By Andrew Borda.
Rome is the first port of call for visitors to Italy due to its history, beauty, and climate. I’ve had the great fortune of spending a lot of time there over the past three years, and I can only agree that it deserves the name. Rome is the capital of the world (Rome, the capital of the world) largely deserves it.
But from a sartorial standpoint, Rome is usually overshadowed by Naples, Milan and Florence. There are certainly fewer well-known menswear brands here, but we’ve found plenty of relatively unknown gems, and we believe Rome can easily hold its own from a sartorial standpoint.
tailors and other artisans
As mentioned above, Rome doesn’t have the same reputation as Milan, Florence or Naples as a bespoke destination. This is somewhat unfair, since Rome may have more high-end tailors and shoemakers than any other city.
I believe this is partly due to the fact that Rome is the capital of Italy and Italy’s institutional political and business environment is still very formal. This is partly due to the number of wealthy tourists who come to Rome with money to spend. This is partly due to the fact that Rome is so big and there are some areas where rents are low so artisans and independent retailers can still survive.
Tommy and Giulio Caraceni
tommyegiuliocaraceni.com
My tailor since 2023. There is probably little I can write here about T&G Caraceni that hasn’t already been written. If you are interested in deep diving, please read the review. Posted here in PS.
As a top quality custom tailor, T&G offers a cut that falls somewhere between the sturdy, square Milanese and the soft, round Neapolitan. This has changed little since Domenico Caraceni founded the company almost 100 years ago.
This house has dressed some of the most famous Italian and European actors, politicians and businessmen of the 20th and 21st centuries and is perhaps the best representation in Italy of the ‘Italian industrialist’ that many people like me so desperately want.
Gaetano Aloysius
www.gaetanoaloisio.com
Aloisio is a famous bespoke tailor reviewed on PS. Bruce Boyer. Aloisio is one of the few Roman or Milanese luxury tailors known to travel and serve international clients, particularly throughout the Middle East and Asia.
Aloisio also has a ready-to-wear offering offering casual clothing and accessories made from the most luxurious materials.
Sartoria Repens
www.sartoriaripense.com
Ripense is a custom tailor located near Piazza del Popolo, loved by Manish Puri and my friend Paul Fournier. Interested readers can read it. Full review here. I haven’t tried anything, but they vouch for the work of those two guys, so you can trust that their product is excellent.
Mercurio Boots Shop
www.mercurio1932.it
My shoe maker from 2022. Stivaleria Mercurio is a third generation custom shoe maker run by father and son team Antonio and Lorenzo Mercurio.
Antonio Mercurio was trained by his father, Roman shoemaker Angelo Gatto, and is the official bootmaker of Italy. carabinieri cavalry regiment cuirassier Honor Guard of the President of the Republic. Among Italians who love custom shoes, Gatto’s shoes are considered legendary, and Mercurio is said to be his rightful heir.
Mercurio is the first custom shoemaker to combine a deep knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the foot with an aesthetic sense of beautiful footwear. They literally saved my feet and I will never go anywhere else to get my shoes made.
The workshop is located in the barracks. Carabinieri The Mounted Cavalry Regiment is worth a visit in itself. Bespoke shoes start from €2300 (excluding VAT).
Marini
calzoleriamarini.com
Gianni Agnelli, a shoemaker with a beautiful shop on Via Francesco Crispi. I haven’t tried it myself, but the product seems to be of very good quality. Marini was previously mentioned in PS.
Bocache & Salbuchi
bocachesalvucci.com
A very beautiful store located on Via Sistina and Via Francesco Crispi, offering the highest quality RTW and custom footwear and tailoring services. Since the clientele is mainly international, much of what is on offer is not what PS readers are looking for, but you can be assured that the materials used are exceptional. B&S reviewed PS here.
Theodore Brothers
Theodori Brothers.it
A family-run shirtmaker with the best value, favored by Douglas Cordeaux of Fox Brothers. They carry a wide range of clothing and have cool collar styles inspired by movies and TV. Manish is currently working on a commission with Teodori, with review expected later this year.
store
Rome is a huge and sprawling city, like Paris or London. Given its size, it would be impossible to list all of the interesting stores in one article. I tried to mention a few that are mainly concentrated in a few areas off the usual designer shops of Via Condotti and Via del Babuino and the busy streets of Via del Corso.
Cruciani and Bella
www.crucianiebella.com
It’s a lovely little shop on the ground floor of an apartment building on Via Bocca di Leone. Cruciani & Bella specializes in men’s accessories and carries a wide range of ties, socks, pocket squares, scarves and braces from British and Italian manufacturers.
english
www.giki.it
The elegant residential area of Trieste-Salaria is home to many great independent menswear stores, one of which is Giki. Perhaps Rome’s best independent shoe store, selling brands such as Edward Green, Baudoin & Lange and Alden.
shrine
www.gentlemansabatello.it
This menswear store from another era on Via Po offers a wide range of cashmere and Shetland knitwear made in Italy and Scotland. Villa Borghese Another interesting multi-brand store offering brands such as Valstar is also not far away.
