Milan is not only the capital of fashion but also of style and the most time-honoured sartorial traditions. Below are a pick of must-visit places where gentlemen in the know can get suited and booted!
A Bespoke Outfit for an Impeccable Style
Larusmiani boasts a tradition handed down from generation to generation. Originally established as a small atelier in the heart of Milan in 1922, it focuses on immaculate tailoring rigorously handcrafted by experts who focus on precision of cut and details to achieve the apex of craftsmanship and luxury. The result is an authentic product that gradually takes shape, detail after detail and which, today, as then, remains faithful to the purest diktats of “Made-in-Italy” fashion (Via Montenapoleone 7).
More than 40 years ago Zilli debuted with its precious sartorial creations and high-class leather goods, several of which have become real must-have items. Nestling in the heart of the Quadrilatero della moda, its Milanese boutique is set against an evocative backdrop, namely the Museo Bagatti Valsecchi building where customers can order “made-to-measure” garments thanks to a rapid, immaculate service which, in addition to leather goods, is also extended to “Made-in-Italy” shirts, suits and accessories (Via Gesù 5).
Located in the picturesque district of Brera, right in front of the Pinacoteca, Gucci has chosen Milan as the home for its first European men’s flagship store. An exclusive space, the Gucci men’s store spans more than 500 square metres across three floors and features a large area dedicated to its “Made-to-Measure” service, customized luxury tailoring for a glam, elegant, modern-day gentleman. It also boasts a “Made-to-Order” shoe service for bespoke footwear, from the choice of materials, colours and sizes right up to the option of having one’s initials engraved (Via Brera 21, corner of via Fiori Chiari 1).
Each and every item manufactured by Brioni is crafted as if it were unique: an entirely bespoke universe, based on more than 25,000 combinations for a truly customized total look. Each suit involves the work of as many as ten resources, each one specialized in a specific working procedure. Design, stitching, ironing and fittings: each thread is in exactly the right place, each pleat adapted to suit the individual requirements of its wearer (Via Gesù 3).
Home to the Ferdinando Caraceni tailor’s shop, Via San Marco 22/a is one of the reference points of genuine Milanese style. An artisan workshop in the true sense of the word, here, each garment is still exquisitely handcrafted using only the best British fabrics. Garments typically take two months to produce, from the pattern stages to the meticulous hand ironing of the finished product because, in the words of Nicoletta Caraceni “When perfection is your goal, you simply can’t rush a detail”.
Another wholly Milanese landmark establishment is Anna Urbano by Anna Camiceria who, since 1960, has combined expertise with luxury fabrics to offer an international clientele the utmost in “made-to-measure” shirting, “When wearing one of my shirts, customers feel satisfied on account of the precision with which it is made; each garment expresses the personality of its wearer” (Via Scarpa 11).
Corneliani combines high-class tailoring with the pleasure of choosing from among sought-after fabrics produced exclusively for the company. From business suits to dinner jackets right up to morning coats, the entire range encompasses a combination of cutting-edge technology and the expertise of genuine craftsmen. The result is impeccable: an ultra-light structure, a perfect fit and, above all, a totally unique garment because customers can choose from among more than 500 colour variations and 100 luxury fabrics (Via Montenapoleone 26).
Ermenegildo Zegna’s passion for personalization is translated into creating a perfectly tailored, “made-to-measure” suit to satisfy the requirements of each and every customer, from the choice of the noblest natural fibres to groundbreaking woven fabrics right up to the attention paid to defining the most appropriate style for each customer. As a final touch, an exclusive label carrying the name of the wearer is attached to each bespoke garment (Via Montenapoleone 27/e).
Synonymous with style and elegance since the very beginning, Loro Piana offers its customers an exclusive “made-to-measure” service encompassing shoes, women’s bags (featuring a range of more than 30 colours and the most precious skins), travel accessories and men’s footwear. Outerwear, knitwear, suits, coats, shirts and ties can also be customized with a range of innumerable fabrics that are continually updated (Via Montenapoleone 27/c).
Sartorial expertise handed down from generation to generation for real « bespoke designs » : this is the underlying philosophy of Rubinacci, a workshop always in search of a “made-to-measure” style that will highlight its customer’s personality, creating exclusive suits and accessories based on the lines of time-honoured sartorial tradition (Via Montenapoleone 18).

Tailor-Made Accessories

Located in via Sant’Andrea 5, the new Borsalino boutique, now also featuring an exclusive “bespoke” space, recently opened its doors to the public. The production process that makes Borsalino hats true icons of style, involves over fifty different production stages and an average of six weeks’ work for each piece of headgear.
In Milan, a reference point for lovers of sought-after accessories is Giòsa Milano – La Bottega del Coccodrillo, featuring unique, handcrafted items, tailor-made to suit individual customer requirements, using precious skins featuring unusual working techniques, ranging from shiny to dull materials in a myriad of different colours (Via Ciovasso 6).
Since 1895, luxury footwear brand Berluti has focused on premium-quality, stylish artisan footwear. The result is a highly unique product featuring a blend of quality, comfort and creativity appreciated throughout the world (Via Verri 5).
The story of Calzoleria Rivolta is one of wholly Italian elegance. Headquartered at via della Spiga 17, its boutique offers its male clientele supreme quality handmade shoes, created using an innovative digital process: a digital scanner for the accurate sizing of the lasts.
Last but not least, Tod’s Sartorial, is the new space located on the top floor of the via della Spiga boutique owned by Italian luxury shoemaker Tod, where men in the know can discover the ultra-new “Sartorial Touch” line: a collection that embodies creations handcrafted by the maison’s artisans which can be customized on request to suit individual requirements (Via della Spiga 22).
THE REFINED FABRICS OF DORMEUIL
More than 170 years of research, creativity and innovation bring you the finest fabrics in the world, from Kings to Presidents, from Hollywood celebs to connoisseurs, Dormeuil continues to dress the world’s elite with timeless elegance. The brand combines the British heritage of The House of Dormeuil with a sense of innovation, supported by years of experience and ongoing know-how (Showroom-store, via Savona 97). www.dormeuil.com