Sartoria Gianni Volpe - Naples

[marcodalondra]



Do you always get your trousers from Volpe?  I wondered if you had gone to Mola, Cerrato or even Ambrosí of immortal memory! 

I have generally been ordering all my bespoke jacket, trousers, waistcoats and suit from Volpe, however when I started reordering stuff in close visits to Naples, on a couple of occasion I could not meet Mr Volpe as he was on trunk shows to either Milan or Rome. Therefore once I was measured directly by Cerrato at Volpe sartoria and also done the first fitting, but then finalise the fitting with Volpe on a later visit. And other times I went directly to Mola and documented those experiences in other posts on this forum. I am pretty convinced, at least for me, that I get a better overall service if I order trousers through the Tailor as I find tailor more geared towards individual customer service.

Ciao

 

[mactire]

Another question for you. What are the features on the bespoke trousers worth mentioning and looking for? Is there anything in particular to ask for or to look for?

 

[marcodalondra]



Another question for you.  What are the features on the bespoke trousers worth mentioning and looking for?  Is there anything in particular to ask for or to look for?

Wrong person to ask in terms of gimmicks like button cuffs etc.

What I do normally get on beltless trousers, are side tabs and half split back (I posted pictures before). Whilst I like button fly, i now do not always get them, so for odd trousers I may go with zip and for suit trousers with a button fly.

 

[aristoi bcn]

Finally can upload pictures of my first suit with Gianni Volpe. This is my very first neapolitan bespoke and it won't be the last. Cloth is navy Fresco 250-280g bought from @SimonC almost one year ago. Configuration is 3 roll 2, spalla manica camicia, half lined, breast barchetta pocket and patch pockets with swelled edges all over(doppia impuntura). Trousers with one forward pleat for belt and with 5cm turnups, so nothing excepcional. Buttons are navy corozo but I will change them for navy MOP so I can use the jacket as a blazer. I am very happy with the result although next time I will say Gianni to lengthen the jacket a couple of cm. First fitting was one Saturday of February, one day after Gianni took the measurements when I arrive directly from the airport. Second fitting was in April and two weeks after I received the suit by mail.

Maybe low back could be improved but suit was wrinkled after the postage and my shoulders are backwards. In real life there is not a big excess of cloth there.

Opinions, comments and praises are welcomed.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

You seem already well aware of the issues, but just in case it's been overlooked, the pants are too short. Also, they probably don't fit well at the seat, but since most people don't want to see that, maybe that's best saved for the tailor.

 

[dieworkwear]

Seems like the back should be really cleaned up. Not just the lower part, but also around the shoulder blades.

Quarters are a bit too closed for my taste, but that's personal preference.

The thing that would bother me the most is the trousers. Lots of fabric under the seat and a lot of pulling around the back of the legs. Might be because the back rise is too long. If you "lift" the back of the trousers and pin the seat higher up on the waistband, you might see some of those issues go away. An alterations tailor can probably take care of that for you, but since it can involve letting out the crotch seam, it can be a somewhat expensive job. Would ask the original tailor to fix it, if possible, assuming he doesn't charge for alterations.

 

[Alan Bee]

Finally can upload pictures of my first suit with Gianni Volpe. This is my very first neapolitan bespoke and it won't be the last. Cloth is navy Fresco 250-280g bought from @SimonC almost one year ago. Configuration is 3 roll 2, spalla manica camicia, half lined, breast barchetta pocket and patch pockets with swelled edges all over(doppia impuntura). Trousers with one forward pleat for belt and with 5cm turnups, so nothing excepcional. Buttons are navy corozo but I will change them for navy MOP so I can use the jacket as a blazer. I am very happy with the result although next time I will say Gianni to lengthen the jacket a couple of cm. First fitting was one Saturday of February, one day after Gianni took the measurements when I arrive directly from the airport. Second fitting was in April and two weeks after I received the suit by mail.

Maybe low back could be improved but suit was wrinkled after the postage and my shoulders are backwards. In real life there is not a big excess of cloth there.

Opinions, comments and praises are welcomed.

View attachment 136888 View attachment 136893 View attachment 136902 View attachment 136906

Aristoi, I find the suit overall too tight for your build. I would go with a fuller classic fit if I were you.

The trousers are binding from top to bottom (not just in the seat) and the jacket vents are splitting open which suggests its too tight in the hips/waist. And as someone pointed out above, the back needs to be cleaned up.

