Finollo

In via Roma, Genova, since 1899. Finollo is a haven of true craftsmanship, representing the history of the shirt-making in Liguria and not only. Their shirt has been an emblem of excellence since then and so is still today. Twelve hours are needed to make an entirely hand-made shirt with ancient and tested tecniques. Their cuffless test shirt has got a test collar and also their ready-to-wear shirts feature hand-stitched buttons and full canvas collar and cuffs, which is not so common in the industry. The making of the collar is particularly fascinating: the corners of the collar are beaten with a wooden tool (pestello in italian) to flatten out the canvans underneath. Their shirts – worn by a top-notch clientele – are identified by a small embroidered shield containing the customer’s monograms and the date of production. Allegedly, the Windsor knot was born right in front of their mirror, inside the shop. “Some years ago we asked a Count whether he wanted the monograms on his shirts; he said that he already knew that those were his own shirts” – says Daniela Finollo, the owner of the business, after the premature passing of her husband, Roberto Linke.
Their “Finollo collar” is iconic and a lot of shirt makers have tried to emulate its shape; it is meant to stand still despite the movements of the neck and is also soft so as not to bother the customer during the day. The buttonhole on the waist line here is horizontal and – on request- they also make shirts with a larger bottom, just like in the old days. The yoke sometimes is also made up of two parts in case of asymmetric shoulders. Their sleeve is cut with a belly for the humerus, whereas their neck band is 2,5 or 3 cm high. As for sportive shirts, they recommend linen or linen blends to avoid the falling of the neck, not believing – as I do - that this could be caused by the shape of the neck band.
As for their bespoke shirts, armhole, collar, buttons, buttonholes, mouche and tacks are all hand-stitched. Their ties are hand-cut and hand-stitched too. Three pieces of silk, a tip rigorously cut at 45 degrees, with cotton-wool interlining, 145 cm long and 9 cm wide. There are a lot of patterns and regimental ties, “but always with stripes going from the right side to the left side, otherwise they could mean the membership to a club” - specifies Daniela, who has left the near laboratory expressely for my interview, to talk about a shared passion for craftsmanship and shirts. In the end, despite what some renowned American photographers say, I must admit that I have been received with professionalism and helpfulness by Daniela herself, by her daughter and by all the collaborators in the shop. I have been given a book with the interesting history of Finollo and I would like to report some lines from it: “Craftsmanship has to do with the uniqueness of the individual; not only is it a tool to make a living, but above all it’s a matter of culture”. It’s hard not to agree.