Neapolitan Expedition: Intro

By Jack Collins

Undoubtedly, you love the craftsmanship of tailoring. But which elements of your outfit have received the most attention to detail? High-quality shoes can take hundreds of hours to make, and creating a suit is an equally skilled operation for sure. But how much thought do you put into the shirt on your back?

Napoli needs no introduction to sartorialists. After all, how many times have you read other articles or actually taken part in a discussion of the Neapolitan cut, focused on a particular softness and drape, or referenced the sprezzatura-soaked attention to detail seemingly native to Naples? While those roads are well-walked, rarely do we stop to savour the unique details that are possible in the everyday, or appreciate how exquisite simplicity can be. This is perhaps the biggest thing I took away from our time exploring Naples.

Undoubtedly, it’s the details of Neapolitan tailoring that appeal to us. Exquisitely uneven yet beautiful pick stitching, the nuances of the famously rippled spalla camicia shoulder, and the gentle curve of the Barchetta pocket - that means “little boat”, didn’t you know? Of course, there’s an elephant in the room we need to address: these and indeed other discussion points about Neapolitan tailoring are all focused on the jacket. What about the art of trouser-making, or indeed shirt-making?

In this trip, we are set to explore all aspects. Joining us on this expedition.