Anna Matuozzo - A walk-through of my bespoke shirt purchase in Napoli.

[JensenH]

Thank you for sharing your experience in this thread. It is very informative and fun to read. Also thanks for the link to the modella shop. Enjoy your shirt!

 

[marcodalondra]

Random thoughts on other points raised on this thread:

- Charvet offering Hand details: Nothing breaking with tradition, it was common for French shirt makers to "flat-fell" seams by hand as well as other stitches in the past and there are examples in many design museums. Page Coffin covers this in his book on Shirt making.

- Cost per hand detail: As covered in my post on Neapolitan shirt making, the hand finishes have an incremental cost as those specific job are outsourced to external/home based ricamatrici that charges by shirt/job done. So the standard tariff of approx 25-30 euro cover 8 hand details that probably is a reflection of the amount of labour/hour required per shirt for this. So if you need more hand details, which will take more time, it will cost more and the cost is then passed to the client. IT IS NOT ABOUT CHARGING PER STITCH. Outside the above mentioned 8 steps, additional hand work is normally done on long seams, which will take minutes to be second passed/flat felled by machine but hours if done by hand, that is all.

-Home based (small) and semi industrial operations (large): there are many type of shirt making operation in Naples, some work at home or in small set up with 1 to 3 sewing machine and 1 to 5 people working in them as well larger workshop like Prisco and Lombardi where you may find 10-20 sewing machine and 5 plus seamstress working on them. As far as they still offer a trial-on shirt (muslin) and fitting, all are still bespoke. As explained in my post, at Lombardi they prepare a nice muslin fitting made with very old poplin shirting (the kind you would not want to wear). After the fitting and amendment to the pattern, that muslin shirt became your template which is then sent to the large workshop with your chosen shirting material to be made up. Mr Lombardi does the fitting himself and cut somehow a more comfortable fitting shirt still with proper fitting shoulder, probably more like Ms Matuozzo. In fact some rumours in the city have Lombardi being the supplier of Rubinacci shirt at some point in the past, but bear in mind that his grandfather and father were both already shirt makers with evidence to that on the wall of his studio.

-Unknown operations offering all in one tailoring (Suits and shirt): there are plenty of those in the city, offering all sort of pricing, and indeed they may outsource some of the work to people that also work in factory/large workshop, but bare in mind that this work may be buttonholes, button, lining and probably setting sleeves, these are all secondary operations that will not affect how the jacket fit. I have met a qualified male nurse that does evening home visit for injections etc that works in a very famous sartoria during the morning. The more reliable sartoria (Volpe, Solito, Panico, Pirozzi, Ciardi, Di Domenico, ecc) have all master cutters (which are also the owners) that have trained since they were small childrens under great mastertailors like Schiraldi, Blasi, De Nicola ecc.) That have had great careers and have then set up on their own. With them you will have a direct relationship with the cutter, who would be extremely good in fitting your body as well as have built a reputation as reliable and offering quality, which therefore make them able to ask a price that reflect that but is still not exorbitant.
If this unknown operation offer cut down price, too good to be true, then it is a risk that may not be worth taking. I have had a shirt made up but a similar operation, with a Chiaia location nevertheless, called Le Forbici Partenopee, and it has been one of the worst experiences ever. Looking at the specific link posted by the OP, what makes me wonder is the very cheap price for suit but the relative average price for shirts as well as the fabrics offered, like Canclini having very low entry points and of the suit fabrics, only Loro Piana and Guabello would be worth a look as the others are what Italian RTW uses (most 2x1 low durability fabric).

 

[JensenH]

^^ Excellent information. Thanks, Marcodalondra.

 

[AmericanGent]

Yes, thanks very much. I'd like to get your thoughts on shirting fabric. I'll send you a PM.

 

[AmericanGent]

Went to Di Nocera today for a fitting. I'll start a new thread later and let this one be about Anna. Thanks everyone for your contributions and dialog.

 

[Hirsh]



Thank you for your reply Greggers.  My original intention for this post was to provide a walk-through so that if anyone else wanted to have a shirt done that they would know how to find her and get an idea about the process.  I really didn't want to post the pictures of myself, but I felt that showing Anna at work was important.

