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Take it backBrioni Goes Casual
Today, I read that Brioni, the makers of suits to Presidents, royalty and James Bond, is starting a casual line of clothing in an uncertain economy.
Reading that made me more than a little sad, because it is akin to hearing that the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields decided to do a concert with Britney Spears and the Jonas Brothers.
Unlike such bigger rivals as Zegna, Brioni has refused to move any of its manufacturing out of Italy to cheaper locales like Mexico. Nonetheless, the fashion fallout from the global financial crisis has reached even into the rolling hills of the Abruzzo region two-and-half hours east of Rome, where tailors still start their careers as teenage apprentices and pictures of patron saints adorn the walls of the company’s main workshop here.
… … …
Bartering may no longer be in style in Abruzzo, but the old-school habits endure, said Angelo Petrucci, 38, a former pupil of Mr. Morelli who is now Brioni’s chief master tailor. “The fabrics have gotten much lighter, but some of the techniques we use are 200 years old,” Mr. Petrucci said.
Mr. Petrucci, who loves to show pictures of sultans, presidents and princes he has measured for classic suits, is less emotional when it comes to describing the finer points of Brioni’s T-shirts and other casual wear.
They are probably one of the best OTR/MTM makers today (and bespoke, if you can afford them). In a way, Brioni is one of the last big ones to fall by the way side of casual and ill fitting clothing aimed at brand name and brand image, rather than quality.
I grew up in a family where my Dad did not own a single pair of jeans, and instead had an eclectic collection of cuff links and ties (handmade) which I inherited. I distinctly remember my college days when I grew long hair and wore nothing but jeans and (black) heavy metal t-shirts –and how much my Mom hated it.
In fact, I remember that growing up, polishing my shoes before school was a mandatory routine. And too bad if I missed the bus because I woke up too late to polish them properly. The maids would do the laundering and the ironing, so the least I could do was polish my own damn shoes.
To this day, they remain firm believers in good, old fashioned clothing with bespoke where possible. You were expected to spend money on a few great pieces of clothing as opposed to a closet full of ill-fitting poor quality clothes made of fabrics that wouldn’t pass muster for a place on Mom’s mop.
Fortunately for them, I’m now a French-cuff preferring, wing-tips wearing, jeans hating prude. And sadly, I am among a minority.
Today, people show up at friend’s weddings in outfits that resemble undergarments used to scare little children back in the day. They wear clothes to work that shouldn’t be worn at home on a Saturday night, much less at work. And when asked to wear a suit, folks wear black, fulfilling their life-long ambitions to look like a cross between secret service agents and funeral home directors. And when asked to wear a Tux, they rent one from Men’s Wearhouse which makes them look like an offshoot of one of the many races on Oz (or a bad Tamil action hero — I haven’t quite decided).
I look around, and I am amazed at the mass of ill-fitting mass produced clothes that make the wearer look like a homeless clown, and why someone would spend inordinate amounts of money to look that way.
I can hardly count the number of people who’ve asked me to help them tie a tie — and when I ask them which knot, I’m inevitably asked, “There’s more than one knot?”.
And jeans? They are ubiquitous. When James Dean wore them to make a statement back in the day, it was a sign of rebellion. Today, they have ironically turned into items of conformity — I cannot remember the number of times I’ve been asked why I wouldn’t dress casual, because anything other than jeans and a t-shirt is quite obviously dressed up.
No, sir. Today, wearing a suit in an eerily casual world is making a statement. It is rebellion to wear a tie in a world where half the population has trouble tying their shoe laces (why bother, when you can buy slip-ons and sandals?).
We now live a world where most people mistake Neapolitan for a flavor of ice cream and Savile Row for a really bad fight. The names Fred Astaire and The Duke of Windsor are unheard of, and sprezzatura sounds like a long dead religion.
Prasenjeet Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 5:30 am
> akin to hearing that the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields
> decided to do a concert with Britney Spears and the Jonas Brothers.
Aw snap! You should _not_ have put that thought into my head.
Peter Hart Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 9:58 am
This one raised a wry smile…
Karthik Narayanaswami Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 12:02 pm
PD – Well, hey. Brioni made me do it.
Peter – Good to hear from you! I’m sure that you could relate to this, given the fact that I’ve never seen you outside of a white shirt and a tie (and I’m rather certain that you remember me fresh out of college).
Bhel Said,
August 12, 2009 @ 4:58 pm
Great point about jeans and conformity
Formal is more than a formality | DesiPundit Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 1:52 am
[...] Karthik writes about clothing and says that not dressing casual is like making a statement. [...]
Harman Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 2:55 am
Well, it all started with US hegemony. Not for nothing is US “culture” decried by the fussies. The US is all about utility, brand, fashions which go out of fashion, and shallowness (or so it is said). And since world media is pretty much US media, and since being American offers such dreamt of self-images that can be provided by kinky sex and ipods and laptops and rock music, how can you beat that with being a hierarchical European whose butlers and maids were there to launder and iron and which thereby was out of reach of the plaebians.
