So this was my genius plan: to commission a made-to-measure shirt in Canclini fabric at four different shirtmakers in the Lombardy region, which has as its heartland the fashion capital of Milan. As soon as all four shirts were signed, sealed and delivered, I could set about forming an opinion. And these were the results:
L.A. Camiceria in Pizzighettone, in the province of Cremona, was a gem of a find. In 1990, the owner opened an off-the-peg outlet for big brands, but in 2008 decided to concentrate production exclusively on the made-to-measure service. The patterns are created using CAD, taking as the starting point the client's measurements, then the fabric is cut by machine. The shirt has no hand-finished embellishments, but minute attention is paid to details, and the client can choose between ten types of collar or, indeed if the desire so takes him, he can design his own. L.A. created a made-to-measure shirt for me, with an Italian collar, without the need for an intermediary fitting session, using Canclini's "Nevada" fabric, a double twisted Royal Oxford with spinning count 90/2. Overall, I would not hesitate in saying that the quality/price rapport for this quality of product is excellent.
Turri in Jerago con Orago, in the province of Varese, a half hour's drive north of Milan, is a laboratory that offers a made-to-measure service to the end client. The model is created using CAD, while the fabric is cut by hand; at least two fitting sessions are carried out before the shirt is delivered. The cotton selected is Argento by Canclini, a double twisted 120/2 poplin, which lends itself perfectly to a tuxedo shirt with an Italian-style collar and French-style cuffs. My right-hand lower half was measured and used to model the whole in the various fitting sessions. The back of the collar sits perfectly on the rear yoke and the plissé fabric used on the frontal part of the shirt is noteworthy, as is the hexagonal-shaped hem gusset. All things considered, a fine shirt, with a starting price of €90.
Rigamonti in via Nöe in Milan is a small workshop with a window overlooking the street. Here, both the pattern and the cut is carried out by hand. In this case, I had four fitting sessions before the shirt was finalised. The fabric chosen was a Popeline Squire 60 by Canclini in a pink strpied pattern, which I selected for the depth of the colour and the softness of touch. The French-style collar on this shirt is best displayed closed and worn with a tie, thanks to its rounded collar stand and 9cm yokes that sit perfectly on my collarbone. Rigamonti's rigorous attention to detail results in a sleeve that facilitates movement, it is sheer comfort in wearability. A couple of final standout flourishes: my initials embroidered in Gothic font on the bottom of the front placket and the pentagon-shaped hem gusset.
TeMa Camicie is a boutique shirt-maker based in Capiago-Intimiano, in the province of Como. In this case too, both the pattern and the cut were done by hand. Before delivery of the final product, there are usually two fitting sessions, although in my case, one was sufficient. The sleeve is attached when the sides are already stitched together, as tradition dictates, and various details are added by hand, including the armholes, the buttonholes, the buttons and the reinforcement both on the hem and the cuff split. The young owner of the atelier learned the ropes at the court of Alessandro Siniscalchi. The fabric used is a Okayama by Canclini, a fabulous Japanese denim with a deep blue selvedge, almost downy to the touch. For this last shirt, I selected a rather closed style Italian collar, which pairs up delightfully with a tie (see photo). The drop of the sleeve is sheer perfection, and the shape of the breast pocket is a joy to behold.
Bespoke hugs,
Fabio
