy e Giulio Caraceni is one of the great tailors in Italy, but it’s fair to say they’re in a process of transition. The shop is run by Andrea Caraceni, grandson of Tommy. His father retired last year, and now when in the shop you&rsq...
Tommy & Giulio Caraceni: Modernising the Rom...
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I haven't talked about them for while, but last thing i heard they weren't really a bespoke tailor anymore, Campagna bought the name and made it more MTM...
Pressing: An unsung art of bespoke tailoring (video)
September 7th 2022The first time I saw a tailor use an iron to shape cloth, I was genuinely surprised. You wouldn’t think material would be able to be manipulated that much, using steam and pressure to turn a straight piece of canvas into the shape of a collar...
Pressing: An unsung art of bespoke tailoring (video)
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Nice to hear Tamaki. We'll be doing more like it soon. I also like the deliberate misspelling - 'impressing'!...
Bocache & Salvucci, Rome: Bespoke shoes and ...
August 19th 2022Bocache & Salvucci was a bit of a surprise when I visited last month. I’d come across the shoemaker at Jean-Manuel Moreau, in Paris, and had assumed that in Rome I would find a small (because relatively unknown) bespoke craftsman. Wh...
Bocache & Salvucci, Rome: Bespoke shoes and ...
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Excellent, many thanks Peter. Wellies starting the week after that late summer I guess :)...
The guide to morning dress: Part three, the final...
July 15th 2022by Aleks Cvetkovic Having now been to my first Royal Ascot, it strikes me that the hardest thing to do with morning dress is to get the details right, and in so doing capture a kind of comfortable ‘old school’ elegance without looking li...
The guide to morning dress: Part three, the final...
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I read this comment a while back and was already mildly annoyed by the implications here. I know I'm very late to the party, but having now reread the post and the comments, I can't help myself. "Someone with a Balkan su...
Reader profile: Cedric
June 17th 2022Cedric works in the art world, and as such is rarely formal. But he retains an interest in tailoring, has childhood memories of going to Huntsman, and is even talking to Fred Nieddu about his first bespoke. He also has a depth of interest in Americ...
Reader profile: Cedric
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I know what you mean Leif. I would say that, at least in my context, it's more swinging towards the seventies when done well, as basically no one does. If the fit and cut are done well, and perhaps there's a little extra...
The guide to morning dress: Part two, cut and make
June 6th 2022By Aleks Cvetkovic Welcome to the basted fitting for the bespoke morning suit by Whitcomb & Shaftesbury that we referenced in the first instalment of this series. As mentioned previously, the coat is cut in traditional black featherweave wor...
The guide to morning dress: Part two, cut and make
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Hey Oliver, I checked with Aleks, he said the coat was about 3 3/4 inches, while with the waistcoat he wanted it to be as wide as possible without reaching beyond the edge of it, which was about 4 1/2 inches...
The guide to morning dress: Part one, style
May 16th 2022Morning dress is an area I’ve always found fascinating, but never have occasion to wear myself. I do want to have some guidance on Permanent Style, however - so when Aleks Cvetkovic told me he was having morning dress made for the first time, ...
The guide to morning dress: Part one, style
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Nice hat, Lock an co are the best, pity it does not quite fit...
A story in suits: My history with Anderson & ...
April 27th 2022I had my first suit made at Anderson & Sheppard 12 years ago, in 2010. As I begin a series looking at the making of a new A&S jacket, I thought it would be interesting, even fun, to look back at that first suit and the ones that fol...
A story in suits: My history with Anderson & ...
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It does, though Steven says he can add more drape as well. With Steven it's mostly about relationship and a little about finish...
Cocktail attire: An argument for a new type of ev...
December 31st 2021Just before Christmas, I organised a Permanent Style Christmas dinner, to thank a few people that had helped and supported PS in recent years. We were hosted by Geordie D’Anyers Willis of Berry Bros & Rudd, which was kind of Geordie, ...
Cocktail attire: An argument for a new type of ev...
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Wonderful! Thank you...
Edward Sexton double-breasted flannel suit: Style...
December 29th 2021Edward Sexton is famous for bringing sexy, dramatic tailoring to Savile Row in the 1960s and 1970s, as head cutter for Tommy Nutter. Mick and Bianca Jagger in white suits, The Beatles crossing Abbey Road: these are the looks we know. And today Edwar...
Edward Sexton double-breasted flannel suit: Style...
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Yes, absolutely. From the bottom of the collar, or more precisely from the collar point - where the collar joins the body of the jacket and the centre seam in the back of it. It's useful because it removes questions of s...
Reader profile: Ben C
December 10th 2021I’ve known Ben for a long time now. He worked round the corner from me during my journalism days, and we were both customers of visiting artisans like Elia Caliendo and Simone Abbarchi. We even did a shoot together for Elia years ago. Ben and ...
Brioni bespoke tailoring
September 22nd 2021A few months ago, Brioni contacted me to ask if I would be interested in having a suit made, in order to review it. Not knowing much about the Brioni product, I was a little unsure. Invitations to cover other big-brand made to measure have not alwa...
Brioni bespoke tailoring
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Generally to stick with one tailor...
Pirozzi corduroy suit: Style breakdown
September 13th 2021*This is an extract from the book Bespoke Style, which is available here on the PS shop* Nunzio Pirozzi has a strong reputation in Naples. Indeed, he’s one of the few master tailors that other tailors consistently praise. (The usual method of e...
Pirozzi corduroy suit: Style breakdown
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Usually take to the cleaners, unless they say machine wash is fine, often with a more casual trouser like a 5-pocket style...
The case for the Summer Suit. With tie
September 6th 2021Thomas Mastronardi is one of the best-dressed men I know. So, in the spirit of welcoming a greater range of voices onto Permanent Style, I asked Tom to bookend the summer by writing something on the seersucker and linen suits he loves so much. We di...
The case for the Summer Suit. With tie
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the mention of the linens beaten against irish rocks is a rather serendipitous mention, as I was just reading about beetled linen the other day. Dashing linen against rocks essentially was the manual process that predate...
The (17) made-to-measure tailors I have known
July 12th 2021*NOTE: This article has now largely been superseded by the 2025 piece ' Who are my favourite made to measure tailors?' Although I haven’t covered the same number of MTM tailors as bespoke ones, Permanent Style has steadily accumulated a good r...
The (17) made-to-measure tailors I have known
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Hi Martins, Many thanks for your comments here!...
The rules and how to break them #10: Suits withou...
June 30th 2021This is a new installment in the series ‘ The rules and how to break them ’, which has been a little neglected in recent years. It’s a great little guide, exposing myths of menswear and calmly explaining the rationale behind advice...
The rules and how to break them #10: Suits withou...
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I'd say they are unusual, but not really more casual....
Dege & Skinner tobacco-linen suit: Style brea...
June 21st 2021**This article is an extract from our book ‘Bespoke Style’, which sold out in less than a month last year. A new print is ready and will be on sale soon. If you would like early access, or are interested in stocking the book, plea...
Dege & Skinner tobacco-linen suit: Style brea...
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Hello YJ, I certainly wouldn't put Everest or Pasinato in the same class as the others. Among the others, Nicoletta Caraceni is no longer working, but T&G is very good. I would put Poole's above Dege. Between Poole's and...
