Description

Augusto Caraceni is a legend in the tailoring world. The Milanese branch of the famous Caraceni family​​,​​ it is the embodiment of Italian bespoke tradition to this day. The story of the Caraceni begins with Domenico Caraceni. Domenico was the son and grandson of tailors in the Abbruzo region of Italy. Domenico learnt with his father Tommaso and his brothers Galliano and Augusto​​,​​ notably by disassembling Savile Row sportcoats and suits (some suggested Henry Poole) to know how English tailors constructed garments. While working with their brothers​​,​​ Augusto In 1913​​,​​ Domenico left his village to open his first atelier in Rome. His suits were a blend of Savile Row structured shoulders​​,​​ and the comfort and lightness of Italian tradition. His brothers joined him in the 1920's to help. In 1926 he moves to Via Boncompagni​​,​​ followed by new stores in Milan​​,​​ Paris (92 Avenue d'Iena)​​,​​ and shortly in Naples. In 1940​​,​​ as WW2 breaks out​​,​​ the Paris shop was closed​​,​​ and later Domenico dies at the age of 60. After the war​​,​​ in 1946​​,​​ his brothers decide to manage one atelier each: Augusto will go to Milan (A. Caraceni)​​,​​ while Galliano will stay in Rome. Augusto's atelier was therefore founded at 16 Via Fatebenefratelli. That same year​​,​​ his son Mario joined and under the tutelage of his father he became a genius cutter. Their suits were made only for the nobility but by the 1950's and 1960's they decided to open them to a new clientele: industrialists​​,​​ actors and other celebrities. Gianni Agnelli decided to become a regular client​​,​​ as well as countless others such as Ralph Lauren​​,​​ Calvin Klein​​,​​ Gianfranco Ferré​​,​​ Nobel Prize winner Eugenio Montale​​,​​ and TV icon Mike Buongiorno. When Augusto passed away in 1972​​,​​ Mario became head-cutter and manager of A. Caraceni. For 26 years​​,​​ the business prospered with an international clientele while staying in the tradition of the Caraceni name. Mario was awarded several prizes​​,​​ including Sant’Omobono and the Union of Milanese Tailors. By 1998 Mario retired and gave the managing of the Sartoria to his daughter Rita Maria and his son-in-law Carlo Andreacchio. Carlo was Mario's second for 20 years​​,​​ became a member of the Academy of Tailors in 1997 and was awarded a gold medal by the Union of Milanese Tailors in 2002. Carlo and Rita Maria are still managing the atelier with their children Massimiliano and Valentina since 2004. Mario continued to give advice until his passing in 2021. Caraceni suits can be defined in two words: beautiful and comfortable. They feature a nice pagoda shoulder with a light rollino​​,​​ a high but deep armhole​​,​​ a rather wide lapel with a slight belly​​,​​ and pleated trousers for comfort. The buttonholes are made with a silk thread​​,​​ and the buttons are usually made of corozo. The lining is made out of pure silk and matches the outer fabric​​,​​ and the sleeve lining are usually in ivory with a wider green stripe in the middle accompanied by two brown stripes on either side for formal suits. I propose a classic example of A. Caraceni's work: a tan three roll 2 button jacket in a heavy cotton. Made in 2003​​,​​ this unlined jacket is perfect for spring and early summer with a variety of trousers in your wardrobe (white​​,​​ shades of blue​​,​​ grey​​​,​​​ green​​​,​​​ or brown​). As always with Caraceni​​,​​​​ it is fully handmade​​​​,​​​​ from the lining to the buttonholes​​​​,​​​​ from the shoulder to the collar. The condition is good​​,​​ except for a frayed collar and the top of the lining being damaged (see photo). It is not visible when worn. It can be repaired either by reducing the collar or by changing it to another fabric of your choosing. The jacket is best fitted for someone with a strong 36UK​​​​/​​​​ 46FR or a slim 38UK​​/​​48FR size​​​,​​​ around 1m75 tall. Here are the measurements: Shoulders: 42​​,​​5cm Sleeve length: 62cm (with 5cm of fabric to let out) Chest: 47cm Waist at button: 48​​,​​5cm Jacket length: 79cm (collar included​​​​​​,​​​​​​ with 4cm of fabric to let out) Lapels: 8cm Quality similar to the following bespoke houses: - In France: Camps de Luca​​​,​​​ Cifonelli​​​​,​​​​ Francesco Smalto​​​​,​​​​ Claude Rousseau​​​​,​​​​ Arnys​​​​,​​​​ Lanvin Mesure​​​​,​​​​ Henri Urban​​​​,​​​​ Max Evzeline​​​​,​​​​ Opelka​​​​,​​​​ Kenjiro Suzuki - In Italy: Caraceni (Ferdinando or Domenico)​​​​,​​​​ 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.