Italy has always been famous for food and architecture, and according to Elisabetta Canali these two things influence both her family's tailoring business and Italian style in general.
Thanks to the ubiquity of pasta and pizza, you might not immediately think of Italian food as modern, but it underpins much of what we know today as contemporary cuisine. And not only in Italy itself, thanks to chefs and restaurants such as Alice Waters at Chez Panisse in California and Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers at The River Café in London, who espoused the Italian philosophy of taking the nest ingredients and cooking them as simply as possible. It's a philosophy Canali herself shares.
Shirt, £180. Trousers, £350. Both by Canali.
canali.com. Shoes by Santoni, £770.
santonishoes.com. Belt, stylist's own. Watch by Cartier, £12,500.
cartier.co.uk. Vespa, £3,599. At In Moto.
inmoto.com© Jake Walters
“As an Italian,” she says, “I think that to create a marvellous meal you have to start with the best and the freshest ingredients in the market. Even a simple pasta course served with chopped fresh ripe tomatoes, basil and good olive oil can be sublime. The ingredients of great tailoring are equally simple – craftsmanship, t and beautiful fabrics.” Like a classic risotto Milanese, the recipe isn't complicated but everything is carefully considered.
Jumper, £190. Shorts, £380. Both by Canali.
canali.com. Shoes by Harrys Of London, £425. harryso
ondon.com. Hat by Borsalino, £180. At
matchesfashion.com. Suitcase, stylist's own
© Jake Walters
Canali was founded in 1934 in Triuggio, a small town around 15 miles north of Milan, by brothers Giacomo and Giovanni Canali. Today it is run by the third generation and has grown to be one of the biggest names in Italian fashion, employing well over 1,000 tailors in factories across the country. Canali's proud heritage does not mean that it's not forward looking. “Every year we work closely with the mills in Biella [the heart of the Italian textiles industry] to produce amazing new blends of fabrics,” she explains. She is firmly of the opinion that even the classics can be improved – much like Milan's favourite cocktail, the Negroni Sbagliato, which came about when a Milanese barman was making a Negroni (the drink invented in Florence) and mistakenly added prosecco instead of gin.
Jacket, £2,820. Trousers, £670. Both by Canali.
canali.com. T-shirt by Sunspel, £70.
sunspel.com© Jake Walters
After nine years of holding fashion shows during Milan menswear weeks, this January Canali decided to hold a presentation instead, believing that to understand the brand you have to get up close. “It is more difficult to hold a presentation than a show,” she claims. “You have to be much more substantial. With a runway show the music and the spectacle itself can create a mood and deliver a message, but with a presentation you have to involve people so much more. The experience is much more cerebral.”
Polo shirt, £250. Trousers, £310. Both by Canali.
canali.com. Watch by Cartier, £12,500.
cartier.co.uk. Camera by Polaroid, £360. At Impossible.
impossible-project.com© Jake Walters
Canali's point about the beauty that surrounds Italians in stunning architecture is not necessarily concerned only with heritage. When you think of Milan it's not only the dramatic Gothic cathedral but also the Fifties Pirelli Tower by Gio Ponti, widely considered as one of the most beautiful skyscrapers ever built. Canali's headquarters, in the newly redeveloped Porto Nuova district, is strikingly modern. Its roof terrace overlooks the dramatically curved new Unicredit Tower – the tallest in Italy – and the Bosco Verticale ("Vertical Forest"), a pair of residential towers opened in 2014 that boast nearly 1,000 trees on their façades and have had an extraordinary influence on theories of architecture (and ecology) worldwide.
Blazer, £880. Trousers, £310. Both by Canali.
canali.com. Vest by Sunspel, £30.
sunspel.com. Shoes by Santoni, £670.
santonishoes.com© Jake Walters
Canali's head office itself is an exercise in contemporary elegance. Indeed, go to any Italian fashion industry office and you immediately see that the Italians understand the point of style from the ground up. Everything is considered, from the lighting on the reception desk to the furniture in the meeting room. Even the lavatories will be perfect – often with an elegant Phalaenopsis orchid by the sink. The only thing Italians don't seem to do well is light switches, but that is another story.
Blazer, £810. Trousers, £300. Both by Canali.
canali.com. Vest by Sunspel, £30. sunspel. com. Shoes by Santoni, £670.
santonishoes.com. Hat by Borsalino, £145. At
matchesfashion.com. Watch by Cartier, £13,400.
cartier.co.uk. Vespa, £3,599. At In Moto.
inmoto.com© Jake Walters
The secret to Canali's success is also down to its relationship with its customers. One of its proudest moments came in November 2008 when Barack Obama was photographed waving to supporters in his home town of Chicago. His suit jacket fell open and there was the label proclaiming Canali. It's publicity most brand owners would sell their grandmothers for, but not Canali, who treated the incident with admirable discretion.
Jumper, £190. Shorts, £380. Both by Canali.
canali.com. Shoes by Harrys Of London, £425. harryso
ondon.com. Hat by Borsalino, £180. At
matchesfashion.com. Suitcase, stylist's own
© Jake Walters
“We treat all our customers the same,” she says, “whether presidents or play- boys. Each one is equally important to us and the consumer is central to our strategy – and to our universe – whether he is buying ready-to-wear or made- to-measure. Every man is looking for something special, so if they are going to choose Canali we have to ensure we are unique. So, while our values remain the same, the way we make pieces changes. We are determined to succeed and have a passion for quality, beauty and excellence – it is a dedication to 'doing' and a passion for 'doing well'.”