A. Caraceni suit

[le.gentleman]

I just loaded up several pictures of me wearing an A.Caraceni SB 2 Button bespoke summer suit. I have never seen more handwork on a suit before - it is just incredible...

http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/gallery/le-gentleman

I'd like to hear what you fellow members have to say about fit, silhouette, amount of handwork...

Thank you in advance!

...a foretaste of what is waiting for you at the photojournal...

[risto]

What a tease ... if only I could see the gallery itself. But, alas, I have no access. NIce preview though.

[TimMureau]

Very nice suit!

[T4phage]

Nice.

There seems to be too much space in the stomach area as envisioned by the folds in the first photo in your album. Also, the front quarters are flying away instead of hanging down. Did you loose some weight?

When did you get it made?

[Costi]

I must subscribe to T4phage's remark, but I think the folds may be caused by the coat having slid back a few centimeters when you took the pictures (judging by the apparent front-back imbalance and by how low the collar sits behind the neck).
Then the chest looks very soft in construction (which is consistent with the fresco cloth chosen and the intended summer use) and some folds may be inevitable. But you do appear to have lost some weight, at least since the last Atlantic party if that was before the Caraceni suit.
I see a cuffed trouser cut at a slant! - interesting detail apropos a recent topic on the LL. If were you, I would take out the cuff, though (VERY personal and biased opinion)... or shorten the trouser... or would have asked for more flare at the bottom. But it's not bad as it is!
I see you like roped shoulders, like I do... Nice bellied lapels! And I also like the flower stem support on the back of the lapel -- do use it! And, indeed, there is a COPIOUS amount of handwork incorporated in the suit.

[le.gentleman]

First of all thank you very much for your comments and thoughts I really appreciate it that!

@T4phage
I used the automatic mode of my camera to take the pictures that's why there seemsto be too much space. As Costi correctly figured out, it is a nice fresco cloth - therefore the whole suit is very light and feels as I hardly wear anything.
But I agree with the quarter problem - there is a little too much cloth. I ironed them carefully and the look improved but it is still a little bit too much. As I pumping iron at the gym at least 3 times a week starting in November last year - my body appearance will change a little bit, we will see how it develops.

@ costi
You are a brilliant observer!
The pictures at the Atlantic and the pictures of the suit were taken within the same week. However, I agree with you that I look a little thicker at the Atlantic picture. Therefore I will upload some more tuxedo pictures of me looking as thick as on the Caraceni pics.
I really like the suits high armholes and the unpaddes shoulder - I will upload more oics of the shouldes at the ende of next week as I am busy right now.
On the one hand, I was thinking about taking of the cuffs. On the other hand, the fresco cloth is not so light and the cuffs produce some weight to help the trousers look straight.
May be I will change, we will see...

But I have to reveal a little secret - it indeed is a A. Caraceni bespoke suit, however the suit was not "been spoken for" me
As I am a student I cannot afford bespoke yet. So, I bought this suit for very little money from an elegant sir who has put up some weight - it is was a kind of bespoke closet sale just for me. When I send him the pictures he was so happy that the suit fits me quite well that he decided to send me some more suits. I'll let you know when they arrive.

Best regards

[manton]

If the suit is settled properly on your shouders (not sure about that), then I would say that the fronts are short for you.

[SilkCity]

Rule of thumb

[Hesketh]

Hi Raphael,

Looks like a nice suit, congratulations.
That said, the trousers are too long. I personaly like the turnups and would keep them, just a bit shorter.

Regarding the jacket, in this photo your posture is strange, you look as if you're holding your shoulders back and have your stomach out a bit, which is why the fit dosn't look so good. I am pretty sure when we met last year, you didn't stand that way so I suspect it looks much better on you than the photo shows.

Glad to see you're well.
All the best.
Rob

[Costi]

Now with your "little secret" disclosed I must confess I feel as in the story with the new clothes of the emperor Actually, for a suit that was not made for you, it looks astonishingly good on you and, although I never saw you "in motion", I have a feeling that Rob is right and it probably looks better in nature than in pictures.
That said, if you make a fit & quality / price ratio, I think one cannot do any better than that. If you're interested in the absolute value of fit alone, then there are but a few issues to be addressed individually, which all of us (yourself included) practically agree on and which could make that little difference between 95% right and 99% right (perfect?).
This shows how one man's misfortune (gaining weight) can be a great fortune for another... If the rest of the gentleman's wardrobe is like this, just grab'em all before he starts thinking he might lose that extra weight
To mirror your own confession, I shall tell you that I also have a very good-looking black DB lightweight overcoat that was made by a Hamburg-based tailor (tailor to James Last's orchestra for decades, too) not for me but for another gentleman who gave it to me under similar circumstances years ago. It is to this day one of my best-fitting overcoats (and I did not change a thing) and one of the most cherished examples of excellent sartorial craftsmanship that I own.

