Vincenzo Giuseppe Car, Sartoria Enzo Carfora
Napoli, Italy
What business aspects have led to the success of Sartoria Carfora?
There are two aspects that have exponentially contributed to the growth of our atelier:
The first is the simplicity of the design in the realization of our suits.
The second is listening to our clients and understanding their needs.
Our tailoring respects Neapolitan traditions but includes some additional detailed that we feel make it more contemporary. Our house cut consists of a shortened jacket skirt, a higher lapel gorge and a natural shoulder to really flatter the wearer.
In my growth as a tailor, I met a lot of important mentors that told me that what a person wears is very important. They were referring to the fabrics and I took it upon myself to learn everything I could about it. Fabric, after all, is 50% of the success of a suit.
We have a lot of competition here in Napoli, which I think of as friendly competition. Each has a different style, method, and point of view. We all make an effort to stand apart so that our clients keep coming back to us.
I believe that you need to come to Napoli to truly experience the tailoring. You are essentially taking away a beautiful souvenir that you can wear for many years to come. Our traditional Neapolitan tailoring aims to remind those that wear it of the magic of Napoli.
What do you think is the future of tailoring? Do you see technology replacing the essential art of tailoring for instance, cutting, measuring or producing bespoke suits?
I don’t think technology can ever absolutely substitute the making of a handmade suit. A handmade garment has soul breathed into it and that is something a machine will never be able to replicate.
Aside from the machine aspect of tailoring, a handmade bespoke garment has such a personal experience involved that a client will surely want to be part of it. From the first fitting to the final fitting, and the selection of all the details – that is what makes the making of a suit so unique. Everything that technology can’t do.
Machines are cold! They can’t communicate emotions.
What is Sartoria Enzo Carfora’s unique value proposition and how do you acquire your customers?
My jackets are completely handmade. Each aspect is completely done by hand, from the shoulder to the armhole. Hand sewing is very elastic, so it follows the shapes and the movements of the person and that is impossible to do with a sewing machine.
What really characterises my jacket is the small armhole that allows one to have independent movement of the sleeve from that of the jacket.
Photo Credits:
The Bespoke Dudes Founder
Fabio Attanasio