Neapolitan Expedition (3) Beyond the Jacket

By Jack Collins

In the pursuit of being well-dressed, it’s easy to get carried away. This is where I’m sure we’ve all become absorbed in the complexities and details of a jacket, yet overlooked the impact made by a pair of master-crafted trousers paired with a beautifully tailored shirt. Essentially, we need to ask the question of how we still consider ourselves well-dressed when the jacket is removed.

This is a question that Camiceria Sannino has been pondering since 1991. The answer? By applying that same attention to detail, that same passion and level of craftsmanship a jacket receives, and applying it to a shirt. Now, I have to admit that I’ve been somewhat steeped in years of British shirtmaking, which is largely very nice, but also rather stuck in the past - you could easily argue that among English shirtmakers the Edwardian mindset of a shirt being essentially underwear is still in force today. Even local Neapolitan shirtmakers tend to display their wares with a similar mindset, that a shirt is only there as a base for a jacket and tie, so what really struck me about Sannino is how unique their philosophy about clothing and style really is. For me, that infamous Coco Channel quote comes to mind; “Before leaving the house, remove one thing from your outfit”. For Sannino, the ethos is a refined version of this, resulting in an emphasis on the ability to wear a shirt as a main component of your outfit, not just a supporting role.  

I remember meeting Gennaro, a second-generation member of the Sannino family, at Pitti Uomo in June. It was the night of The Sartorial Club’s summer gala, and among the waves of well-dressed folk in attendance, Gennaro stood out to me because of the elegant simplicity of his outfit: a pair of white cotton trousers as a base, accompanied by a lightweight short-sleeved shirt. As I said, elegantly simple, but it’s Gennaro’s shirt that sold Sannino’s ethos to me - in the Guayabera style, it features the most exquisite narrow pleats characteristic of this shirt, all set in by hand. Four pockets adorn the chest and hips, with welting mirroring the downward point of the pocket design. And, the softest open-style camp collar frames Gennaro’s warm smile. In reality, this wonderful Buttercup yellow shirt has received the same amount of care that a jacket does when it was created.  

With its overall warm climate, Naples serves as the perfect home to feature a shirt as a serious component of your wardrobe and subsequent outfits. Sure, Naples is also the birthplace of iconic relaxed tailoring houses such as Isaia and Kiton, but I’d wager you’d be far more comfortable strolling under the lush green canopy of Via Chiaia in a pair of exquisitely made trousers from local artisan, Marco Cerrato, and a gorgeous handmade shirt from Sannino.