Luigi Solito - Is He Ever Coming Back?

Originally Posted by Manton

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Oh, I was hoping there were pics of other people's stuff. Solito is hard to pin down. Their reputation is for a drapey coat and that's what Gennaro wears and it's what they make me. But I do see a lot of slimmer stuff. I think they cut based on how old you are and the younger you are the slimmer they cut. Lord knows it's not based on body shape.
I actually spoke to Luigi last weekend when I dropped in with a friend getting measured. Luigi described their house style as "normal Neapolitan." In comparison, he described Rubinacci as "similar, but more old style." Also, identified my the sleeves on my blue LH suit as "spalla camicia," but done "the old way." Very vague, I know, but it's interesting to hear these guy's perspectives on their competitive landscape.

LH style, IMO, is very English, and looks nothing like most other contemporary Neapolitan tailors.

I received my four oustanding Solitos yesterday and they all look great. Salvatore also shipped the pants so everything came through. Whew!

Luigi says he is coming back in September. I tend to believe him because I owe him money and I offered to send a check or wire it to him and he said "No, pay me in September when I come to New York."

Inspired by ed to keep it about the clothes:

I had six fittings with Solito in November. On each coat, there was no right sleeve, only the left basted in. I recall that some were short and some were OK though I can't recall which.

Fast forward. In March, he sent two and the sleeves--left and right--were fine. Then in April, he brought two more but on both the left sleeves were too short but the right was fine. He took them both back and promised that he would fix it even though the buttonholes were already cut.

Yesterday I got those two plus the last two. All the sleeves were fine. I don't know if he was able to drop the short sleeves from the top or if he had to recut them. There was probably enough cloth to recut because I gave him four yards (or more) of everything.

All four of the new pieces are unlined and very nicely done. One is linen patch, double stitched, and is really beautiful but not exactly quiet. The three wool unlined have flap pockets. But he used a small pic to tack down the pocket on the inside. The stitch is slightly, barely visible on the outside and looks like the faint outline of a patch pocket. I had never seen that before.

Interestingly, Luigi felt that all four of these cloths absolutely had to be unlined, no exceptions, and even though it is more work he did not charge extra.

All six of these coats have a higher roll than my first SB, which is really a 3 roll 2. These are more like 2.5 or maybe a bit higher. Not true 3. The top buttonholes on all of them are finished on both sides.

Originally Posted by Manton

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Inspired by ed to keep it about the clothes:

Sounds like good stuff, would like to see pics.

Originally Posted by edmorel

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Sounds like good stuff, would like to see pics.

+1,pictures would be nice. When in September is he coming back?

Originally Posted by forex

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+1,pictures would be nice. When in September is he coming back?

he has not given me dates as yet.

Has he returned e-mails recently? I'm having trouble getting a reply even though he said (by e-mail) that a jacket was due to be sent.

Originally Posted by Concordia

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Has he returned e-mails recently? I'm having trouble getting a reply even though he said (by e-mail) that a jacket was due to be sent.

Yes, I thanked him this morning and offered to pay (again) and he replied right away.

Tan linen from Tip Top:



This is unusual. There is the little touch of lining at the shoulder but none in the sleeves:



All the other jackets have regular sleeve lining.



Minnis 7/8 fresco, second lightest gray. It looks ligher than that pic.



This is tan Lesser Tropical. You can see the faint pic around the pocket outline in this picture. Luigi said that on a lined coat he would have tacked the pocket to the lining but as this is unlined he had to do it this way. Actually, I have stuff from other tailors with flap pockets and they just let the pocket sort of dangle so this is either unique to Italy, Naples, or Solito. Anyway, I have never seen it before.



Same coat; I can already hear the critiques of this pic and OMG!! how bad that coat fits!!!



Hard as nails 10 (or so) ounce B&W nailhead fresco from Tip Top; this cloth is freakin' awesome:

Looking good Manton. I wish my Solito suit had turned out like yours

Originally Posted by Eustace Tilley

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Looking good Manton. I wish my Solito suit had turned out like yours

All of mine have been great so far, the only semi-exception being the DB, but they fixed that.

Still, I have to say that as a matter of personal preference, I prefer the A&S style DB to the Napoli style DB. But for SB, hands down I prefer Solito.

Originally Posted by Manton

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All of mine have been great so far, the only semi-exception being the DB, but they fixed that.

Still, I have to say that as a matter of personal preference, I prefer the A&S style DB to the Napoli style DB. But for SB, hands down I prefer Solito.

How do you compare your Solito SBs to Raph's SBs? Is Raph ahead in your mind?

Mike, why on earth did you have to take those photos in a t-shirt? In your bathroom, nonetheless?

This does not help the iGent cause.

Can we get a close-up of the nailhead?
thanks.

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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Mike, why on earth did you have to take those photos in a t-shirt? In your bathroom, nonetheless?

This does not help the iGent cause.

-5 iGent points for the t-shirt, +2 for the bathroom mirror?