Shostal
www.schostalroma.com
Schostal needs no introduction to PS readers. Reviewed here In the past. This is the best location in town to buy socks, pajamas, underwear and other basics. There are other Schostal businesses in Rome, but the location on Via della Fontanella di Borghese is the best and most central for visitors.
Eurotex
www.eurotex-rome.com
Eurotex is a clothing merchant relatively unknown to tailors outside of Italy, located a short walk from the Vatican. Although the range is smaller than larger players such as Harrison’s or Drapers, some of the ranges are exceptional, such as cashmere jackets, cotton drills and worsted cashmere suits.
The typical traditional Italian prefers English wool and Scottish cashmere, and many of the choices are made to their own designs.
eight five
huitcinq1988.bigcartel.com
Huit Cinq is a custom manufacturer of watch straps and other small leather goods owned by Federico De Peppo. I’ve had a few straps he made from a wide range of exotic leathers and I’ve been very pleased with them. Huit Cinq works with customers all over the world and ships worldwide.
Gammarelli
gammarelli.com
Gammarelli, the church’s tailor and supplier of socks to the clergy, is a nice little shop and worth the trip. They make adorable cotton rile socks in a variety of colors other than the most famous ones: red, black and purple.
LGR
www.lgrworld.com
LGR is an Italian eyewear brand founded in Rome and has stores in Milan, Florence, and Venice. The quality isn’t quite at the level of custom craftsmanship like Maison Bonnet or EB Meyrowitz, but many of the designs are interesting and LGR offers a nice, discreet alternative to the ubiquitous luxury brand sunglasses.
Atelier Bomba
atelierbomba.com
Atelier Bomba is a lovely shop near Piazza del Popolo that makes handmade knitwear and tailors for men and women on site. A true artisan shop, a great place to spend time and a gathering of people with a passion for small-scale production. Simon covered it. Previously here at PS.
At Dede’s
www.chezdede.com
Chez Dedé is a multi-brand store located on Via Monseratto, selling accessories, books and furniture. This is where, as the best multibrands always do, it has real character and makes you feel like you belong to someone else’s world. It’s also a great street to wander away from the crowds. We covered this in more detail. PS: here.
optical astrologer
otticastrologo.com
Ottica Astrologo is actually an independent optical store located on Via della Fontanella di Borghese, right next to Schostal and LGR. Manish presented three types of sunglasses recommended by Astrologo. His article in PS. Astrologo also has a location on Via Po, very close to the Gentleman and Villa Borghese, for readers venturing in that direction.
Julivar Heritage
www.giulivaheritage.com
Giuliva Heritage is a very interesting brand that creates men’s and women’s tailoring, founded by Margherita Cardelli and Gerardo Cavaliere. Featured here on PS. The look is a bit sturdier than many PS readers are naturally drawn to, but it’s certainly very cool. Giuliva has an atelier that can be visited by appointment on Via Monserrato, close to Chez Dedé.
Sartorial Roman Holidays
For readers who want an alternative to visiting the usual sites in Rome, I have provided some costume suggestions for ‘Roman Holidays’ below. I assume that many people who don’t live in Rome will stay somewhere central and my holiday is designed so that everything is within easy walking distance of Piazza del Popolo or Piazza di Spagna.
Breakfast at Rosati
For me, the best way to start a day in Rome is with a coffee at Rosati. It’s best to do this early in the day, before Piazza del Popolo starts to fill up. Looking at Pincio from the Tiber side of the square on a sunny day always cheers me up.
before lunch
Piazza del Popolo is a short walk from many of the shops and ateliers mentioned above. I suggest focusing on a few streets with a high concentration of independent retailers and artisans, such as Via Ripetta (Sartoria Ripense), Via dell’Oca (Atelier Bomba) and Via della Fontanella di Borghese (Schostal, Ottica Astrologo, LGR).
Lunch at Settimio all’Arancio
After such a walk, readers will have worked up an appetite. Settimio all’Arancio, on Via dell’Arancio, is a family-run restaurant that mainly serves a clientele of Italian politicians and businessmen.
after lunch
To burn off those lunchtime calories, I’d encourage readers to continue on to the Regola area, which is home to many interesting independent retailers. Via Monseratto includes Chez Dedé, Giuliva Heritage and Le Tre Sarte (https://www.letresarte.com/PS The better half of the reader) indicates the highlight.
aperitif
An aperitif before dinner is a Roman tradition. It is worth noting that meal times in Rome are later than in northern Europe or even northern Italy. Most locals don’t gather for an aperitivo before 7pm or before 8:30pm.
My favorite aperitivo spots include Salotto 42 in Piazza Pietra, which is especially beautiful when the bougainvillea is in bloom, and the rooftop terrace of Hotel Locarno, said to have been the inspiration for Wes Anderson’s film The Grand Budapest Hotel. If our readers are looking for a more laid-back atmosphere, Enotoca Buccone on Via Ripetta is a very nice wine bar.
dinner
If any of you are still hungry after your walk, you may want to have dinner at Al San Lorenzo, which serves some of the best fish dishes in Rome.
