Borrelli shirts - really that good? Who really makes best shirts in world?

[VRaivio]

Based on my experiences, the-best-of-the-best list is currently this:

1. Kiton
   Oxxford (made by Kiton)
   Truzzi (less handwork thank Borrelli, but I love their buttonholes and sleeve folds)
   Attolini
   Borrelli
   Isaia
   Brioni
   Finamore
   Barba

 

[in stitches]



go to niemans in atlanta. ill meet ya there brosef.

dont they have a neimans in DC? the NM in atl has a floor with isaia, kiton, TF, ermenegildo zegna, and armani rooms. I came. twice.

haha, i wish man.

afaik there is a lot better shopping in bethesda/chevy chase/DC but i rarely have the chance to get out there. weekdays work, sunday family. im trying to squeeze a day off to go though. i want to also take some stuff to fields for tailoring.

btw when i was in neimans in denver i asked if they have the stuff youre talking about like in ATL. the dude said ATl is one of their biggest stores. only 1 or 2 others are stocked like that one.

 

[Klobber]



youre a cool motherfucker.

I echo the same sentiment to you bro

that in bmore there is no where to even see these shirts, let alone buy one.

That is the beauty of it - if something is hard to find, it makes it all the more worthwhile when you do. Its not like everything TF designs is boss either, like other designer labels, there is stuff you love, and stuff you hate. Finding the stuff you love - now that makes the whole experience interesting and random.

Online makes it easier, but most of us prefer the experience of finding something in store and then wonder around the mall with the paper bag ... , only kidding, that comment by a current / former SF member is the classic comment of the past year on this forum.

 

[in stitches]



youre a cool motherfucker.

yes i am he is

That is the beauty of it - if something is hard to find, it makes it all the more worthwhile when you do. Its not like everything TF designs is boss either, like other designer labels, there is stuff you love, and stuff you hate. Finding the stuff you love - now that makes the whole experience interesting and random.

true to a point. like having things available and searching for the right piece. but it sucks that the highest end shirt to be found near me is canali. not that they make a bad shirt, but no real top of the line stuff even to drool over.

 

[DerekS]

i was blown away at their selection man. really surprising. I wish i had the time (read:money) to go through all the offerings to get a better feel for the different fits and cuts. I spent most of my time looking at the new tf coats....tried on 3 different sportcoats with different cuts and lapels...3 different sizes too....and they all fit me flawless. just need to find the coats for less than $3,500

 

[Klobber]



true to a point. like having things available and searching for the right piece. but it sucks that the highest end shirt to be found near me is canali. not that they make a bad shirt, but no real top of the line stuff even to drool over.

but thats true for most people. Most would face a long 4 or 5 hour drive to find the good stuff. Im not sure I like clothes enough to embark on a cross state or cross country tour, facing traffic jams, queues in store if I arrive outside the less busy hours, wake up 4am in the morning to avoid the afternoon rush etc, no thank you. I usually take time out when I am visiting a city to look for items, but the main purpose of the visit would not be to find clothes. Well, with a few stippends, perhaps clothes shopping, a meal and show may tempt me .

I have bought my fair share of Canali shirts, I like them for what they are. Cheaper than most, not too bad quality, a good trade off particularly for staple pieces. I have recently been investigating Isaia as a possible staple brand - I bought a couple of shirts recently and quality wise better than Canali but for only a fractionally higher price. Also fond of Barbera, but like TF, not that common in stores I frequent.

 

[in stitches]



i was blown away at their selection man. really surprising. I wish i had the time (read:money) to go through all the offerings to get a better feel for the different fits and cuts. I spent most of my time looking at the new tf coats....tried on 3 different sportcoats with different cuts and lapels...3 different sizes too....and they all fit me flawless. just need to find the coats for less than $3,500

so $3,495 and youre all in then?

 

[DerekS]



so $3,495 and youre all in then?

if I get a decent bonus, damn right.

