Riva shirting cloths

[tteplitzmd]

I am familiar with Bonfanti's ranges (New York, Belfast, Miami, etc.), but are there any particular Riva ranges that are recommended? I will be in Naples later next week and plan to see the Riva books.

[mafoofan]

I think the twills are exceptionally nice. Softest shirts I have. However, they do fray more readily than a plain weave would.

[tteplitzmd]

I am in Naples as I write this (the Apple store), and looked at the Riva cloths. Very nice and very similar to the Bonfanti cloths I am familiar with. I will be sticking with Bugelli/Bonfanti, since my pattern is already quite good, and the prospect of another long distance project is daunting. I have had Ambrosi adjust my pattern and will be having Cappelli make some ties. I had a request from a friend for a particular shantung tie from Rubinacci, and that mission was accomplished without incident.

I was struck by the similarity in the Riva and Bonfanti cloth ranges, at least in the solid color, stock ranges. I really could not identify a difference in a blindfold test. Very nice, very expensive, and very exclusive.

[Scot]

This discussion of shirting fabrics is rare and very welcome as I feel in need of some guidance.

The Riva and Bonfanti fabrics sound interesting but are they readily available in London?

The fabrics I have had from London shirtmakers are Alumo, Acorn, Tessitura Monti's Prince Rose and Soktas.

My favourite of these by far is the Prince Rose, which has real substance and a pleasing range of patterns. Alumo is almost too fine for my liking, but perhaps I haven't been looking at the correct range. Acorn I just find a bit pedestrian but Soktas is quite interesting.

Shirting is all a bit of a mystery to me and it would be nice to see more written about it here.

[andreyb]

The fabrics I have had from London shirtmakers are Alumo, Acorn, Tessitura Monti's Prince Rose and Soktas.

Google finds that Soktas is a Turkish company. Nothing against Turkey in general (I spent a few wonderful days there last summer), but are they of same level of quality as other companies you mentioned?

Another mistery is Ringhart, also readily available from English bespoke shirtmakers. I heard they used to make shirtings in Inida, now in Italy... all very confusing.

Andrey

[tteplitzmd]

I have had two English shirtmakers grumble about difficulty in obtaining some Italian shirting cloths. Having just returned from Italy I would say it's the English's loss. I will only have dress shirts made from Bonfanti/Riva quality cloths at this point. That said one of the Italian shirtmakers shared with me the pricing of the Riva cloths to the trade. It really does drive up the cost.

[tteplitzmd]

View from the sixth floor suite at the Hotel Vesuvio, Naples:

[alden]

Terry

If you search the LL you will find my comments about Riva and Bonfanti....they used to be one factory and after the death of the founder, the factory was split into the hands of two families: Bonfanti was one of the families. If you go to Lecco near Como and visit the factory you will understand: half is Bonfanti and half is Riva. They both use the old style looms that weave at slow speeds on half width.

We had Bonfanti shirting cloth available on the LL, we made a "Camicia Club" so we could buy factory direct. Pictures of the cloth were posted on the site. But suprisingly, there was little interest.

If we could generate some interest, we could ask Giancarlo Bonfanti to make this facility available to us again.

Michael Alden

[tteplitzmd]

Given the non availability of the Bonfanti/Riva cloths in the U.S. (and I think U.K.) I would certainly be interested in factory direct shirting cloths. These cloths are superior to the generic poplins pushed by the US/UK shirtmakers, in my opinion. I am wearing a Bonfanti cotton/linen cream colored shirt with a Holland and Sherry 8/9 ounce worsted suit ("sunshot") today in Washington, where the temperature will reach 98 degress Fahr.

[ay329]

Is there an English speaking e-mail contact for Bugelli/Bonfanti shirting cloths so I can order samples and if need be, order some meters of cloth for my future commissions?

[David Hober]

Given the non availability of the Bonfanti/Riva cloths in the U.S. (and I think U.K.) I would certainly be interested in factory direct shirting cloths. These cloths are superior to the generic poplins pushed by the US/UK shirtmakers, in my opinion. I am wearing a Bonfanti cotton/linen cream colored shirt with a Holland and Sherry 8/9 ounce worsted suit ("sunshot") today in Washington, where the temperature will reach 98 degress Fahr.

I understand what you mean about high temperatures since I live in Bangkok. I have a pile of Carlo Riva shirtings put aside that I will make into shirts for myself when time allows I will wear them year round.

What I was told about the fabric quality was that part was due to the way it is made with the old slower looms and part is due to the quality of the yarn that they source.

I like both their cottons and linen/cotton mixes. (60/40) perhaps like the shirt that you are wearing.

I have thought about selling the fabric in the US but I don't know if there would be enough demand to make it worthwhile.

Meanwhile we continue to make pocket squares with our Carlo Riva cottons and linens.

[tteplitzmd]

I am currently in Switzerland, having passed thru Zurich to get to St Moritz. Two decidedly different climates. The cotton linen blend shirts are now my default travel shirt. The only problem is I will not hand them over to hotel laundry, so they do lack some practicality for travel.

[David Hober]

Sounds like you will have to do some washing by hand and borrow the hotel iron unless you are traveling with lots of luggage. Or skip the iron and go for the rumpled genius look.

I used to carry too much when traveling now I taking less and less - there is a direct correlation to taking the extra 2 kids - smiling.

Thank you for your photos - I can make believe I am there - I smell the pizza. I did not have enough energy to get to Italy on last week's trip to France.

I was going to followup on some of the striped grenadine silks that I am working on with Fermo Fossati.