Kiton

In 1968, the tailor Ciro Paone founded the Kiton company, named after a sleeveless garment of the ancient Greeks. He set his goals to fostering the highest level of tailoring skills, and personally supervised the inspection of each suit. Paone was downright cruel to fabric manufacturers, mercilessly rejecting any batch whose quality was not satisfactory. Kiton's style is Neapolitan: the shoulders are softly rounded and unpadded, the chest structure very light, the fabrics light and airy, and craftsmanship has been lavished on details to show off pure skill. Some eighteen thousand suits are made per year, ranging in price from 4,000 euros to 13,000 euros. Most of these require at least 25 hours of work and the work of 45 different tailors. The most famous suit model is the K-50, a true triumph of tailoring, requiring fifty hours of work and costing up to 45,000 euros when created from the most outrageous fabrics.

Ciro's line has paid off, as today Kiton is known as one of the most renowned friends to the suited man, with its red ball logo known among enthusiasts. All of the company's shirts as well are hand-made, while the ties are handcrafted from start to finish. In recent years, the company has expanded its collection to include footwear, sportswear, fragrances and women's clothing. Paone has also founded Kiton's own tailoring school, where future generations can learn from meticulous craftsmen.