Smalto
the international luxury ready-to-wear and made-to-measure brand for men founded in 1962 by Francesco Smalto, presented its autumn-winter 2013 collection on the Quai de la Tournelle during Paris Fashion Week a few weeks ago.
A house known for perpetuating the tradition of made-to-measure tailoring, once again this year Young Chong BakSmalto’s Artistic Director since 2007, once again adheres to her dogmas and philosophy. Each suit requires at least 70 hours of work and is made entirely by hand. That’s a lot of work when you consider that every politician and CEO wears Smalto, whether at work or in the evening, in the country or in the city. In fact, Smalto also offers complete ready-to-wear lines, in the form of formal wear, formal wear and, of course, casual chic, not forgetting a wide range of accessories. 
With its noble materials, timeless, well-crafted cuts and top-of-the-range quality, Smalto juggles classic with elegance. The techniques instituted by Francesco Smalto are reflected in certain details of the suit: the rolled shoulder, the square-plated lapel, the topstitching 4 mm from the edge, the shallow but wide armhole, the Milanese buttonhole and the « plane ticket » pocket. The jacket is interfaced using the traditional « full canvas » technique: no thermobonding is used to maintain the fabric’s suppleness. 
The Smalto man represents the figure of the ideal man: classy (a neologism coined by Gainsbourg), elegant, a touch stuffy, but lending a confident gait and a certain audacity to anyone wearing a Smalto suit.
Once again this year, the DAs have decided to present the new collection in the form of scenes from the real life of a man of the world. I particularly like this concept, which is original to say the least: we have the impression of entering a private gentleman’s club, which we imagine to be quite popular: we discover men in refined lounges, busy talking, drinking, playing poker, but also the man at the shoeshine shop or his barber. Scenes synonymous with ease, chic and masculine presence. The masculine universe in all its splendor, portrayed in these very commonplace scenes. And if we had to sum up the collection in a few words: simple, concise, precise, elegant, sharp and select. 
A little last-minute news: we’ve just learned that Smalto has become the new official dresser of the French soccer team. What do you think?
I’d like to end with this inspired proverb: If the suit doesn’t make the man, the Smalto suit does.
Sophie Farjon
