A Satin Necktie

I've written before that I like satin neckties for evening. The combination of a well cut navy or midnight blue suit, a white shirt and a red, light blue or gold satin tie is about as elegant as a man can get without his dinner jacket.

In the photo, Lorenzo Cifonelli (of the Parisian tailoring family) does justice to the look. Though I'd like to think that there's a bit of white linen in his breast pocket that's just fallen out of sight.

Visiting Artisans Calendar Update

Lorenzo Cifonelli of the Parisian tailor Cifonelli will be in New York to see clients December 10 through 12. Details on the Visiting Artisan's Calendar.

Cifonelli Style

One thing that struck me during my visit to Cifonelli in Paris last month was that the work rooms were full of conservative suits in process but the showroom models were beautifully detailed odd jackets rather than suits. I neglected to ask why this was so, but I'll guess it's to demonstrate that the firm can execute more than navy blue double breasteds.

For example, the pictured jacket is a modern version of a hunting coat in lightweight tweed with a half lining. The four button front can be closed completely to keep out the wind and there's leather under the collar and at the ends of the sleeves because both are meant to be turned up.

The coat is impeccably finished, with a yoke across the back, beautifully buffed seams and a zippered ticket pocket.

The blue jacket is another lightweight, unvented coat. This one has a one button front with buttoning patch pockets. It's perhaps a little too aggressively styled for my taste, but it wouldn't be at all out of place in Paris.


The inside of the half lined blue jacket shows the attention to detail that was evident in everything I saw.

When you are next in Paris, make the trip to Rue Marbeuf. Go through the unmarked doors to the left of Cifonelli's street level retail shop and up the stairs to the second floor fitting room. As Le Guide Michelin would say, it's worth the journey.

Made by Hand

I know of only two great Continental tailoring houses outside of Italy, those being Knize of Vienna and Cifonelli of Paris. Lorenzo Cifonelli, the fourth generation of his family to work in the firm, took me for a tour of his family's workshop the other day. Cifonelli has forty people making tailored clothing in Paris with not a sewing machine in sight (I did not ask about the trousermakers who work off site).

Jacket collars and the interior padding are hand made and hand sewn.

When everything is made by hand a jacket sits on the body like a mixture of a glove and a sweater, light and flexible. The light-weight jacket in the photo has what Cifonelli calls a half lining, though it's less than the half linings I'm used to. There is some gossamer stuff in the sleeves, and much of the rest is little more than tape over the seams.

All this hand work costs roughly the same as a Kiton RTW suit in the United States. I was very, very impressed. Lorenzo visits New York five times a year (I'm lobbying hard for the West Coast), and should be on your list if you're looking for a tailor.

Au Revoir

Sadly, today was my last day in Paris as I must cut my trip short. Fortunately, the sun was shining after several days of gray, and, after missing several of the people I had planned to see last week, I was able to conduct in-depth interviews with Lorenzo Cifonelli of the great Cifonelli tailoring house as well as Pierre Corthay the bespoke shoemaker. Watch for essays in the coming weeks.

I also visited Berluti, perhaps the iconic Paris shoemaker, but there was little worthwhile to report. The ready to wear shoes have neither construction nor styling to warrant the prices, in my opinion. Instead, let me refer you to Bergdorg Goodman in New York where Corthay's ready to wear line went on sale today.

Corthay's shoes, pictured above, are as Parisian as Berluti but the construction, after Corthay's three years of hard work setting up a plant in Paris, seems as good to me as Gaziano & Girling's MTO shoes. And that's high praise. If you like Corthay's shape, it's as good a machine-made shoe as you're likely to find. I'll be interested to see what Bergdorf asks for a pair.