Exciting news for readers interested in bespoke tailoring. Rubinacci’s head cutter, Gennaro Paone, has decided to leave and start his own firm. Gennaro represents the last of his kind when it comes to Neapolitan tailoring. Having started in the trade with an apprenticeship at age nine, he makes the kind of softly tailored, old-school silhouettes that has made Naples famous, but surprisingly, younger tailors find difficult to produce. From what I’ve seen, there are really two kinds of Neapolitan style. The older generation cuts something slightly fuller and comfortable looking, while the younger generation makes something slimmer fitting and more influenced by local fashion brands. Neither better nor worse than the other, but for those who admire the look of men such as Vittorio De Sica, there’s a clear winner.
To be sure, this isn’t Gennaro’s first stint on his own. After studying full time under master tailor Antonio Schiraldi, Gennaro set up his own workshop in the town’s main shopping district of via Chiaia. After eight years, he was asked to return and become the head tailor of Sartoria Schiraldi. Then, in the summer of 1992, he joined the famous London House (aka Rubinacci), where he’s been for over twenty years.
At the moment, Gennaro is planning to visit clients in The Netherlands and Hong Kong. A New York City trip is also very likely and I’m trying to get him out here to San Francisco. Partly because I think this is a unique opportunity to get something special, but mostly because I would like to commission some things for myself. More details to follow in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, you can follow Gennaro Paone on his Tumblr blog. A thread has also been set up at StyleForum by one of his clients, T4phage.