 

[in stitches]



if I get a decent bonus, damn right.

grab me a shirt while your at it bro

 

[countbaron]



Based on my experiences, the-best-of-the-best list is currently this:

1. Kiton
   Oxxford (made by Kiton)
   Truzzi (less handwork thank Borrelli, but I love their buttonholes and sleeve folds)
   Attolini
   Borrelli
   Isaia
   Brioni
   Finamore
   Barba

Well I am happy there is a shirt pyramid thread going on SF even if not in response to my personal charitable appeal for one

http://www.styleforum.net/t/260713/can-someone-please-put-forward-a-shirt-pyramid#post_4759375

Keep it coming gents

PS: How do 'main line' Lorenzini for Lorenzini compare with Lorenzini for RLPL?

 

[DerekS]



PS: How do 'main line' Lorenzini for Lorenzini compare with Lorenzini for RLPL?

hmm...good question. I have a few RLPL shirts but im not sure who the maker is. Quality seems to be really nice. great buttons too...but the buttons are different than my lorenzini shirts...IIRC all the lorenzini ***** i own or have owned, have thick MOP buttons. The RLPL shirt i wear the most has larger flat buttons, almost like kiton, but more white and smaller. (white and smaller .... hehe)

thats pretty much the only difference i can see, everything else is equitable.

 

[countbaron]



I have bought my fair share of Canali shirts, I like them for what they are. Cheaper than most, not too bad quality, a good trade off particularly for staple pieces. I have recently been investigating Isaia as a possible staple brand - I bought a couple of shirts recently and quality wise better than Canali but for only a fractionally higher price. Also fond of Barbera, but like TF, not that common in stores I frequent.

this is where posts go wrong, I mean the "for only a fractionally higher price" when it is totally personal-circumstances based and thus meaningless

In the US and thus in SF there is all this craze about Borrelli, Isaia, Barba, Finnamore but in the UK I wouldn't know where to find any of that (a huge prize for anyone that just thought 'in the web dummy').
On the other hand, Canali is 'all over the place' and is available at very deep discounts ($70-80) during Summer/Xmas sales e.g at Harrods.

On a slightly different note, I suspect that most upper-middle class Italians never heard of them either. This is based on the fact that when I mention to many of these people the names of most of the italian shoes that get sold in the US at high price ranges ( like Santoni and Sutor) they never heard of it. I truthfully not been able to find any Italian that has heard of Santoni. True the people i talk too are not SF types but they are regular upper/middle management people; not some bums off the street. Some of them just go bespoke all the time, I mean they have a small scale shirtmaker, a shoe maker etc

All of this, just to say: does anybody buy Borrelli, Isaia, Barba, Finnamore, Santoni, Sutors outside the US (and China I guess). And if so does this mean you guys are being suckered?

 

[fab100]

You are partly right.

These brands have made a market in the US. However, there are stores in Europe (and Italy btw) that sell these.
The more expensive, the less known I would say.

I think that because most people, (even in Italy) don't want to pay shirts made with 50-100 euro/meter coton fabric, they don't care about these.

The price difference between Kiton shirts in the US and in Europe is not clear for me however.

But it is like anything else.
Has anyone here bought a Hartge, Wiessmann, Gumpert ? Do many Germans buy these cars ? I think this is a good comparison.

I am not sure if I am clear...

I buy the shirts listed in this thread and I am very satisfied with them. That doesn't mean I only buy these brands. BTW I live in Europe.

 

[dragon8]



Yup, no more. Looks like they're struggling to keep up with orders now.

I remember reading some of your AC posts when I was looking for a shirtmaker. Can you recommend any of the HK locations/specific fitters?

If in HK, go to the Peninsula hotel branch and ask for Nelson. If touring in the US, Nelson comes to all the tours.

 

[ThinkDerm]

barba gold label is as good as borrelli. anyone else familiar with barba gold label want to chime in?