The London Lounge

The subject of Parisian style surfaced in a recent discussion of bespoke shoes, an art form where traces of its former splendor can still be found in the works of Aubercy, Corthay, Dimitri Gomez, JL Lobb and others.

Paris has always played second fiddle to London as a capital of male elegance. The city of lights built its world renown around women’s fashion, parfumerie and other luxury goods. But the bespoke ambience of Paris until the mid to late 1960s was extraordinary. Some of the very best tailors, shirtmakers, bottiers and leather craftsmen animated the French capital and their works were equal or superior to anything made in Savile Row, Milan or Naples. Virtually all of this legendary talent along with its precious DNA is gone, vanished, poof…..au revoir. It’s a bitter shame. There are a handful of artisans, among them a few tailors and shirtmakers who struggle to continue the tradition. Charvet is the leader along with a few independents.

The subject of Parisian style is worthy of a book, but in this short pictorial we will look back at the golden age of Parisian elegance (the 1950s) through the prism of one film of the era and two splendid actors: Jean Gabin and Lino Ventura.



In the 1953 police film Touchez pas au Grisbi (Get your hands off the loot!), Jean Gabin wears three legendary DB suits made by the equally legendary tailoring dynasty of Camps in Paris. The DB are characterized by very long, natural shoulders, the kind one would expect to see from AS but with a pronounced cigarette or “rope" at the sleevehead. Notice the very small armholes that confer character to the garment. The line of the suits is superb in every way. Parisian style, a kind of alchemy between sober English tailoring and the extroverted Italianate…Savile Row with a touch of panache.




Jean Gabin was supercharged with charisma, probably unlike any French actor before or since. The picture above communicates the essence of his Orson Welles like magnetism. Even his shadow was imbued with charisma as the beautiful Jeanne Moreau discovers.











Ah, what a fine idea, reaching for a bit of bubbly.




Lino Ventura was not exactly a charisma slouch himself. In the film he is dressed in a stunning Prince of Wales three piece suit, with his characteristic white shirt and black knit tie (a superbly elegant combination he would wear throughout his career.)

www.arnys.fr suggests there is some interesting style coming out of Paris.

Has anyone experience of it?

www.arnys.fr suggests there is some interesting style coming out of Paris.

You have answered your own question. Arnys is a fashion house. Only recently that have leased out a corner of their shop to a bespoke shirtmaker. He does not actually have anything to do with the shop that sells only RTW fashion. Arnys has never been nor ever represented themselves to be tailors.

alden wrote:

www.arnys.fr suggests there is some interesting style coming out of Paris.

You have answered your own question. Arnys is a fashion house. Only recently that have leased out a corner of their shop to a bespoke shirtmaker. He does not actually have anything to do with the shop that sells only RTW fashion. Arnys has never been nor ever represented themselves to be tailors.

Maybe I was 'taken in' by my one and only recent visit.

I rather like their uber-dandy style.

Presumably in value-for-money and workmanship terms a lot of one's euros would go on the label?

Trimmer

Alden:

Thank you for these photos. I detect in the French style something that hearkens to the Scholte drape in the way the shoulder is extended, but soft, and the very full chest but tight armhole. Interestingly, some examples show a preference for a smooth chest while others display a soft one. I like both,

As for Arnys, my only experience with them is their ties and pocket squares. Their ties are exceptionally well made - a very high standard. Their designs are somewhat unique and, like Hermes' prints, displays a sensibility that you either like or don't. I have been surprised by how much I like them as that style of print is not normally to my taste. WHat I particularly like is how their prints are done to a tie-specific pattern. What I mean is that the pattern often shifts subtly at the bottom of the tie in a way that mirrors the shape of the end, often with a discrete, single "A" at the point (I had no idea it was there until I spotted it on one tie and then went back and found it on all of them). That must be difficult to and expensive to do. I am sure they could save a lot of money but dropping this quirk, and it is to their credit that they have not.

Their pocket squares are merely very good but I can't say that they are superlative or unique.

At a junk sale at l'Hotel Drouot several years ago there was a whole wardrobe of bespoke suits from Cifonelli being auctioned off. There were about twenty different suits all from the eighties, they were very beautifully made, from the finest cloths and very similar in style to the suits worn in the photos posted of Jean Gabin. They are still in business, although I do not know if they still produce suits of the quality I saw at the auction.

In the glorious years there were the “big five” Parisian tailoring houses: Camps, Bardot, De Luca, Max Eveline and Cifonelli. Today some of the names remain but have been gutted of their substance and former splendor.

