Paris, France
The vanguard of luxury tailoring for the past 140 years and the "most prestigious tailor in Paris" -- this is Cifonelli, a name you need to know if you don't already. A precise and rigorous tailoring house that inextricably fuses tradition with modernity.
The legendary house of Cifonelli has been quietly dominating the world of sartorial menswear for the past 140 years. Founded in 1880 by Giuseppe Cifonelli in Rome, Italy, it was his London-educated son Arturo, who expanded the business to Paris, France. Then Arturo’s son, Adriano, took over the business from his father Arturo, and trained the fourth generation of the Cifonelli family – Lorenzo (Arturo’s son) and Massimo (Arturo’s nephew), both of whom are now responsible for leading the fabled house.
The Cifonelli DNA has a strong British influence fused with Italian style, yet with French flair. Both the cousins have distinct personalities – Massimo is playful, exuberant, and avant-garde, while Lorenzo is precise, elegant, and consistent. Together, they create a duality at the brand that keeps the traditional menswear tailoring house feeling modern and relevant.
Cifonelli has dressed French Presidents such as Francois Mitterrand, actors and celebrities like Cary Grant, Paul Meurisse, Marcello Mastroianni, Lino Ventura, Karl Lagerfeld, and in more contemporary times, Henry Cavill. The brand also boasts several royals and aristocrats as clientele, such as the young Maharaja of Jaipur, Padmanabh Singh. The modern Cifonelli gentleman is a discerning, elegant, and uncompromising individual who knows where to find the best and wants the best.
The only thing better than quality is perfection, which is what you will find in Cifonelli garments. They are the pinnacle of menswear with the best fabrics, exemplary technique, and exceptional hand finishing. They also manufactured suits for the luxury brand Hermes for 16 years, which really tells you all you need to know about the level of quality at Cifonelli.
The most iconic feature of the Cifonelli jacket is the cut of the shoulder. In a graceful upward swoop, the wide shoulder rolls and curves distinctively towards the high sleevehead. It is also cut towards the front, and when combined with high armholes, it allows for freedom of movement and a greater degree of comfort. In fact, the late designer Karl Lagerfeld most famously said that you could “recognize a Cifonelli shoulder from a distance of a hundred meters.” The rest of the Cifonelli aesthetic includes a tight chest and tapered body, which creates a heroic and masculine look.
It is rarefied air at this echelon of menswear, and only a few other brands can truly be spoken in the same breath -- Brioni, Attolini, and Kiton come to mind. Yet, the pricing of a Cifonelli suit jacket can be considered an absolute steal when compared to these other great luxury houses. Furthermore, this is the same brand that manufactured for the luxury giant Hermes for 16 years, which is a clear endorsement of Cifonelli’s quality.
The RTW line is designed in France, manufactured out of Italy to the same exacting standards, and is tightly run by the cousins Massimo and Lorenzo. There is nothing quite like Cifonelli -- once you try it, you'll understand the allure and how exquisite their garments truly are.
Cifonelli’s commitment to sustainability is most evident in the fabrics in chooses for its garments, such as yak fiber that is responsibly farmed from Mongolia, and synthetic-free rugby flannel fabric used in a collaboration with the Italian fabric mill, Drago. Its RTW garments are also produced in limited batches and sometimes on a MTO (Made-To-Order) basis, which reduces inventory wastage and promotes a more environmentally responsible future.