Behind the Brand: Brioni

September 27, 2011

The shirt has thick mother-of-pearl buttons engraved with the Brioni logo. There is no gluing or fusing in the construction. Instead, everything is sewn with 20 stitches per inch for softness and durability. Darts in the back ensure the fit is neat, while care has been taken to match the pattern at every seam

Lightweight but warm and ultra-soft, the sweater is 100% cashmere, constructed from a fine cable knit. Brioni only buys the prized lots of Tibetan and Mongolian Hircus goat hair at auction

The coat is cut from 100% cashmere herringbone cloth and lined with silk. The majority of the fabrics Brioni uses are exclusive to them. With its single rear vent, notch lapels and single-breasted closure, the coat's silhouette is sleek and contemporary, although the design is sufficiently classic to remain stylish for years to come

The real horn buttons are engraved with the Brioni logo, while there is chocolate brown leather trimming around the buttonholes, and under the collar and the pocket flaps. Sartorial pick stitching runs down the side of the lapels, while the cuff buttons are functional

Coat, Shirt, Sweater and Trousers by Brioni

Photography by Mr Matthew Donaldson | Words by Mr Peter Henderson

"The Brioni process is like no other: it takes between 18 and 22 hours to make one suit, 220 steps, equalling 440 hands working on one article, because each operator performs a single step, including 80 for ironing alone"

Mr Francesco Pesci, CEO, Brioni

Named after the Italian word for the Brijuni Islands in the Adriatic Sea, a holiday destination popular with European aristocracy in the 20th century, Brioni was founded in Rome in 1945 by tailor Mr Nazareno Fonticoli and entrepreneur Mr Gaetano Savini. Encapsulating the glamour of the islands in their heyday, combined with meticulous tailoring and attention to detail, Brioni quickly became known as a leading gentlemen's outfitter. In 1952, the brand held the first ever men's fashion show in the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, and by the end of the decade Brioni was firmly established as a tailor of choice for Hollywood's leading men, dressing Mr Clark Gable and Mr John Wayne among others.

brioni in pictures

THE NAME

Brioni takes its name from the Brijuni Islands near the mainland of Croatia, a popular polo and golfing resort in the late 19th and early 20th century
THE FIRST SHOW

Although menswear fashion shows are now common, in 1952 Brioni was the first brand to present men's clothes on the runway
THE CRAFTSMANSHIP

Every Brioni item is produced with great care and attention, with high levels of work carried out by hand in the label's Italian ateliers
THE TAILORING SCHOOL

Brioni's tailoring school runs four-year courses to ensure younger generations acquire the requisite skills. Brioni is also involved with the Royal College of Art's menswear course in London
THE POLO TEAM

Underlying its alignment with a sophisticated lifestyle, Brioni has sponsored polo teams and organised three editions of the Brioni Polo Classic

Today, Brioni continues to be renowned for its distinctly Italian elegance, and unmistakable craftsmanship and quality. More than just a label for Brioni, "Made in Italy" is the underlying philosophy which guides everything the company does: production is exclusively in specialised Italian factories, much of it at the firm's original location in Penne, in the Abruzzo region of Italy, with many processes carried out by hand. As Brioni's CEO, Mr Franceso Pesci, explains, "these processes go through iron-clad controls, starting as soon as the fabrics are received," to ensure the utmost quality of the finished items.

More than half of Brioni's employees are trained tailors, and in 1985 the company opened its own tailoring school in Italy, which runs four-year courses to bring students up to the level of expertise the firm demands. Fans of Brioni are diverse, ranging from business leaders to show-biz stars, and among them are Mr Daniel Craig (Brioni dressed James Bond for more than a decade) and Mr Nelson Mandela. Summing up Brioni's unique appeal, Mr Pesci concludes that "there should always be a balance between sartorial principles and the fashion of the moment, with the final result so balanced that its beauty goes beyond times."