The charm of nonchalant elegance. Stories of Sicilian tailoring for men.

When we talk about fashion and design, we take for granted the concept of contemporaneousness. Starting out by studying traditions before producing new objects could come across as a paradox and, very probably, to a certain extent, it is indeed in this paradox that the very charm of studying tradition lies. This study has investigated how the men’s tailoring industry has found in the south of Italy, and more, precisely in Sicily, its own characteristic expression and well-defined identity, fruit of the meeting between the particular historical and social fabric of the location and the uniform of the middleclass man, codified by the England of the 1800s. In this way, differentiating itself from the other Italian tailoring traditions, the tradition of the south gen-erated a characteristic product and a way of wearing it that was just as distinctive, but always in line with the context in which it was introduced. With a view to analyzing the local traditions, the study has also identified the use of hand-sewing techniques as another typical element, which today persists in Sicily. At the end of this study, we will understand the approach of a design that, based on the strong points of the local traditional heritage, no longer aspires to create artisanal products, but products of design, unique objects capable of telling a story, promoting the past and the spirit of the period.