I am not really comfortable posting pictures of myself online (even on FB) and when I post on SF I prefer to focus on the item.  At 6'1" 230 I'm no menswear model.  

That said, I do understand your point that seeing how the shirt looks while on the body it was made for would give a better idea of her work. 
Sadly, I have not had a chance to actually wear the shirt yet.  I wear gym clothes or jeans to work and then change into my uniform, so It's just hanging in the closet.  

I'm sorry you weren't happy with your Anna Matuozzo shirt.

I had a couple made 2 years ago that I wore out, one this year which I live in and I'm having 3 more made, and another 3 next year.

For me Anna's shirts are by far the best I've ever worn, worth every euro!

 

[AmericanGent]

To the contrary, I am quite happy with the shirt, and if I had the money I would buy 5 more tomorrow. I just don't get much opportunity to wear it at the moment.

 

[Hirsh]



To the contrary, I am quite happy with the shirt, and if I had the money I would buy 5 more tomorrow.  I just don't get much opportunity to wear it at the moment. 

I totally 200% agree!

I wear 2 of Anna/Simona's shirts on a daily basis, have 2 being posted to me this Friday, and another 2 planned for January!!

This with my current collection will give me only 11 shirts, but I would rather wear Anna's shirts than any others

 

[Hirsh]



i have a question which is a bit off topic but it occurs to me often when i am gauging shirt purchases

when you are buying top notch shirts  do you ever think of a  maximum (shoe price)/(shirt price) ratio?; i.e how much would you spend on a shirt vs how much you would spend on a shoe?

If so, what is your typical ratio.? One shoe pair for: 1,2, 3, 4 ... shirts????

No, otherwise I might not spend so much on shirts!

I might buy 1 Anna, 1 Finollo instead next year, depending how the Finollo turns out!

 

[marcodalondra]



No, otherwise I might not spend so much on shirts!

I might buy 1 Anna, 1 Finollo instead next year, depending how the Finollo turns out!

instead of Finollo why not try a maker that can give you a better price to quality ratio? doing so will allow you to buy at least 4 shirts at the time instead of two....

 

[Hirsh]



instead of Finollo why not try a maker that can give you a better price to quality ratio? doing so will allow you to buy at least 4 shirts at the time instead of two....

Because they are the very best shirts, and both super to deal with, actually I've ordered 2 from Finollo and another 1 from Anna for January on top of the 4 I've bought from Anna this year!

Quality over quantity.

My total shirts then will be sufficient to see me through until 2015!

 

[marcodalondra]



Because they are the very best shirts, and both super to deal with, actually I've ordered 2 from Finollo and another 1 from Anna for January on top of the 4 I've bought from Anna this year!

Quality over quantity.

My total shirts then will be sufficient to see me through until 2015!

They are amongst the most expensive, this does not make them the best shirt from my point of view. Anna's fit on a lot of customers I have seen can be arguably called the best. Why do you not start a new thread with a full review on Finollo with pictures of shirts and fit on you?

 

[Hirsh]



They are amongst the most expensive, this does not make them the best shirt from my point of view. Anna's fit on a lot of customers I have seen can be arguably called the best. Why do you not start a new thread with a full review on Finollo with pictures of shirts and fit on you?

I won't receive my 2 Finollo shirts until January, but I would be happy to start such a thread when they arrive!

 

[AmericanGent]

i have a question which is a bit off topic but it occurs to me often when i am gauging shirt purchases

when you are buying top notch shirts do you ever think of a maximum (shoe price)/(shirt price) ratio?; i.e how much would you spend on a shirt vs how much you would spend on a shoe?

If so, what is your typical ratio.? One shoe pair for: 1,2, 3, 4 ... shirts????

Personally, no. I still buy from the need-want-can afford matrix.

I just made that up.

 

[marcodalondra]



I won't receive my 2 Finollo shirts until January, but I would be happy to start such a thread when they arrive!

I think it would be good. You could start the thread now to talk about the ordering process, fitting, fabric choice, details chosen etc...

what about some pictures of your current AM shirts?