Moreover, in India, making a statement through formal wear or spending a lot on distinguished clothing (which would probably need dry-cleaning) is unfortunately a luxury reserved for those who never see dust and smoke around them. For all others, wearing casuals to work is pretty much the only option.
The fact of the matter is that people have no /time/ and patience for such niceties, except on occasion, and even then (say on weddings, as you rightly note) some can’t be bothered. After all, drunken dancing to Bhangra beats in a, ahem, banquet wedding can’t be had while being cuffed and tied.
Hail America, ye all, and break the bonds of 007 dresses. Because believe it or not, the ladies who fawn on 007 kind of men are as much a fantasy for most people as Mr 007 himself. People dress to look good, and now “good” has been replaced by “cool”. It is no longer 007 therefore, wearing his suits to Blofeld’s parties, but rather, Jason Bourne on a motorcycle which burns the charts.
And perhaps needless to say, in India, it has to do with weather as well.
Ankit Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 8:48 am
There’s a good reason why suits and other formal wear is on the decline. It gives off the impression that the wearer is an elitist and cold-hearted, a lot more than the wearer has a sense of style. To the masses, suits give off the stench of corporate greed, dishonesty, lack of trust. Being a corporate employee, I know exactly why people have this image. Further, formals give the appearance of authority, power and a lack of openness. There is a time and place for wearing formals, casuals and traditionals but people are being more rebellious today in all forms and are keen to express themselves more. As a result, casual wear has picked up.
Lastly, as someone who has over 40 ties and knows how to tie more than one knot I still don’t know this: what’s the point of a tie? There is no functional reason for its existence, at least not that I know of.
HypoCritically Thinking » Blog Archive » More Casual Wear = Progress Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 8:52 am
[...] at the Indy Telecom & Industrial Media blog laments the move by society towards more casual wear, especially in the light of the announcement by Brioni () that they are starting a line of casual [...]
rads Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 9:51 am
agree agree and all that, but to me “sprezzatura” sounds like a fable I wrote :\
Mayuresh Gaikwad Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 10:07 am
If you are writing with the West in mind, the simple reason why most people wear ill-fitting mass produced clothes as formals is that custom tailoring is just too costly.
In India, on the other hand, custom tailoring is not costly, but the cloth required for a suit / blazer / tux shall surely burn a huge hole in the average middle-class man’s pocket.
Secondly, the weather in India is not suited for suits! So, instead of wasting hard-earned rupees on a suit with cuffs, the Indian man wears just a shirt and a trouser as formals.
Karthik Narayanaswami Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 10:11 am
Ankit –
Nowhere is my post did I mention formality. One can be quite casual and yet be well dressed. The fact that you attempt to tie the two together is an unfortunate logical fallacy.
You do not have to wear ill fitting t-shirts and baggy, uncomfortable jeans to look casual. I live in New England, and the academia here is known for its casual attire. However, they wear casual with style and poise. A tweed jacket is casual, and so is a knit tie or corduroy slacks.
If you’d look back to what I’d said, you’d realize that sprezzatura is the ability to pull of looking like you belong in what you’re wearing, effortlessly. And if you get the impression that someone is elitist and cold hearted because of what they wear, you’ve got bigger problems in life.
Casual need not mean poorly dressed, and casual certainly need not mean ill fitting or poor quality. Dressing like a slob to someone’s wedding shows disrespect to the person, and there’s no excuse if you can’t be bothered to look halfway decent.
As for the purpose of the tie, it’s the same reason we’ve wingtips on shoes that we wouldn’t dream of getting wet, and wear cuff links when there are buttons, or why women wear jewelry or accessories. It’s called aesthetics.
Ankit Said,
August 13, 2009 @ 12:04 pm
“formality” – I am not sure what you mean by formality but be referencing “formals” I mean dress slacks, shirts, ties, suits, and that whole class of clothing.
“One can be quite casual and yet be well dressed.” – I did not get that impression at all your from your post.
“Ill-fitting t-shirts and baggy, uncomfortable jeans” – For most, t-shirts will be of 100% cotton or a small blend of a synthetic. Invariably, after a wash or two, they lose their original shape. Sometimes people’s shape itself changes. Most don’t have the money to go and update their wardrobe to make sure the t-shirt suits their shapes perfectly that day. Tweed jacket and knit ties can be considered casuals but then you also need to know how to pull off that look in a way that it suits you. Most people can’t do this, not now, not back in the day either.
That bit out the cold-hearted and elitism of suits, go back and read my comment again. Not my view but from dealing with clients and people from different socio-economic status over time, thats been my takeaway for first impressions. There are some that appreciate it, but for most it gives of a negative vibe and makes you appear distant and unapproachable.
“Dressing like a slob” – completely agree with you but then its a person’s choice to present him/herself as they choose. And ultimately, the disrespect issue is only between the “slob” and the person whose event they are attending.
