Full Canvas Construction

A sartorial jacket - or coat - needs an interlining that will help give it shape and mold it. Canvas gives the item a tailored and crafted look. In short, it breathes life into it. Purely technical, canvas is made from either horsehair, wool, mohair or camel hair. It could also be a mix of them all, with varying thickness and weight. The canvas is stitched to the jacket, often by hand, thus making the canvas pieces 'floating' in the middle of the inner and outer cloth. This gives the jacket added flexibility. The canvas runs from the upper parts, all the way down to the end of the jacket. After you wear your canvassed suit for a while, it will begin to take your shape and look incredibly natural.

Roman Style Shoulders

Characterised by a clean, strong silhouette, the Roman style has its origins in the military and equestrian style on Savile Row. While the heavily structured, military-inspired suits with strong shoulders and stiff canvassing were fitting of English nobles, the staid style was not an adequate reflection of the Italian way of life. As Italian tailoring grew into its own, though, different styles began to develop. In Naples unstructured whimsical Neapolitan suiting took hold. In Rome, where Brioni was born, the style evolved more subtly. The structured British style was made more voluminous, body conscious, and free-flowing without losing too much of the signature Saville Row shape.

Handmade Buttonhole

Handmade buttonholes are made using a chain of knotted loops called purl stitches that make them strong and visually distinctive. It takes about five seconds to sew a regular buttonhole with a machine – a single handmade buttonhole takes about 10 minutes to sew.

2.5 Button Closure

The ‘tre bottoni stirato a due’, also known as the three rolling on two lapel style, is perhaps the most infamous characteristic of the Neapolitan style jacket. The top button and buttonhole are ornamental, so are left unbuttoned. As the lapel rolls down it elegantly folds over the top button and stops just 4 cm above the second button creating the distinct roll of the lapel the style is known for. As it is intended to remain unbuttoned, the top buttonhole is actually made inside out so the beautiful side will still be visible.

Chest pocket - Rounded welt pocket

Also known as ‘barchetta’ Italian for ‘little boat’, it is so named because this pocket floats on the chest gently angled upward, just like the bow of a sailboat. These pockets echo the lively roll of a lapel that carries the spring of canvas and natural wool, unlike machine-made chest pockets that have a more stamped-out, rectangular shape and less life.

Darts

The tailors adds two darts - think of them as pinched seams - to ensure the jacket’s body achieves a slim silhouette. The process, called mezzo punto riprese, is done entirely by hand.

Buttons and Buttonholes

Also known as stacked buttons or waterfall buttons, kissing buttons are associated with Italian tailoring as Italian tailors make their jacket sleeve buttons in the kissing style. In this style, buttons touch each other and overlap one another. Handmade buttonholes; Even this step, apparently the simplest, is treated with an abundance of detail. Attaching the buttons is a job that requires patience and must be completed to perfection.

Jetted Pockets

The first jacket pockets were sewn inside the lining or seams of garments, and are called “jetted” pockets. In their simplest form, they consist of little more than a slit. Suits that are the most formal, especially tuxedos, have no flap pockets altogether to give the piece a more streamlined look.