Francesco Smalto was one of the best tailor in Paris. Born in 1927 in Calabria, trained by Joseph Camps (who later founded Camps de Luca), he was his head-cutter until 1962. There he learned how to perfect the style elaborated by Joseph Camps, notably the Parisian or fishmouth lapel.
He then decided to leave Joseph Camps rather unceremoniously to create his own atelier Rue de Miromesnil, taking the main salesmen, as well as most of the clients by sending them an announcement.
One of his first big clients was the future King of Morocco Hassan II. Hassan II was at the beginning interested to work only with Claude Rousseau (another cutter for Joseph Camps), but Mr. Camps refused because he feared Rousseau would do the same thing that Francesco Smalto did earlier and leave (Claude Rousseau did eventually, in 1970).
Francesco Smalto became in the 1970s the main tailor of heads-of-state (in Africa and the Middle-East), celebrities (notably Jean-Paul Belmondo in Stavisky), politicians, big lawyers and other personalities.
These clients had some downsides, mostly the African dictators, since there were at the center of multiple political and financial scandals known as Françafrique.
He passed away in 2015, after more than four decades of revolutionising Parisian tailoring. Two of his apprentices later founded their own atelier: Kenjiro Suzuki and Florian Sirven (now at Berluti) and perpetuate his work.
His style in and of itself is legendary. The writer Françoise Sagan said Francesco Smalto was "one of those rare men who can blend luxury and sobriety, the daily life and glamour. Hes an artisan and a lord".
Francesco Smalto created a unique silhouette: sharp lines with a rich cigarette shoulder, a clean parisian lapel, slightly longer than Camps de Luca, tight chest and suppressed waist. His suits, jackets, and overcoats were the very definition of elegance and luxury.
Im proposing a stunning example of his work: a charcoal grey trousers in a beautiful wool-cashmere blend. Made in the 2000s, it will become your favorite trousers from autumn to spring with your best jackets and blazers. The frogmouth pockets make the trousers stand out as an original reinvention of one of tailoring most classic garment.
As always with Smalto, it is fully handmade, from the sewing to the buttonholes. They featured a rare "point baguette" (an handmade seam along the line of the trousers, similar to what you could find on a tuxedo trousers, but without the satin band). The conditions is like new. The tag has been removed at the demand of the owner.
The trousers are best fitted for a size W30UK/40FR, around 1m75.
Here are the measurements:
Waist for trousers: 40cm (with 6cm of fabric to let out)
Length from inseam: 72cm
Length total: 98cm (with 6cm of fabric to let out)
Legs width: 19cm (with 5cm of fabric to widen it)
Quality similar to the following bespoke houses:
- In France: Camps de Luca, Cifonelli, Claude Rousseau, Arnys, Lanvin Mesure, Urban, Max Evzeline, Opelka, Kenjiro Suzuki
- In Italy: Caraceni (Augusto or Domenico), Rubinacci, Dalcuore, Panico
- In England: Anderson & Sheppard, Henry Poole, Huntsman & Sons, Nutters of Savile Row, Chittleborough & Morgan, Richard Anderson, Meyer & Mortimer
Possible to try them in Paris 15th Arrondissement.
