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| Sannino handmade shirts. |
@shirtingfantasy is passionate about shirting - aka shirt fabric - but many do accidentally [1] think that he is also very much into shirts. From a blogging point of view, it is advantageous to let the misconception continue, as, obviously, very few people are interested in the fabric itself.
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| The definition of shirting: a material for making shirts. |
Without a doubt, the ultimate form of shirtmaking is the handmade shirt. While the fresh graduate spending HKD 1000/ 3 shirts at some Sheetable or 853Bespoke would be misled to think that their precious HKD 333.33 shirt in precious HKD 33.3/yard fabric [2] is actually handmade, one can aptly borrow the stance from the ShoeGazing-ShoeSnob Joint Expert Committee Position Statement (see here or there) and tell them "YOUR SHIRT IS NOT HANDMADE"!
Enough for the grunts and rumblings. Now back to proper shirt stuff.
THE REAL HANDMADE SHIRTS
@shirtingfantasy had his first handmade shirt by Ascot Chang (see this post, although the shirt shown is a piece of unsold RTW stock), and then by D'Avino Napoli (shirts are great, too lazy to review, just read Simon Crompton would do), Germain Tailors (HK branch), SuitSupply (MTM shirt with handmade option), Camiceria Piccolo (see this very early post), two unknown makers recommended by Giancarlo Bonfanti (to try out his never-commercialized shirt service), Finamore via The Attire House (never had time to pick up the shirt after local alteration), Tai Pan Row (too lazy to write, so there is only a preview and a Part III) and most recently Camiceria Sannino.
It is true that one can develop sartorial fatigue with repeated rounds of anticipation, expectation, disappointment, reassurance, re-anticipation, re-expectation, re-disappointment and so on [3]. It is more so if you decide to test the maker and try to communicate nothing in verbal or sign language and see if your bespoke maker is also a mind-reader [4]. So starting from around 2 years back, @shirtingfantasy decided to guide the maker as much as possible - suggesting "correct" measurements or even let the maker copy measurements from existing garments that have worked well. The point is not to diminish the role of the tailor's expertise [5], but rather to make sure one does not end up with a wardrobe of unwearable clothing.
Camiceria Sannino was stumbled upon in late 2019. Generally, it is always reassuring to see a team of workers in a laboratory [6] when it comes to whatever that's handmade - since there is an actual prospect that your order will be finished before the final judgement.
But even then, to decide to try yet another maker in Italy - even by e-commerce - is no easy decision: the necessary trouble of sending a sample shirt to Italy and risk losing it; the necessary trouble of insisting to get a fitting shirt knowing copying is not always done with millimetre accuracy; the necessary trouble of waiting for the order to arrive - although it is always next month, next week or tomorrow on the Italian calendar, which has August and December as shortest months of the year...
The current order with Sannino comprised three shirts: a Thomas Mason melange grey/ white bengal stripe (FW 2019/20 winter fabric), a Bonfanti Tessuti "Belfast" twill su base voile in 170/2, and another Bonfanti Tessuti "Florida" panama weave in 170/2 (I actually requested another cut of Belfast, but apparently Giancarlo sent a cut of Florida by mistake). There was no measurement involved, as I sent a shirt by @wongmanhoi1025 as a template.
There was one complimentary fitting shirt as I ordered 3 shirts - apparently, many Italian makers have the flexibility in doing fewer shirts than 3, and if you order more there is usually some nice stuff that comes along. Obviously, then, one has to bear in mind that the shipping cost can be a significant proportion of the shirt price if a single shirt order was indeed placed. So it depends more on whether one would like to have a handful of handmade shirts, or just one from each maker for the purpose of experiencing it.
Sannino's fitting shirt is worthy of accolade because it was wearable: fully machine-stitched fitting shirt, but fully wearable. I managed to wash the fitting shirt and wear it multiple times to check the fit. It was effectively the same as my template and worked very well. I asked for changing the position of the cuff button (I now wear cuffs with button slightly closer to the body, to allow them to "splay" open when I wear a watch), slightly adjusting the collar width to account for shrinkage (a distinct advantage of being able to wash and wear the fitting shirt multiple times, as you will then understand the shrinkage of the collar interlining), and asked to proceed (without further ado).
AND THEN THERE WAS COVID-19.
Yes. Just as the Sannino workshop was beginning to make my shirt, Italy was locked down from North to South. Everyone goes home. Small makers like Antonio Meccariello enjoy the leisure of making alone, while larger workshops simply close.
After a good 6-month wait, I was sent this video by Gennaro Sannino (the son of the boss who is responsible for taking my order and marketing):
Yes, you didn't see it wrong: hand-stitching on the collar - not just at the attachment. @shirtingfantasy was evil enough to challenge Sannino with the feat other handmade makers declined.
Here are some more photos to show their rather exquisite handwork:
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| Very neat collar top-stitching. I specified 10 spi, and honestly this is not very far from the specs. |
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| The Isaia "coral" stitch/ bird's claw stitching is now standard for many handmade makers. |
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| Handmade cuff stitching |
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| Very fine stitching even for the back of the collar |
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| Upper back and shoulder stitching. Sleeves on this shirt are attached by hand. |
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| "Gauntlet" by hand. |
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| The densely-stitched side gusset. |
Until then, goodbye!
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| A sexy lip: the buttonhole on Bonfanti twill su base voile "Belfast". |
Camiceria Sannino
https://camiceriasannino.com/
Minimum order: 2 shirts
Price range: EUR 150+ for basic fabric (selected Canclini, Monti), EUR 200-230 for most Thomas Mason/ Albini range, EUR 300 for DJA, EUR 300-400 for Bonfanti Tessuti & Carlo Riva
CMT service: Yes
Handmade options: CMT service: Yes
- Standard 5-step (front, armhole, shoulder, mouche or fly, gauntlet lockstitch) included in base price for basic fabric
- Extended 10-step (button, buttonholes, front, collar, mouche or fly, sleeve, yoke, gauntlet lockstitch, armhole) included in base price for premium fabric (e.g. DJA and Alumo)
- Upgrades possible, e.g. +EUR 40 for 10 steps by hand on basic fabric, +EUR 140 for fully handmade option as detailed in blog post.
Mr Gennaro Sannino
Via Sarno-Striano, 94, 84087 SARNO (SA) Italy tel/+39-333-31-95-062
Footnote:
[1] Ignorance does lead to accidents, believe me.
[2] Anna Matuozzo likes to use the word #precious in her Instagram posts, regardless of whether she uses Carlo Riva for that shirt or not. See an example here.
[3] Insert "making your appointment" in the appropriate places, if you so wish.
[4] As per a certain manager at a certain branch of Ascot Chang, this kind of customers actually have high requirements, despite they have no comment to whatever you ask or suggest in the very beginning.
[5] Realistically, many of the people you meet in a shirt atelier, suit atelier, or even a bespoke trunk show are not the maker himself. So this may not be as blasphemous as some may think.
[6] I guess it means workshop in the Italian language.
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteI was wondering how your older shirts have aged and do they rank as well in your mind as when you first critiqued them?
My first order from Camiceria Piccolo arrived last night. I used your review as a guide as what to expect and am very pleased with the fit.
The shirt was ordered online on July 15th and arrived in Australia on August 7th.