Suited & styled to perfection

Throughout the month of July, local menswear expert Wardrobe is offering discerning Malaysians a chance to get a suit made and measured by an Italian master tailor who is in KL for the length of their European ‘A’ Fair promotion. So if you’re looking for a bespoke suit, let master tailor Vincenzo Papandrea introduce to you the ins and outs of a truly well made ensemble.

Bespoke suits feature a floating chest canvas made entirely by hand, and require a significant amount of handwork and painstaking attention to detail for completion. Several fittings are required to ensure that a well proportioned fit to your body is achieved for a masterpiece made just for you, measured and cut personally by Papandrea. The highest tier of tailoring, bespoke is a true sign of exclusive class for well-tailored suits.

As part of the European ‘A’ Fair promotion, you will also enjoy a complimentary pair of suit trousers with any purchase of a bespoke (completely made to your body’s measurements) suit or made-to-order (made-to-measure but based on an existing template); one complimentary made-to-order trousers with purchase of any three made to order trousers or receive one complimentary bespoke shirt with purchase of any three bespoke shirts.

Additionally, the European ‘A’ Fair will feature several refined fabric brands made in partnership with Wardrobe, such as Charles Clayton, Fratelli Tallia di Delfino, Holland & Sherry, Ormezzano, Reid & Taylor, Vitale Barberis Canonico and Zignone.  

The 70-year-old Papandrea hails from Calabria in South Italy, and begun his career in tailoring as an apprentice at a young age. After training for many years under a master tailor in Calabria itself, Papandrea moved to Milan with his family and began his formal apprenticeship as tailor and obtained the qualifications required to work in the field. He went on to refine his craft with a focus on cutting, and moved to London to set up his own tailoring business.

Having plied his craft in Milan and London with esteemed tailors such as Caracene, Brill & Brooks, Bailey & Weatherill, Sullivan & Wooley, Henry Poole and Douglas Hayward, Papandrea has made suits for iconic film stars such as Michael Caine, Peter Sellers, Roger Moore and more.

During this special European ‘A’ Fair promotion, Papandrea will provide clients with the same kind of advice once given to these stars — known for their excellent dress sense — on the kind of cut that suits them best. He will also be able to provide sound advice on appropriate colours and fabrics that work best with what you need your suit for.

He will also be able to advise you on decisions like two or three buttons on the jacket, if double breasted is really your thing or if you should opt for single or double vents. “All these things are a matter of preference,” he says. “They are always in style, the question is only if you like it and if it works for you. For example, double vents may not work if you are especially big in the hip area. And single button suits are very young, very chic.”

The choice of fabric has a lot to do with it, Papandrea said. “In the UK, we use much heavier wool. But for warmer climates, we use very soft and light wool. What people sometimes forget about wool is that it keeps you warm when its cold and keeps you cool while dispersing warmth in the heat.”

Malaysians do wear suits quite a bit both the in corporate arena and in casual settings, so it is appropriate that we invest in proper, well-made suits that fit well and enhance the overall look. “In the UK, for example, owning a nice suit is a given and a very normal thing to own. In Malaysia we don’t wear suits as much because of the warmer weather, but we should get into the practice of dressing well,” says Wardrobe CEO Lim Fang Heng.

Apart from suits and shirts, Wardrobe also provides a full range of accessories like neckties, cufflinks and cummerbunds as well as a new range of exclusive leather goods made in Italy.

Wardrobe boutiques are located at 51 Jalan Maarof, Bangsar; Level 5, Parkson Pavilion KL and at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Jalan Sultan Ismail. To make an appointment with Papandrea, call (03) 2282 6866 or visit wardrobe.com.my.

This article appeared on the Live it! page, The Edge Financial Daily, July 15, 2011.