Constructing 'spalla camicia' - is it advisable to do it with non-Neapolitan tailors?

[FCS]

So I am commissioning a suit with this tailor for the first time. While I believe that he is capable of producing high-quality hand-made products, his pedigree is not Neapolitan and I'm interested to get a suit with some Neapolitan traits, especially having the spalla camicia shoulder. Would it be prudent to try that? For whatever it's worth, he's used to apprentice under Caraceni in Milan a long, long time ago and his 'house style' is more toward soft-tailoring, although definitely not as soft as the 'classical' Neapolitan's.

To avoid confusion, I'm using the term spalla camicia as explained by this article from Manton:
http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/T...anShoulder.htm

 

[Tomasso]

Take a photo of the spalla camicia shoulder to your tailor and ask if he's up to the task. I understand that it's a tricky job, if not regularly practiced, even for the best of tailors.

 

[Carlo]

Even the Neapolitan Mastiff exhibits the dimpled shoulder:

 

[acidboy]

Originally Posted by Carlo

Even the Neapolitan Mastiff exhibits the dimpled shoulder:

no pocket squares!

 

[brescd01]

Do not do it. You will be disappointed, and you should be focusing the tailor's attention on other more important things for your first suit. If you must have Neopolitan, get Neopolitan shirts and pants, which can be ordered by mail.

My opinion alone: imitations of various aspects of Neopolitan tailoring are not particularly attractive. A genuine Neopolitan garment is somehow greater than the sum of its parts.

 

[NoVaguy]

gotta agree with bresch. it sounds like a bad idea to ask a non-Neopolitan tailor for a Neopolitan suit. do you have any reason to believe he has experience with this technique?

 

[Thracozaag]

Originally Posted by FCS

So I am commissioning a suit with this tailor for the first time. While I believe that he is capable of producing high-quality hand-made products, his pedigree is not Neapolitan and I'm interested to get a suit with considerable Neapolitan traits, especially having the spalla camicia shoulder. Would it be prudent to try that? For whatever it's worth, he's used to apprentice under Caraceni in Milan a long, long time ago and his 'house style' is definitely more toward soft-tailoring, although definitely not as soft as the 'classical' Neapolitan's.

To avoid confusion, I'm using the term spalla camicia as explained by this article from Manton:
http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/T...anShoulder.htm

Why not just go with his house style then?

koji

 

[FCS]

Originally Posted by Thracozaag

Why not just go with his house style then?

koji

Yeah, for the most part I do. I just think that a more organic shoulder would be a very nice touch - that's the only major exception.

 

[Manton]

Show him a pic and ask him. While that shoulder is one of the hallmarks of Neapolitan tailoring, it is not exclusive to Naples. Tailors all over Italy know how to do it. Two of the tailors who do it well in NYC are not Neapolitan, though at least one of them learned it from a Neapolitan.

 

[edmorel]

One thing to consider, have you seen this in person? Tastes are subjective but the ones I've seen are not something I would get. The sleeve looks sloppy for lack of a better word. For my taste it makes the overall look of the suit seem rather awkward. Keep in mind that I am a roped shoulders type of guy.

 

[lee_44106]

What is the advantage of a "spalla camicia?" Manton's article on AAAC clearly delineates the advantages of a Neapolitan shoulder: freedom of arm movement. So other than cosmetic and that "it's just how some Neapolitan tailors construct their jacket shoulders", is it worth the potential trouble to go through the exercise? If your aim to to "tip off" other clothing connoisseurs that you have a genuine bespoke/MTM Neopolitan garment, I truly wonder how many can tell the difference other than requesting that you remove your jacket and let it be examined.

 

[EL72]

Being in Toronto as well, I am curious about which tailor you are referring to. Care to share this info?

 

[Ranjeev]

I'm in the same boat as EL72 and would like to find out who the tailor in question is.

 

[FCS]

Originally Posted by edmorel

One thing to consider, have you seen this in person? Tastes are subjective but the ones I've seen are not something I would get. The sleeve looks sloppy for lack of a better word. For my taste it makes the overall look of the suit seem rather awkward. Keep in mind that I am a roped shoulders type of guy.

Yes, I have one, albeit a RTW jacket. And it is slightly roped as well.

 

[FCS]

Originally Posted by Manton

Show him a pic and ask him. While that shoulder is one of the hallmarks of Neapolitan tailoring, it is not exclusive to Naples. Tailors all over Italy know how to do it. Two of the tailors who do it well in NYC are not Neapolitan, though at least one of them learned it from a Neapolitan.

Thanks Manton, I'll discuss this further with him. Good to hear that you know some non-Neapolitan tailors doing it.