Description

Ferdinando Caraceni is one of the very best bespoke tailor in the world. While not a member of the Caraceni dynasty​,​ he was a proud representative of the Milanese school of tailoring​,​ similar (and perhaps better) to Augusto Caraceni. Born in 1923 in the same village as the master Domenico Caraceni (Ortona a Mare in the Abbruzo region)​,​ Ferdinando began his tailoring work as an apprentice of several local tailors (Garzelli and Alessandro Cavaliere). At the age of 16​,​ he went to Rome to learn more with Domenico Caraceni (already well known within the Roman scene). There​,​ he assembled sleeves on coats and suits​,​ made the necessary alterations between fitting and by experience understood the Caraceni style. He moved again in the late 1940's to Augusto Caraceni and learn even more with Augusto and his son Mario​,​ even earning his shears to become a textile cutter. In 1967​,​ he was ready to open his own shop​,​ Via San Marco in Milan. Thanks to the numerous confusions between the Caracenis (the Roman branch managed by Domenico's brother Galliano and later Tommy & Giulio​,​ the Milanese Branch with another brother Augusto and his descendants)​,​ some celebrities wandered into his shop and fell in love with his style. That was notably the case with French couturier Yves Saint Laurent (notably his legendary double-breasted tan cotton suit). Other celebrities followed​,​ like the Aga Khan​,​ Silvio Berlusconi​,​ Edmond de Rothschild​,​ Gilberto Benetton​,​ and Todd's founder Dieggo Della Valle. In the 1980’s​,​ his daughter Nicoletta joined the atelier and learned his craft. When Ferdinando passed away in 2004​,​ Nicoletta became the manager. Ferdinando Caraceni is still going strong after more than fifty years​,​ making 400 suits per year thanks to 8 tailors and cutters. Caraceni suits can be defined in two words: beautiful and comfortable. They feature a nice pagoda shoulder​​,​​ a high but deep armhole​​,​​ a wide lapel with a good belly​​,​​ and pleated trousers for comfort. It is tighter on the waist than Augusto Caraceni​,​ but it retains the same attention to detail as old Domenico Caraceni creations​,​ with every stitching done by hand. Ferdinando Caraceni is particularly renowned for his double-breasted suits​,​ either 6 on 1 or 6 on 2. They also only use english fabrics​,​ preferring their weight and durability compared to Italian fabrics. I propose a one-of-a-kind piece: a double-breasted olive green sportcoat in cotton made for and owned by the french couturier Yves Saint Laurent. Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent was a regular customer of Ferdinando Caraceni​,​ and created with him his suits in terms of design​,​ fabric​,​ and fit. It very much resembles his iconic double-breasted suit he wore during the 1970's when he lived at the Majorelle Garden in Morocco during the 1970's and 1980's. Made in November 1994​,​ it is the perfect sportcoat for the week-end from autum to spring​,​ and can be paired with a variety of trousers (blue​,​ grey​,​ brown​,​ beige​,​ white).​ The cotton is quite heavy​,​ with a very soft texture. This is a collector's item that can last you for decades to come. As always with Ferdinando Caraceni​​,​​​​​​ it is fully handmade​​,​​ from the shoulder to the collar. The conditions is excellent. The sportcoat is best fitted for someone with a 44UK​​​​​​/​​​​​​​54FR size​​,​​ between 1m75 and 1m80 tall. Here are the measurements: Shoulders: 49​,​5cm Sleeve length: 63cm (with 5​,​5cm of fabric to let out) Chest: 58​,​5cm Waist at button: 59​,​5cm Jacket length: 81cm (collar included​​​​​​,​​​​​​ with 6cm of fabric to let out) Lapels: 12cm Quality similar to the following bespoke houses: - In France: Camps de Luca​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Cifonelli​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​ Francesco Smalto​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​ Claude Rousseau​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​ Arnys​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​ Max Evzeline​​,​​ Lanvin Mesure​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​ 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.