Description

Francesco Smalto was one of the best tailor in Paris. Born in 1927 in Calabria​​​​,​​​​ trained by Joseph Camps (who later founded Camps de Luca)​​​​,​​​​ he was his head-cutter until 1962. There he learned how to perfect the style elaborated by Joseph Camps​​​​,​​​​ notably the Parisian or fishmouth lapel. He then decided to leave Joseph Camps rather unceremoniously to create his own atelier Rue de Miromesnil​​​​,​​​​ taking the main salesmen​​​​,​​​​ as well as most of the clients by sending them an announcement. One of his first big clients was the future King of Morocco Hassan II. Hassan II was at the beginning interested to work only with Claude Rousseau (another cutter for Joseph Camps)​​​​,​​​​ but Mr. Camps refused because he feared Rousseau would do the same thing that Francesco Smalto did earlier and leave (Claude Rousseau did eventually​​​​,​​​​ in 1970). Francesco Smalto became in the 1970's the main tailor of heads-of-state (in Africa and the Middle-East)​​​​,​​​​ celebrities (notably Jean-Paul Belmondo in Stavisky)​​​​,​​​​ politicians​​​​,​​​​ big lawyers and other personalities. These clients had some downsides​​​​,​​​​ mostly the African dictators​​​​,​​​​ since there were at the center of multiple political and financial scandals known as Françafrique. For the french readers​​​​,​​​​ here is an excellent article summarising the influence of Francesco Smalto on foreign affairs from the 1970's to the 2000's: https://www.lemonde.fr/m-le-mag/article/2019/09/29/smalto-le-tailleur-de-la-francafrique_6013484_4500055.html. He passed away in 2015​​​​,​​​​ after more than four decades of revolutionising Parisian tailoring. Two of his apprentices later founded their own atelier: Kenjiro Suzuki and Florian Sirven (now at Berluti) and perpetuate his work. His style in and of itself is legendary. The writer Françoise Sagan said Francesco Smalto was "one of those rare men who can blend luxury and sobriety​​​​,​​​​ the daily life and glamour. He's an artisan and a lord". Francesco Smalto created a unique silhouette: sharp lines with a rich cigarette shoulder​​​​,​​​​ a clean parisian lapel​​​​,​​​​ slightly longer than Camps de Luca​​​​,​​​​ tight chest and suppressed waist. His suits​​​​,​​​​ sportcoats​​​​,​​​​ and overcoats were the very definition of elegance and luxury. I'm proposing a classic example of his work: a navy​,​ almost black​,​ double-breasted blazer in a light fresco wool. Made in 1990​,​ it is a staple of any respectable wardrobe and can be worn with any kind of trousers during spring and summer. It features its distinctive drop pocket​​​,​​​ parisian lapels and lining cut​,​ along with beautiful gold buttons. As always with Smalto​​​​​​,​​​​​​ it is fully handmade​​​​​​,​​​​​​ from the lining to the buttonholes​​​​​​,​​​​​​ from the shoulder to the collar. The conditions is excellent. The blazer is best fitted for someone with a 38UK​​​​​/​​​​​​48FR​​ size​​​​,​​​​ between 1m75 and 1m80. Here are the measurements: Shoulders: 43cm Sleeve length: 62​,​5cm (with 6cm of fabric to let out) Chest: 50cm Waist at button: 51cm Jacket length: 78​,​5cm (collar included​​​​​​,​​​​​​ with 4cm of fabric to let out) Lapels: 10​,​5cm Quality similar to the following bespoke houses: - In France: Camps de Luca​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Cifonelli​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Claude Rousseau​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Arnys​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Lanvin Mesure​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Urban​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Max Evzeline​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Opelka​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Kenjiro Suzuki - In Italy: Caraceni (Augusto or Domenico)​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Rubinacci​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Dalcuore​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Panico - In England: Anderson & Sheppard​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Henry Poole​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Huntsman & Sons​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Nutters of Savile Row​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Chittleborough & Morgan​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Richard Anderson​​​​​​,​​​​​​ Meyer & Mortimer Possibly to try it in Paris 16th Arrondissement