Towards the end of his career, the ageing Mr. Camps fused his business with that of Mr. DeLuca. The resulting house of Camps DeLuca still exists today at the Place de la Madeleine. DeLuca, an extremely talented sartorial artist, sadly passed away about eight months ago. Born in Naples, he spent many years working for Cifonelli before striking out on his own. The business is continuing today animated by his son Marc De Luca and his grandson. They are excellent tailors and a photojournal report is forthcoming.

There were three very talented cutters at Camps: Messieurs Urban, Rousseau and Smalto. Francesco Smalto went on to found a RTW fashion business that has been very successful. Mr. Urban retired a few years ago; and Mr. Claude Rousseau joined forces with Cifonelli at Rue Marbeuf across the street from Berluti.

Cifonelli was a family business that lost its founder and operates today thanks to the drive of a capable son.

The house of Max Eveline is still in operation Rue de Faubourg St. Honore. But it’s more or less a one man show at this point. It used to be the stopping off point for some of the most talented tailors from the East of Europe.

A few of the tailors from the old Camps remain in business: Gabriel Gonzalez at the Palais Royal is the best known among them.

Nearly all of the tailors referenced above are at or beyond the age of retirement. One wonders how much longer they will be able to produce.

A group of young entrepreneurs have tried to step into the void offering a variety of MTM clothing services of an industrial nature. But we are talking about tailors in this article so there is no sense mentioning them.

Camps DeLuca and Cifonelli are the only two “tailoring” houses run by sons who learned the craft from very talented fathers. One hopes that their businesses prosper.

As a minable postscript to Michael's post above, I just want to add that the RTW Cifonelli is not produced in-house, but by makers such as Nervesa and Seraphin (the latter for certain leather jackets). The styling is somewhere between Arnys and RL Purple Label. Cifonelli had a push into the US markets starting four years ago and was sold in Saks, Neimans, Bergdorfs and WIlkes Bashford. The pieces closely resembled RLPL IMHO. I think there is still a Cifonelli RTW presence in the US but not in all of the stores I've mentioned.

Ahh....those are very elegantly cut coats worn with great style and panache!

As mentioned, it's interesting how the shoulder extends out, but not up, avoiding both the 4 star-general shoulder and the drooping shoulder, masculine but not floppy.

But is this pictured shoulder reminiscent of what A&S produces today.....?

But is this pictured shoulder reminiscent of what A&S produces today.....?

The width of the shoulder on Gabin's DBs coupled with a smallish armhole is characteristic of AS tailoring. If you have a chance to rent the film you will see that like AS jackets, the back is almost better looking than the front.

There is nothing "precious" about this cut at all. It is entirely masculine. Unfortunately Parisian styling veered towards the narrow shoulder, tubular, painted on look and it is pretty much the reality to this day. The jackets look alot more like woman's couture than men's clothing.

The wide shoulder, combined with drape, allows the tailor to give "natural" shape to the coat. The ease with which the shape is created with such a cut obviates the need for padding. In the narrow shouldered coat the V shape of a man's body does not form naturally and padding is required to impose it, manufacture it. In this scenario the wearer feels encased in a plexiglass tube that is narrowed artificially at the waist for aesthetic reasons. The result is a "studied" and forced look that many elegant men want to avoid at all costs.

Dear Mr. Alden,

Thank you very much for your wonderful essay on this little known film. I saw it at a Jean Gabin festival at Lincoln Center.

Jean Gabin played to perfection a world weary criminal boss who is seeking one last robbery before he can retire in comfort and safety.

He was the most stylish and elegant criminal to grace the screen. He puts Tony Soprano and his New Jersey henchmen to shame.

The Gabin character is not only well dressed but eats well and lives well. He and his crew had taken-over a restaurant that seems to exist only for them. The owner/chef brings Gabin into the kitchen to show-off the special of the day. He takes great care in ordering his food and wine. Regular citizens try to patronize the restaurant because it has great food, but they are refused entry. In another scene he has an heart to heart conversation with one of his gang over champagne and pate. In his hideaway apartment he keeps a well stocked refrigerator with such delicacies.

There is a memorable scene which reflects our long lost sensibilities about clothing, decorum, and romance. Gabin is wearing the glen plaid suit in the late afternoon when he receives a call from his rich, society mistress who invites him over. Gabin says that he has to change, and then he'll be right over. He changes to a more dressy striped suit for the evening!

alden wrote:

But is this pictured shoulder reminiscent of what A&S produces today.....?

