Threading Through Italy

- David Coggins

The Italians have mastered the art of sprezzatura — appearing effortlessly put together and stylish. This seeming nonchalance is in fact the result of measured and deliberate skill in the case of a man’s suit. As any well-heeled Italian can tell you, a Neapolitan cut is noticeably different from a Milanese silhouette. Because clothing has evolved to reflect the character of the city where it is made, Italian style is as varied as its geography. Milanese discretion prevails in the north, where sober blue and grey suits are the preference; to the south, in Naples, where the jacket is a statement piece, an exquisite expressiveness meets the eye. NAPLES

Threading Through Italy

KITON

Kiton has long set its own standard for style. Although the brand’s Italian stores are located in Milan, Rome, Capri and Venice, its soul and workshop remain in Naples, where Ciro Paone — who came from a line of fabric merchants — established the business in 1956 and where VIP clients are welcomed. Having acquired the Biella-based Carlo Barbera textile mill in 2010, Kiton is now pioneering some of the most luxurious performance materials on the market. Look for jackets with a pronounced, well-rounded lapel roll that can only be made by hand. kiton.it