Gerardo Cavaliere is somebody whose type I’ve admired for some time, however hardly ever had an opportunity to speak to for quite a lot of moments at an occasion.
Whereas Milad and I had been in Rome just lately, subsequently, I spent a while with Gerardo and his companion Margarita of their studio within the Regola space of the town, studying in regards to the enterprise.
I really feel there might be some readers who can even have seen photos of Gerardo round on-line – he is laborious to overlook, with these hanging options and infrequently equally hanging tailoring – however will not have recognized what he does or purchase it.
Gerardo grew up close to the Amalfi coast, and educated as a lawyer. However like many who find yourself with their very own enterprise on this space, he stop to comply with his ardour for tailoring.
That enterprise is what is called Sartoria Giuliva in the present day. Nevertheless it would not have that top a profile – aside from these footage of Gerardo – as a result of it is solely accessible by visiting the studio in Rome.
“The entire level of the model was that it was simply issues I really like,” Gerardo says. “So it is sensible to do it right here. It could appear too chilly and impersonal some place else.”
The tailoring is made to a bespoke stage in Naples, however fitted by Gerardo in Rome and normally requires one or two fittings. Milad was measured for a jacket whereas we had been there. A two-piece go well with begins at €3500 excluding fabric.
The Sartoria has additionally been just a little eclipsed in recent times by Giuliva Heritage (above), the ready-to-wear line of initially solely womenswear that Margarita and Gerardo began after they met six years in the past.
Giuliva Heritage is an enormous model, definitely for a younger firm. It is carried by Selfridge’s, Harrod’s and Matches; Eva Herzigova fashions; there was a collaboration with H&M. Ten folks now work out and in of the Rome studio – one purpose they’re about to maneuver down the road.
After three years of Giuliva Heritage, menswear was added, which means a few of Gerardo’s designs can now be accessed there. The make isn’t the identical because the bespoke tailoring, however the supplies usually are.
That is important for me, as a result of whereas it’s all the time laborious to purchase fits and jackets off the peg, it’s the design components at Giuliva that I discover most attention-grabbing.
Milad was planning to go to Gerardo anyway – earlier than we scheduled our journey for PS – as a result of he’d wished to have one thing made with him for some time. And this is sensible: Giuliva is extra Milad’s style than mine.
Milad likes bolder colors and greater patterns. He’s extra prone to put on one thing that stands out, and take actual pleasure in it. He had been notably enamoured with Giuliva’s pink shawl-collar jacket – above – which regardless of my occasional foray into pink and purple jackets, is just not one thing I’d put on.
The identical goes for tailoring just like the Prince-of-Wales test go well with I’m attempting on beneath – in that case much less for the fabric and extra for the dramatic lapels. Even on the white jacket pictured decrease down, I’m conservative sufficient to favor extra conventional scarf lapels with a low stomach.
However as I by no means tire of claiming, if you happen to’re fascinated by garments you then’re fascinated by greater than what you put on. Plus I do know from assembly them that there are readers who enjoy uncommon tailoring.
Most significantly, inspiration must be pursued in all places – perhaps not in a lapel, however in a color; or within the mixture of colors; or in the best way the cuts are mixed. In any other case all we do is make carbon copies of one another and flow into them, round and round.
For type to be inspiring, what it wants is creativity. And Gerardo definitely has that. Even in such a slender aesthetic as tailoring, he all the time appears improbable and all the time appears totally different.
On the day we met, he was sporting a brilliant blue polo underneath a white-linen jacket, for instance. Now it helps if you happen to dwell in a sunny nation, however nonetheless it made me think about bolder polos underneath white linen.
He was additionally sporting crimson socks between his tan worsted trousers and tan suede sneakers. I don’t put on brilliant socks usually, nevertheless it made me take into consideration sturdy colors as a method to separate related sneakers and trousers. And he’s usually extra refined on this combos too – a cream silk shirt with that white linen jacket, for instance, with a a pair of pale-green linen trousers (see varied photos on the backside of this put up).
Creativity stimulates. It makes you not simply wish to copy, however to be extra artistic your self. It opens doorways in your thoughts. Or at the least it does for me
The identical went for a few of the issues Milad and I attempted on within the Giuliva studio.
I liked the form of the lapels on the massive suede coat above, even when I would not have them fairly as large. The child-blue color of the ditch on the fitting, beneath, was beautiful, though the ditch on the left in a super-heavy linen had woven leather-based particulars that weren’t for me.
It was truly Gerardo’s assortment of classic materials that I gravitated to most – maybe as a result of they had been usually extra refined, and could possibly be made up in additional conservative cuts.
I ended up ordering a shirt in a ravishing 80s cotton, a cream with tremendous multicoloured stripes. It’s a cloth you’ll by no means purchase on-line, and I can perceive why it may not have offered the primary time round. Nevertheless it made excellent sense in particular person, with Gerardo’s recommendation and eye.
In any retailer it’s straightforward to get caught up within the aesthetic round you, shopping for one thing that actually appears greatest within the store – of their world. Gerardo’s studio is so superbly appointed that it might definitely have that impact on you.
However I’m pretty assured the shirt might be good, and the type was fairly easy – an ordinary level collar, only a contact greater than I’d have usually.
Let’s wait and see. That too requires a visit again to Rome, so it would take some time.
For anybody else that thinks they might discover inspiration in Gerardo and Giuliva, I like to recommend attempting to see the merchandise in particular person, notably for the materials. Likely the variety of stockists the place that is attainable will keep it up rising, given the route the model goes.
Images above, Milad Abedi. Pictures beneath, from latest lookbooks and social