About the purpose of a tie – aesthetics is not the reason why a tie was created. The other examples you give had a great functional reason to exist. Cuff links existed before buttons. Jewelry exists because of numerous reasons such as superstitions or beliefs, and because originally they were used to hold clothing together. Upon further research, the tie comes from the Croatian military dress of the 1600s: http://www.croatians.com/tie.htm
Why the military dress had scarves being worn around the neck in that fashion remains a mystery.
Lastly, didn’t mention it the first time but good post!
Karthik Narayanaswami Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 1:35 am
Ankit -
Formality is a state of mind, and it depends on the person wearing the outfit. You can appear quite casual wearing a suit (Barack Obama or Woody Allen are rather good at this), and you can be absolutely stiff in khakis and a polo shirt.
Re: casual, I suppose it is a matter of perspective — in my mind, casual need not mean poorly dressed, or poor quality.
Your argument on cotton is facetious. There are perfectly good cotton and cotton blends that make fabulous pieces of clothing, and they are not too expensive either. In fact, it is about the mass nature of things, in that rather than buy 20 cheap cotton t-shirts, you get handful of good, well fitted cotton shirts.
And by harping on expenses and the difficulty in dressing well, you are merely arguing to not look good — which is fine, as long as you realize that you can make any number of excuses to not look good, but all it takes is a certain effort to not look like you walked out of bed.
I’m sadly well acquainted with the negative connotations of being well dressed. I’m obviously not advocating suits and ties everywhere, but the truth is that folks aren’t even wearing formals where necessary, leave alone dressing up outside of necessity.
If someone were to dress like a slob at my wedding, I’m obviously not going to tell them to leave — however, I’d be lying if the thought didn’t cross my head that the person didn’t even make the effort.
And yes, I’m well aware of the origin of ties and cuff links and assorted items — the point is, the tie is no longer used to that end, and in today’s context, they are artifacts with decorative purposes and little else. Any utility therefrom is incidental, not purposeful.
Thank you. I’m certainly glad you enjoyed it!
Cheers.
Karthik Narayanaswami Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 2:02 am
Mayuresh -
No one is saying that everyone has to be in a suit and in the fabric money can buy. I’m merely lamenting the place quantity has taken over quality.
For the price people pay for some branded jeans, you can quite easily get a fantastic couple of slacks and dress shirts tailored. Even in the US, bespoke or MTM isn’t that expensive.
A decent t-shirt costs about $15-$20; branded t-shirts go for much higher. A website like Modern Tailor can make you a measured shirt for about $40.
Even with a warmer weather, one could still dress well — unfortunately, I’m afraid that even in India, propriety and what little dress sense that remained is slowly getting eroded for worse.
Karthik Narayanaswami Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 2:04 am
Harman –
I’m not denying the effect of the US and the fact that the culture of casual clothing emerged here.
However, I’m afraid that it’s been bastardized beyond its intent — just because one chooses to dress casual does not mean one needs to look like a slob, or wear ill fitting clothes.
Worse yet is the fact that people pay rather large sums of money to buy expensive, branded items that are far from flattering.
Karthik Narayanaswami Said,
August 14, 2009 @ 2:05 am
Bhel -
Thanks. Hey, at least I remember seeing you in a jacket.
Nandini Vishwanath Said,
August 28, 2009 @ 5:28 pm
Jeans and conformity? Really? Sometimes, I feel it bridges class divides. Of course, there is the whole well cut, designer and in style versus mommy jeans, non designer, random designs and buttons on wrong places jeans versus the good ol’ comfortable pair. So, I belong to the latter group and I like it that way. I don’t mind conforming to this particular ‘trend’
And GATECH? Or, since you say International Relations – Emory?
Yes, Florida is the only good thing. Otherwise, there is only Alabama that one can hop into
And I hate Math. Is that your way of testing intelligence or something?
I won’t pass always!
Karthik Narayanaswami Said,
August 28, 2009 @ 7:07 pm
Ha, classes of denim – now that would make James Dean smirk more than a trifle.
Yes, Georgia Tech. No, the International Relations thing is not at Emory, it’s elsewhere, I’m afraid!
And why wouldn’t you go to Alabama? I mean, Georgia, Alabama… if you keep at it, you’ll even reach Kansas.
Of course – didn’t you know, politically I’m a Meritocrat!
My3 Said,
September 13, 2009 @ 8:40 pm
Hey! Whaddayouknow! My amreekan son got a suit stitched at Prestige on Commercials! He is in baggy shorts all of the time. But they need to wear nice formals for debate and interviews. So off we went to pick up a custom-made suit. He is a hero among his buddies. Of course his Indian friends roll their eyes when he winks and says he wears ONLY custom-made clothes. Heh heh heh
what??????? math????? I need my Kumon-challenged son for this
(came here through the witty comments on Rads site 
)
Karthik Narayanaswami Said,
September 16, 2009 @ 12:22 pm
My3 –
Unfortunately, even back home, I see more people spending money on expensive branded (and torn) jeans than on a good set of custom-tailored outfits.