In Italy for 2 months, need a classic dark suit, 1000€ budget, suggestions?

[JDLH]

Hello, Style Forum:

I am a new member of the forum, and I appreciate all the knowledge contained in the archived posts. I didn't see something which covers my situation exactly, so I'll ask.

I am in need of a new classic dark suit for the serious occasions in life: funerals, the opera, and maybe rarely a business meeting. (I normally dress casually.) My current dark suit is 10-15 kgs old, so despite its reasonable condition and fine looks, it just doesn't fit any more. I am not looking for a bright colourful suit to wear to work and clubbing; that's not me.

I live in Vancouver, Canada, but for the next two months I am in Italy: 1 week in Naples, 2+ weeks each in Rome, Florence, Bologna. I could make day trips to Milan. They make good suits in Italy. Maybe there's someone who can sell me a suit that will fit my current weight well.

My budget is €500-1000. This is based on an upper bound, that I wear suits so rarely that I will have a hard time amortising a more expensive suit, no matter how wonderful; and on a lower bound that below €500 I suspect there won't be much difference from what I can get for a similar price at home. My fallback position is to return home to Canada, and get an off-the-rack suit adjusted, or maybe a made-to-measure suit, from vendors in Canada. It won't be Italian, but it will be a way to get at the lower-priced options.

I respect that there is a stratosphere of fine craftsmen making superb suites for prices way higher than I can justify. I am not a good customer for them. I am partly looking for help identifying what kind of product I should ask for. Should I be looking at off-the-rack, or is made-to-measure feasible? Am I correct that my budget doesn't cover any reasonable bespoke suit? Can anyone suggest specific vendors (in the above cities) whom I should consider?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Ciao!

 

[dieworkwear]

Have you considered ready-to-wear Suitsupply or Spier & Mackay?

 

[JDLH]

Have you considered ready-to-wear Suitsupply or Spier & Mackay?

No, because I'm just hearing about Suitsupply today here in Style Forum, and I just heard about Spier & Mackay days ago. I have some reading to do. I do know that Spier & Mackay are a long way away from me. Canada's really big. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Spaghettimatt]

Boggi?

 

[JDLH]

Boggi?

I am new here, and I am not familiar with Boggi. Could you please give me a full name, a link to their website, or something else which will help me learn more? And are you suggesting I find a Boggi store in Italy (which city?), or order from them when I'm back in Canada? Thank you.

 

[JDLH]

I guess my underlying question is, in part, what should I do about having in-person access to the Italian clothing market for these two months? What is the better product or better service which I can get in Italy, that I should grab while I am there, compared to the baseline of product, service, and value for price which I have available back home in western Canada?

 

[thomas199023]

If you happen to be near Mantova, you could visit the Corneliani Factory Store/Outlet: https://goo.gl/maps/NF2jViSbHU7vaqKu5

Or if you're near Vicenza, the Pal Zileri Factory Store/Outlet:

45°34'25.0"N 11°37'36.7"E · Via Martiri della Libertà, 17, 36050 Quinto Vicentino VI, Italy

Via Martiri della Libertà, 17, 36050 Quinto Vicentino VI, Italy

goo.gl

Both have plenty of suits available in your price range.

 

[dieworkwear]

500 Euros for a suit isn't that much. I suspect you'll be better off with one of the budget tailoring options here. Italy is better for bespoke tailoring if you're going to be local.

 

[Braid]

500 Euros for a suit isn't that much. I suspect you'll be better off with one of the budget tailoring options here. Italy is better for bespoke tailoring if you're going to be local.

I think Boggi would be a better option compared to suit supply considering the budget. The "Sartorial line" of Boggi is full-canvas and made in italy (often made by Caruso), with wool from Vitale Barberis or Loro Piana, horn buttons etc..

This line retails at 950 € so it should be within his reach. The website is boggi.it, make sure to switch to "ship to italy", because prices outside of Italy are much higher unfortunately (in UK for example 1150£ vs 950€).

The line immediately below retails at 700€, is half canvas, made in Italy (not by Caruso) with wool mainly from Vitale Barberis. I think it is still a good value.

EDIT: Link to the website (ship to Italy to have the Italian price) and the suit section sorted by price, all the suits that cost 950€ should be part of the sartorial line.

Italian Suits New Collection | Boggi Milano

The men's suit is the symbol of Italian style signed by Boggi Milano. Discover the models, from the most elegant clothes to men's italian suits of different colors.

www.boggi.com

 

[usctrojans31]

I came into to thread to recommend Boggi as well.

JDLH - check out the tags to identify the maker thread. Boggi has numerous manufacturers, almost all of whom have significant repute here.

 

[dieworkwear]

hm, i remember boggi being very slim and short. the site's photos reflect that as well, but it's been a while since i handled them.

some photos on IG too. i dunno, i think suitsupply and s&m are much better styled.

Boggi Milano (@boggimilanoofficial) • Instagram photos and videos

131K Followers, 115 Following, 2,039 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Boggi Milano (@boggimilanoofficial)

www.instagram.com

 

[Braid]

hm, i remember boggi being very slim and short. the site's photos reflect that as well, but it's been a while since i handled them.

They have different fit and few of them are quite generous, pictures with super-fit models are not indicative in my opinion.
Length can be adjusted in store by a tailor free of charge (1 alteration is included in the cost of the suit).

 

[Dashing Chris]

Hello, Style Forum:

I am a new member of the forum, and I appreciate all the knowledge contained in the archived posts. I didn't see something which covers my situation exactly, so I'll ask.

I am in need of a new classic dark suit for the serious occasions in life: funerals, the opera, and maybe rarely a business meeting. (I normally dress casually.) My current dark suit is 10-15 kgs old, so despite its reasonable condition and fine looks, it just doesn't fit any more. I am not looking for a bright colourful suit to wear to work and clubbing; that's not me.

I live in Vancouver, Canada, but for the next two months I am in Italy: 1 week in Naples, 2+ weeks each in Rome, Florence, Bologna. I could make day trips to Milan. They make good suits in Italy. Maybe there's someone who can sell me a suit that will fit my current weight well.

My budget is €500-1000. This is based on an upper bound, that I wear suits so rarely that I will have a hard time amortising a more expensive suit, no matter how wonderful; and on a lower bound that below €500 I suspect there won't be much difference from what I can get for a similar price at home. My fallback position is to return home to Canada, and get an off-the-rack suit adjusted, or maybe a made-to-measure suit, from vendors in Canada. It won't be Italian, but it will be a way to get at the lower-priced options.

I respect that there is a stratosphere of fine craftsmen making superb suites for prices way higher than I can justify. I am not a good customer for them. I am partly looking for help identifying what kind of product I should ask for. Should I be looking at off-the-rack, or is made-to-measure feasible? Am I correct that my budget doesn't cover any reasonable bespoke suit? Can anyone suggest specific vendors (in the above cities) whom I should consider?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Ciao!

I also rarely wear suits, usually, I go with custom options... if you have time get it stitched that what I can say

 

[JDLH]

Thank you, everyone, for the recommendation of Boggi. I located their shop in Florence today. They also seem to have shops in each city I am visiting (Rome, Florence, Bologna) so maybe I can get the fitting done and choices made in one city, and pick iup the suit a few weeks later in another.