The Italian Menswear Series, Part XV: Boggi

Boggi is the Milanese version of Brooks Brothers - similar in quality, price, and ubiquity, but differing a bit in silhouette. If you’ve been to Italy, particularly Milan, you can find them almost everywhere. The company started in 1939, but they really took off in the ’60s when they started creating their own brand-exclusive retail stores. Today, the company has a strong presence in Europe and the Middle East, and under their new management, they’ve begun expanding into India as well.

Like Brooks, Boggi’s strength is in selling decently constructed, conservatively styled staples for reasonably affordable prices. Here you’ll find a range of basic dress shirts, coats, ties, shoes, and sweaters in fairly simple, classic designs. There is a slight difference, however, in silhouette. Boggi, like all Italian companies, tend to be slimmer fitting than American brands. It’s somewhat easier to find slim fitting clothes these days, but back when the trend hadn’t caught on as much, Boggi was kind of an oasis for skinnier guys like me.

If you happen to be in the States, you can purchase things from Boggi through their online store. I wouldn’t recommend that you buy something complicated, such as a sport coat or suit, online from an overseas retailer without having any idea of how it might fit. For simpler things such as shirts, shoes, and accessories, however, Boggi is a good bet for people looking for something a bit more Italian and a lot more affordable.

Below is their collection for this season - as I said, simple basic stuff, just a bit more Italian and better fitting.