Another Italian Brand at Pitti: Paoloni

The photos coming out of Pitti are reaching near flood levels at this point. I thought I’d take a break from the reblogging and talk a bit more about some of the brands showcasing at Pitti right now. Today will be about Paoloni.

Paolini has been around since the early 1980s and unlike the other two brands I’ve talked about this week - Cantarelli and Allegri - they’re more on the lower end of the market. Whereas Cantarelli and Allegri’s jackets are around $600, Paoloni’s are $300 and can sometimes be found on sale for as low as $100. These are fused construction, so they’re nothing terribly more than what you’d expect from a mall brand in America.

Still, I think they’re an interesting manufacturer to write about. Jackets are deconstructed, slim fit, and have a contemporary feel. They have a strong Italian styling (as you can see with the patch pockets), and often come in bolder checks. They can be a good option if you really can’t afford to spend very much money and find one of their jackets on sale. Additionally, like other mass-market brands such as Banana Republic (American) and Massimo Dutti (Spain), they also have really compelling ad campaigns, which - frankly - is why I’m featuring them here. You only come here for the pictures anyway.

They’re also the parent company for Guy Rover, a really fine company that makes shirts and polos. Guy Rover is somewhat of a favorite among Italian menswear geeks. Their shirts and polos are of excellent quality, though I also think they’re heavily overpriced ($250 or so for shirts, $175 or so for polos). You can find their shirts at Barney’s NYC and read about their polos in this earlier entry I wrote.