Today, a man’s wardrobe cannot miss a well-made, good quality suit. Not only that the privacy major events (weddings, christenings, theater, gala, etc) but according to the protocols established in business and official circles one is expected to appear in an elegant suit on negotiations, discussions, official events and even in a growing number of workplaces.
No one should be scared! Today’s cuts were made very comfortable, soft, good quality material, everyone can find the most suitable for himself. And last but not least, it is very fashionable nowadays.
The suit was created during the early century revolutions to bring a sharp change to the elaborately sewn and heavily bejeweled formal wear of the British Regency. The result was a simple dress code. The direction was mainly towards a more comfortable wear, which could be fully established owing to the loosening of the strict rules by the end of the 19th century, in long version yet.
It´s shortening is due to the accelerated lifestyle of the XX. century. Then mostly it´s two-line version was fashionable, the one-liners was worn during athletic occasions. Later, at the end of the century, single-breasted jacket has become increasingly popular against the two-line version and this is typical in our days too.
With the development of the suit we can make difference between the sporty and the classic tailoring, Furthermore -depending on the occasion- we make difference between leisure, street, business, city and representation suits, for example dress coat, cutaway coat and smoking. There are summer and winter coats also based on the current season..
The suit is the most masculine garment because it´s simple decorating and it´s line emphasizing the shape of men. For men, the suit is the most expressive element of style in dressing for nearly two centuries. Not only is it the symbol of the modern world, but it dresses in such a way, that the appearance of a creation may raise you up to the sky as well. Frankly, it makes more advantageous every man´s physique.
The suit is not accidentally a separate industry in the fashion profession: the variety of cuts, styles, and materials convey a different message, even for incompetent people. The man somehow feels the unique emanation of the different pieces. The clothes people wear have a fundamental indicative value even in everyday life. It is trivial that people´s dressing reflects their personality, taste and values system. This may be even detected in the style and the colors.
So the particular man´s color type (based in the relationship between the hair, the eye and the skin color: bright, dark, warm, cold, lively or matt) matters a lot, because these factors are influencing which suits him the best. In addition we also have the question of physique (inverted triangle, rectangle or rounded) which may also be crucial when wearing suits- these things must be considered, especially when buying ready-to-wear pieces. We are going to investigate the top 6 men suits brands in the following lines:
6. Ermenegildo Zegna
Italy is well-known for precision and tailoring the best materials in the world. Ermenegildo Zegna is one of the top Italian fashion houses. The house opened in 1910 in Trivero, Italy, which is located in the Biellese prealps. The company employed 1,400 workers by 1955.
Aldo and Angelo took over the business, after Ermenegildo died in 1966 at the age of 74. The house produces men!s suits for labels as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Dunhill and Tom Ford. Zegna’s range includes fabrics, suits, neckties, knitwear, shirts, accessories and sportwear.
They are the biggest producers of fine fabrics (2.3 million metres per year) in the world. Alessandro Sartori is responsible for the creative design. Oscar-winning Adrien Brody was a face for the advertisement of the brand. They are considered to be a quite philantropic company, offering lots of money for environmental, ecological projects.
5. Brioni
Brioni practiced some reverse psychology on their customers, when the economic crisis hit the world in 2008. They introduced a line of suits made from super-luxurious fabrics made from the rarest fibers in the world (as qiviuk, pashmina and vicuna).
Only 100 pieces of this series is available every year, which expresses it`s exclusivity. It takes 22 hours to make a Brioni suit, and 35 hours to make a dinner jacket. More than 180 people work on each suit. The company was founded after the World War II, in 1945 by Gaetano Savini and Nazareno Fonticoli.
These suits are the favorite of Donald Trump and they are famous of their role in the James Bond movies since 1995. Kering, the French luxury-goods conglomerate that owns Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Bottega Veneta, bought Brioni in 2010 for a rumored $413 million.
4. Desmond Merrion
“I will personally place every single stitch in your suit by hand; a machine will never touch the garment at any stage. This hand making is the absolute pinnacle in tailoring. Your suit will take me so long to make, it cannot be measured in man hours. It will take MONTHS of my time to make the perfectly crafted suit. The finished suit will appear as if it has not been hand crafted, but sculpted around your torso.”
Desmond Merrion is one of the most famous tailors in London, England. His company takes place at the legendary Savile Row, which can also flaunt with the Apple Corps which was founded by the Beatles. They spend a lot of time and energy into their products, and this philosophy demands it cost: these fine suits are about 50000 dollars.
3. William Westmancott
”By far the best bespoke suit I´ve ever worn. It feels so light and comfortable, it´s amazing.” -Hugh Kenna, Chairman
William Westmancott is the neighbor of Desmond Merrion in the Savile Row. Their suits are even more expensive, because it takes 200 hours for the experts to fabricate a so special piece. The “Ultimate Bespoke” suit was designed for top-notch Middle Eastern and Russian moguls.
Westmanscott is 28 years old. This name corresponds with high quality, handcraft and confidence. “Full bespoke” means that the tailor makes the suit using traditional Savile Row techniques considering the individual needs during the process. This means over eighty-four hours of intensive work.
2. Dormeuil
This Haute Couture family business was established in 1842, so they have a really long history, with good connections in the high society (from Kings to Presidents, Hollywood stars and connoisseurs).
Their innovative, pioneering style resulted in iconic fabrics which fits well into the expectations of the contemporary streams. Their philosophy is about mixing traditional methods with the modern technologies.
These extremely expensive suits were produced from some of the most unique fabrics in the world: Qivuik, Ambassador, Dorsilk, Kirgzy White and Fifteen Point Eight. Their good reputation reaches out to all corners of the globe.
1. Kiton K 50
The Kiton is also a luxury brand. They are the masters of hand-made suits and smokings. Kiton opened its New York City flagship for 40 million dollars on the 54th street in 2004. The most expensive suit they have ever sold, was called K50 with a price of 50 thousand dollars.
The “average” suits may be obtained for $ 20 thousand while the traditional versions are available for $ 8,000 for the potential new owners. The Italian brand has it`s headquarter in New York, but the dear customers can have access the luxury suits in 14 shops around the world. Kiton employs about 330 tailors. 25 hours of labor is invested in each suit, with at least 45 tailors contributing to it.
Men have to experience the ultimate joy of wearing a real luxury suit. It is far not the same as the feeling you get of cheap looking ones. Not to mention that these ones are sagging the body. The history of men suits date back to the 17th century. Charles II was the first king, who introduced the code of dress in his court, which consisted of the wearing of suits.
Edwardians developed the lounge suit. In the Twenties the Gatsby gents and the Dandy wide-legged trousers were in the vogue. The luxury increased, the wave of paint waists and smoking jackets arrived, but the Second World War ended this blooming, changing the whole clothing scene into an utilitarian conception. Then a new era began with the sixties: we may even call this period a renaissance, since the passionate Italian maestros were really on their mettle without intermission.
Suits may also be regarded as an investment for men, considering the fact that the materials and fabrics used are really expensive: cashmere gives a sheen to the suit, while linen is light a breathable. The heavier the linen, the better the shape. Seersucker is textural and light, with a good ventilation.
These suits are really not inexpensive. So if you want to buy one of them, think twice, and remember: your budget really needs to be on top. But it will surely worth the investment: the quality, the feeling, the elegance and the subtle touch of these masterpieces will definitely.