Alessandro Sartori has been perfecting the Berluti man since his appointment of Creative Director in 2012, with particular attention paid to customer identity and an appreciation of craftsmanship...
“The Berluti man has a lot of personality, an eccentric point of view and he likes to show off. He is masculine. He does not have a specific age; He is a man with his own strong character. He likes colour, he likes leather; it’s in his DNA to play with styling. A perfect three-piece suit, with a nice shirt and scarf, or a nice cashmere jacket, double breasted, with a pair of jeans. The idea is someone who knows his style but who is playing with his own personality and his own rules. He is just very elegant in his own way. He is elegant, playful, with a touch of impertinence.
I think I can respond quite well to this portrait. In my own way, I try to be playful and with a touch of my own personality but I also wish to be elegant. Today I’m wearing chinos with Japanese cuts and a handmade shirt, with a denim jacket on top with leather details and a pair of dark blue shoes. I really like to take the time to dress and also to style. I would never be able to prepare my outfit the night before – only in the morning. I love the few beautiful rules of menswear, the little details. For example I like the waistcoat, I like to polish my shoes myself – even the outsole, not only the top! I’m not obsessed but I really like to play."
Alessandro Sartori has been perfecting the Berluti man since his appointment as Creative Director in 2012, with particular attention paid to customer identity and an appreciation of craftsmanship in cashmere, silk and leathers which he also adopts within his own wardrobe. The Berluti RTW line was introduced under his guidance in A/W12, assembling a small operation of ateliers based in Italy to produce the collection. Built into his DNA (Sartori’s mother was a tailor), he owns around 250 jackets and enjoys the historical uniforms of British clothing. “When you look at an English man and when you carefully observe the garments, there is something so deep and so accurate.”
The first Berluti Maison opens in London today.
Text by Mhairi Graham