The width of the shoulder on Gabin's DBs coupled with a smallish armhole is characteristic of AS tailoring. If you have a chance to rent the film you will see that like AS jackets, the back is almost better looking than the front.

There is nothing "precious" about this cut at all. It is entirely masculine. Unfortunately Parisian styling veered towards the narrow shoulder, tubular, painted on look and it is pretty much the reality to this day. The jackets look alot more like woman's couture than men's clothing.

The wide shoulder, combined with drape, allows the tailor to give "natural" shape to the coat. The ease with which the shape is created with such a cut obviates the need for padding. In the narrow shouldered coat the V shape of a man's body does not form naturally and padding is required to impose it, manufacture it. In this scenario the wearer feels encased in a plexiglass tube that is narrowed artificially at the waist for aesthetic reasons. The result is a "studied" and forced look that many elegant men want to avoid at all costs.

Michael-

What is the tendency in the different Italian schools regarding the length of the shoulder line. Many pictures that I have seen of Sig. Rubinacci or Sig. Solito show a rther long shoulder line, while some others of people from similar areas show a much more pinched shoulder. Is this just personal expression, or are there two distinct schools in Naples regarding this aspect of a jacket?

Dear Mr. Alden,

Thank you very much for your wonderful essay on this little known film. I saw it at a Jean Gabin festival at Lincoln Center.

Jean Gabin played to perfection a world weary criminal boss who is seeking one last robbery before he can retire in comfort and safety.

He was the most stylish and elegant criminal to grace the screen. He puts Tony Soprano and his New Jersey henchmen to shame.

The Gabin character is not only well dressed but eats well and lives well. He and his crew had taken-over a restaurant that seems to exist only for them. The owner/chef brings Gabin into the kitchen to show-off the special of the day. He takes great care in ordering his food and wine. Regular citizens try to patronize the restaurant because it has great food, but they are refused entry. In another scene he has an heart to heart conversation with one of his gang over champagne and pate. In his hideaway apartment he keeps a well stocked refrigerator with such delicacies.

There is a memorable scene which reflects our long lost sensibilities about clothing, decorum, and romance. Gabin is wearing the glen plaid suit in the late afternoon when he receives a call from his rich, society mistress who invites him over. Gabin says that he has to change, and then he'll be right over. He changes to a more dressy striped suit for the evening!

Your synopsis of the film is very accurate. There is an LL sensibility and regard for elegant living in the film. Here are a few more clichés:

Gabin and his partner share a quick meal of foie gras and Champagne in the hideout.



Gabin stops by to greet the chef of the restaurant



Once he has changed into the dark suit for dinner



Our hero has an eye for the ladies bien entendu





It is a classic French film with three outstanding actors: Gabin, Ventura and Moreau.



Not to be missed!

What is the tendency in the different Italian schools regarding the length of the shoulder line. Many pictures that I have seen of Sig. Rubinacci or Sig. Solito show a rther long shoulder line, while some others of people from similar areas show a much more pinched shoulder. Is this just personal expression, or are there two distinct schools in Naples regarding this aspect of a jacket?

The way some of the old timers explained it to me there were basically two schools: the Attolini school and the Blasi school, the two most influential tailors in Naples's sartorial history. Attolini favored and taught a wide, long shoulder line. Blasi taught the more retained shoulder style. Today's tailors, those in their sixties largely, issued from one of these two schools and so your observations are entirely accurate.

alden wrote:

What is the tendency in the different Italian schools regarding the length of the shoulder line. Many pictures that I have seen of Sig. Rubinacci or Sig. Solito show a rther long shoulder line, while some others of people from similar areas show a much more pinched shoulder. Is this just personal expression, or are there two distinct schools in Naples regarding this aspect of a jacket?

The way some of the old timers explained it to me there were basically two schools: the Attolini school and the Blasi school, the two most influential tailors in Naples's sartorial history. Attolini favored and taught a wide, long shoulder line. Blasi taught the more retained shoulder style. Today's tailors, those in their sixties largely, issued from one of these two schools and so your observations are entirely accurate.

Thank you for the explanation. Tailoring seems to be the kind of art where each tailor believes strongly that one way is THE way. Your explanation above confirms what I have seen.

Also, my eyes tell me that the Blasi school widens the collar to make the shoulder line look smaller relative to the body than it actually is, while the Attolini school raises the neck and shortens the collar to make the shoulders look longer (while not really extending them). Does this go along with your understanding? The jackets in this thread seem to do this as well in addition to actually extending the shoulder.