Italians, they like their suits slim and sleek. But even if Giorgio Armani and the Brioni have been leading lights in pushing the agenda for that perfect Italian suit, they can often be out of reach for many of us.
One very proudly Made-in-Italy brand wants to give you that same luxury but perfected to your taste and, excuse the pun, to suit your budget. Delvero, which traces its history to the Italian municaplity of Naples, has recently set up shop in Dubai, the made-to-measure brand’s first international outpost outside Europe.
The Directory spoke with one of its three co-founders, Terry Seraphim, to find out more about the brand, what he hopes to bring to the UAE and, of course, what makes the perfect suit.
Q: We’ve got all the brands you can think of here, and the tailors too. What’s Delvero’s unique selling proposition?
A: Put simply, there is no one in the region offering the quality that we offer, the style that we offer, at the price that we offer. Bespoke and made-to-measure in Dubai broadly splits into two categories – the big luxury goods brands in the malls, such as Kiton, Corneliani and Brioni, who can cut a stylish, modern garment from a quality cloth but will charge upwards of Dh20,000, and the cheaper tailors in Satwa and Deira, who offer affordable pieces but of questionable cloth and quality, and who often cannot cater to more stylish or modern tastes. At Delvero, we are able to offer a made-in-Italy garment of extremely high quality of fabric and finishing, in an elegant, modern Neapolitan cut – but as per our brand philosophy, we don’t spend vast amounts on advertising, marketing or shop in a mall so do not need to incorporate these costs into the price of our products.
Q: Do you think the world will be a better place if everyone wore made-to-measure suits?
A: It would if there were Delvero suits. Joking aside, men feel more confident when they’re wearing something made specially for them, and that’s never a bad thing.
Q: Do we really have time for made-to-measure, especially ones like yours where it’s sent all the way to Naples?
A: Having our suits made in Naples does not add significantly to our production timeframe, when one compares it to the normal process of high-end bespoke or made-to-measure; the standard timeframe for this kind of tailoring is 2-4 months. Our pieces are ready for a first fitting in 5-8 weeks – which is normal for the top end of the industry (for example, a Savile Row suit will require a minimum of 3 months and 4 fittings) Rushing something does not need to effect quality of construction or a good fit. It is far better to be organised, plan ahead, and acquire an amazing custom garment than to run out and buy something ready to wear on a whim...often this leads to serious purchasing errors and ill-fitting pieces that sit unused in wardrobes for months – which ultimately is a waste of time and money. A little forward planning makes things much more efficient in the long run.
Q: Why is the ‘Made in Italy’ tag so important for Delvero?
A: Italy (and especially Naples) has a centuries-old tailoring tradition that has been passed down through generations. Italian tailors are true artisans with unparalleled skills and knowledge and this is why many luxury brands, including Delvero, chose to manufacture their products in Italy rather than outsourcing to cheaper overseas producers in Asia. True Italian style, pattern cutting and internal construction techniques are very poorly understood outside of Italy. Naples in particular has such a strong tailoring heritage, concentration of skilled craftmen and an innate understanding of Italian style. Producing our garments in Italy is absolutely crucial to our brand – only by doing this can we offer the true Italian style and quality that Delvero is known for.
Q: So how does Delvero work?
A: The first step is for the client to make an appointment to visit our studio. There, we will first introduce a client to our various fabric ranges and the characteristics of different kinds of fibres such as wool, silk or mohair. Once the fabric is chosen we move onto styling the suit by going through our customer portfolio, various magazines, and our large scrapbook of Italian style. While we don’t deviate too much from our slim, stylish Neapolitan house cut, there are still a lot of other style points to discuss and decide on. A lot of our clients take our guidance for this part of the process but some know exactly what they want before they come – either way is fine!
The final part of the initial appointment is the fitting. Clients try on a variety of our samples to see how different sizes will look on their frame and we also take a large number of body measurements; all the information is sent of to our master tailors in our Naples atelier and they craft a new paper pattern for the customer, from which the suit is cut. After that, there is nothing for the client to do but wait! The completed suit arrives back to Dubai in 5-8 weeks, at which point the client is invited to come for their first fitting (which can be done in our studio or in their hotel, office or private residence). Alterations are done in Dubai by our highly-experienced tailor, which takes around 5 days. A second set of alterations may also be necessary to get a perfect fit. We also encourage our clients to book a follow-up appointment after they have worn their suit 8-10 times so we can check the fit and how the garment has moulded and settled to their body.
Q: How has the reception been since you came here to the UAE?
A: We’ve only recently opened here in Dubai but the response to our brand, and the style and quality we offer, has been great so far. We’ve also been picked up as the tailor of choice for various premium lifestyle management services including Quintessentially, Diners Club, Mastercard and Vertu.
Q: What would you say is missing here among the fashionable men folk?
A: A lot of men in Dubai seem very afraid to take even the smallest risk in terms of clothing or put even a toe outside the box. I’d love to see gents here being a bit more creative, developing a personal style and adding some accessories such as tie bars or pocket squares for an individual touch to an outfit. I’d also really like to see more men in a modern cut of suit.
Q: Who would you say is the Delvero client?
A: The Delvero client, first and foremost, is a smart shopper who doesn’t mindlessly buy only big brands. Most of our clients are 25-45, educated, modern, well-travelled and have an interest in style and grooming and an appreciation of taste and quality; they’re creative, confident and not afraid to think outside the box. We are lucky to have a great mix of nationalities among our clients.
Q: What are your price points?
A: The exact price depends on the fabric chosen. Our pieces start at around Dh6,000 - this is for a fully hand-canvassed Italian-made suit from a high quality Dormeuil or Scabal fabric – and the average price is around Dh10,000.
Q: From your experience, how would you say men’s fashion has evolved over the years?
A: The biggest notable ‘trend’ in mens fashion is the evolution towards a much more casual way of dressing - which has gone far too far, in our opinion! However, we love making smart-casual luxe separates, which are very current and will continue to be so for some time. Men’s fashion is much more individual and creative than it was in the 1990s, which is great.
Q: Why would you say bespoke is such a big thing in the Middle East?
A: Arab consumers are some of the world’s most avid consumers of luxury products. It is only natural that men in the Middle East would look for something more – which is why personalised products are services are so popular here. Arab men love to have something custom-made and unique that no-one else has – exclusivity is very important to many consumers here.
Q: What next for Delvero? Where else would you like to take the brand?
A: We are looking at opening a studio in Hong Kong in 2014 or early 2015. Before that, we are keen to introduce the brand to the rest of the Middle East and North Africa. Eventually we plan to open a flagship store in London that offers ready-to-wear and leather goods as well as our made-to-measure and custom-made products.
*To make an appointment, call 04-4449437. For more, go to delvero.com.