[le.gentleman]

Thanks Costi for your fine words. The Gentleman sent me another 4 of his A. Caraceni suits I will post some pictures as soon as they arrive.

I found a short article about the Caraceni family. It was originally discovered by LL member SilkCity and translated by LL member filangieri on another forum - thank you very much for your efforts!

The Caraceni family, a dynasty of tailors known all over the world, originated in the Abruzzi region (note of the translator: Abruzzi is a mountain area in central Italy, appoximately 100 km east of Roma). The old Tommaso Saraceni lived and worked until the beginning of the 20th century in Ortona (note of the translator: Ortona is a small town near the city of Chieti, in the Abruzzi region), the village where he was born around 1850. Three of his sons (Domenico, Augusto and Galliano) learned the art of tailoring from him. They made the name Caraceni famous in Italy and, later, in the rest of the world. Domenico, the eldest, started his activity in Roma in the beginning of the Twenties, soon to be followed by Augusto and Galliano, who gave their contribution to the success of the company. In the Thirties, Augusto left Roma to open a new “sartoria” in Paris, in a three storey building on the Avenue d'Jena, where all the suit making process took place. Galliano remained in Rome with his brother Domenico. Between 1930 and 1940, the Caraceni’s, in Roma and a Paris, worked relentlessly to reach the peak, and they made it. In the ateliers of the Caraceni’s peole came from all over the world, and among their customers some of the most prominent men of their times: politicians, musicians, authors, playwriters, kings and tycoons.At the start of WW-II in 1940, Augusto, an Italiano in enemy’s land (note of the translator: he was living in Paris, and Mussolini declared war on France on June 10, 1940), was forced to close his mythological atelier in Paris and to go back to his homeland. Domenico died in Roma in the same year. After the war, Galliano revitalized the Roman “sartoria”, while Augusto opend a new one in Milano at 16, Via Fatebenefratelli. Between 1946 andl1970 the art of the Caraceni’s bloomed, and their clientele evolved accordino to the changes of the international society. Between 1970 and 1980, Augusto and Galliano died, but the family tradition lived on with renewed strenght. In Roma, Tommy and Giulio, sons of Galliano, took charge of the “sartoria”, while in Milano Mario, son of Augusto, decided to keep the sign “A. Caraceni” to onor the memory of his father. The third generation of the Caraceni’s was very successful. Mario was appointed with many awards: the “Premio S. Omobono”, the gold medal of the “Unione Milanese Sarti” and the “Gran Premio vita di Sarto” of the “Accademia Nazionale dei Sartori” of Roma. Between 1980 and 1990, the fourth generation was “warming up”, already apprenticing and learning the secrets of the craft in the Roman and Milanese ateliers. The greatest legacy of the Caraceni’s, since their beginnings on the sartorial scene, is their personal approach to the tecniques of the art: they way their suits are cut to follow almost automatically the anatomy of the man who wears it. That is, and will be forever, the secret of the Caraceni’s, until there will be a living member of the family to reveal it to his son (and only to him).

[SilkCity]

Le.G.

It was my pleasure.

I've posted variously on the other forum regarding my categorical fondness for the Caraceni (Rome) experience.
Implicit in that, of course, is my admiration for and love of the product.

I just returned from London and the 'Row...can't wait to order again from Rome!

Get thee to Rome, my friend and tell Tommy I sent you.

Best,
SilkCity

[uppercase]

Of the 4 great bespoke tailoring centers - SR, Milan, Rome and Naples - I think that SR naturally receives the most attention if only because of London's accessibility, great tailoring heritage and admiration of many bespoke aficionados of le style anglais.

But certainly for those with the opportunity to visit the great Italian sartoria, there are many sweet delights awaiting, and as Silk City suggests, after his recent visit to SR, the Italian siren call is strong.