Description

Brano is without a doubt the best Parisian tailoring house right now​​,​​ only known for the discerning fews. Brano is the creation of two incredible talents: Brahim Bouloujour (a Master Tailor for more than 35 years and Meilleur Ouvrier de France since 2008) and Norbert Naitmazi (managing seller for Francesco Smalto Couture​​,​​ their bespoke division). The name Brano is the contraction of their two first names (BRAhim and NOrbert). Brahim Bouloujour is the last traditional Parisian tailor. Born in Casablanca​​,​​ he began working at 11 years old with the locals tailors. In the 1970's​​,​​ Morocco was the center of many styles of tailoring​​,​​ thanks to Italian​​,​​ Spanish​​,​​ and French expatriates. Trained by the official supplier of the Royal House​​,​​ Luigi​​,​​ he discovered the Parisian style of the court and of course then-King Hassan II. At age 21​​,​​ he was already chief-manager of the atelier. However​​,​​ he wanted to do more and by 1987​​,​​ following the example of Francesco Smalto​​,​​ he decided to go to Paris to learn the real Parisian style from the great houses: Camps de Luca​​,​​ Claude Rousseau​​,​​ and Cifonelli. He met the Master Tailor Guilson (who worked for Camps de Luca and Smalto) who took him under his wing. After seven years​​,​​ he mastered the Parisian style. In 1994​​,​​ he went to Italy and worked for Tommy & Giulio Caraceni in Rome to see what the Italian masters were capable of. While the Italians were not as precise in the details and finishing of the suit​​,​​ their sense of proportions​​,​​ lightness and flair are unparalleled​​,​​ and Brahim Bouloujour incorporated those ideas in his creations. By 2001​​,​​ the great Claude Rousseau (probably the best Parisian cutter of all-time with Joseph Camps and Francesco Smalto) sold his atelier to Cifonelli and he decided to join them. During this time​​,​​ he worked with the semi-retired Rousseau who shaped his own style and cut​​,​​ as well as the intricate details and finishing of a real Parisian jacket. In 2007​​,​​ it was time for him to make his own path. Partnering with Norbert Naitmazi​​,​​ who personally worked with Francesco Smalto for many years and completely understood his aesthetic​​,​​ they opened Brano. The atelier was first located 8 Avenue Percier in the 8th Arrondissement​​,​​ but quickly changed to 6 Avenue Pasquier in the Madeleine district​​,​​ before moving again to its current location​​,​​ 32 Rue de Penthièvre​​,​​ a few steps from the Bristol Palace. Under the advise of Guilson​​,​​ Brahim Bouloujour passed the exam for Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2008​​,​​ the hardest competition for artisans and craftsmen in France​​,​​ held once every four years. He easily won the medal by crafting a stunning silk dinner jacket that took him more than 50 hours. Brahim Bouloujour continues to produce some of the most exquisite suits​​,​​ jackets​​,​​ coats and trousers in Paris​​,​​ all by hand​​,​​ in the purest tradition. His clients are prominent lawyers​​,​​ diplomats​​,​​ celebrities​​,​​ and heads-of-state. I propose a typical example of his work: a pair of beige cotton-linen trousers. Made in the spring of 2009 for his partner Norbert Naitmazi​​,​​ it was one of Bouloujour's first creation under the name Brano. It is the perfect trousers for the spring and summer months​​,​​ with a classic navy blazer and your best pair of loafers. As always with Brano​​,​​​​​​​​​​ it is fully handmade​​​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​​​ from the sewing to the buttonholes. They featured a rare "point baguette" (an handmade seam along the line of the trousers​​​​​,​​​​​ similar to what you could find on a tuxedo trousers​​​​​,​​​​​ but without the satin band). The conditions is like new. The trousers are best fitted for a size W38UK​​​/​​​48FR​​​,​​​ around 1m75. Here are the measurements Waist for trousers: 48cm (no fabric left to let out) Length from inseam: 74cm Length total: 100cm (with 2cm of fabric to let out) Legs width: 20cm (with 5cm of fabric to widen it) Quality similar to the following bespoke houses: - In France: Camps de Luca​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​ Cifonelli​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Francesco Smalto​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Claude Rousseau​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Arnys​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Max Evzeline​​​,​​​ Lanvin Mesure​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Henri Urban​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Opelka​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Kenjiro Suzuki - In Italy: Caraceni (Domenico or Augusto)​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Rubinacci​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Dalcuore​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Panico​​​​​ - In England: Anderson & Sheppard​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Henry Poole​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Huntsman & Sons​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Nutters of Savile Row​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Chittleborough & Morgan​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Richard Anderson​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ Meyer & Mortimer Possible to try it in Paris 15th arrondissement.