And the coat is "definitely" too short. It barely covers your kaboos.

Not to be harsh, but after all I've heard about Volpe, I would've expected these issues flagged at your forward fitting. I would return this suit to Volpe for a thorough work-over. Nothing you can do about the coat length tho.

Alan Bee

 

[aristoi bcn]

Thank you very much for you comments. I'll address all the issues commented to Volpe next time. I was already aware of some of the issues. I don't think the coat is tight, in fact, it still has some space around the waist and the vents don't open up in a relaxed posture. Regarding the trousers, I think they are a little too slim but they were ok to me regarding the seat. I'll look more carefully at them when wearing them next time.

Thanks again guys.

 

[marcodalondra]

There is probably few things to get volpe to look at however I believe these pictures are somehow influenced by the stance/posture and how aristoi is wearing his trousers.

For example the front quarter comes strangely together and I can see the unnatural overlap under the button like they are pushed forward and held by the arms at the side, which then seem to be matched on how the lower back look as well as having the front look even shorter. I would want to look at more natural pictures also taken from a netrual position to have a better assessment. In any case, in my experience , Mr Volpe would be more then happy to revise anything that needs to.

 

[dfoverdx]

I agree that the stand and posture influence our opinion but in all cases the suit is fitting badly. Jacket is fitting badly, as well as pants. I am not surpised to see this. I also had a jacket from Volpe and fit is far from being great. On top of what others said there's also issue with the vents of your jacket.
You can not fix this suit, just wear it as it's and find yourself a better tailor who takes time to understand your body and fit you properly.

 

[brax]

I disagree that the pants are too short. I would not "fix" this.

 

[marcodalondra]

I agree that the stand and posture influence our opinion but in all cases the suit is fitting badly. Jacket is fitting badly, as well as pants. I am not surpised to see this. I also had a jacket from Volpe and fit is far from being great. On top of what others said there's also issue with the vents of your jacket.
You can not fix this suit, just wear it as it's and find yourself a better tailor who takes time to understand your body and fit you properly.

Let's wait for other pictures, but the jacket is very fixable (all Neapolitan sartoria that make the jacket in the first place always leave enough allowances in all the seams to be able to almost re-do a jacket, so it can be opened and remade if needed) and as for the trouser seat, without having seen how they are actually hung at the back, not even sure if there is a problem in the first place (belted trousers, may look like that if not repositioned after having sat somewhere)

 

[marcodalondra]

To illustrate my point on how the front comes strangely together and the comment about the front quarter being too close made by @dieworkwear here are few pictures from Volpe's Instagram account that show his default quarter cut, and unless @aristoi bcn has specifically asked for close quarter, the pictures suggest to me that the posture and overall stance is affecting the overall fit.

 

[aristoi bcn]

You will let me bother you all with some more pictures taken with a better body posture so you can now see that some of the defects the suit appeared to have are not such. Jacket length looks much better here, as do the trousers.

Back will be cleaned up next time in Napoli. The jacket covers my butt and has a good balance with my short legs.

I'm quite bowlegged. If I want to wear slim trousers the crease will never be straight.

Volpe had to cope with my more than prominent seat and hollowed back.

 

[Alan Bee]

You will let me bother you all with some more pictures taken with a better body posture so you can now see that some of the defects the suit appeared to have are not such. Jacket length looks much better here, as do the trousers.
View attachment 613150
Back will be cleaned up next time in Napoli. The jacket covers my butt and has a good balance with my short legs.

View attachment 613502 View attachment 613850
I'm quite bowlegged. If I want to wear slim trousers the crease will never be straight.

View attachment 614098
Volpe had to cope with my more than prominent seat and hollowed back.

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Hi Ari,

As you've already pointed out, the backs needs quite a bit of work (particularly under the shoulder blade). I still think the waist/hips need to be released a hair bit to allow the vents lie flat completely. The rest of the jacket looks fine to my eyes though I would still recommend a slightly fuller cut given your physique.

Now to the trousers. I don't think these are the trousers for you at all. You have a pronounced kaboos (as do I by the way) and you just cant pull off the fitted look in the trouser department. It just doesn't work.

You would be better served with very full cut trousers to be worn at the natural waist (not hips) with side tabs and pleats (double or single). The flat front, belted, short rise trouser look that works for skinny models will NEVER work for you and I.

Not sure much can be done about the trousers now but the coat is certainly fixable.

My 2 Cents

Alan Bee