For Marco Angeloni, CEO of Caruso, the Italian ultra-high-end menswear manufacturer and part of the Lanvin Group, a few keywords explain Caruso’s success.

“Passion. Quality. Consistency: this is how we have won and retained our customers. Our mantra, ‘playful elegance’, immediately sums up what we do and continue to do. We approach menswear with meticulous attention to detail, yet we also have the ability and courage to experiment with new fibres, colours and shapes, without forgetting our Neapolitan roots, where tailoring is fundamental.”

It is no coincidence that Caruso grew in a complex year like the one that has just ended,”thanks both to the Italian market, which now accounts for almost 30% of sales and has shown extraordinary resilience (with a 70% sell-through before markdowns), and to the Japanese market, whose highly discerning clientele has been won over by our quality, the refinement of our detailing and that inimitable, quintessentially Italian elegance that sets us apart,” Angeloni continued.

At the Caruso booth at Pitti, FashionNetwork.com also spoke with creative director Max Kibardin. The understanding between Kibardin and Angeloni is evident: the manager and the designer complement each other perfectly and share the same vision.

“We are a small team, we move quickly, the decision-making process is streamlined, and our messaging is clear and shared. We understand the importance of research and innovation in fabrics, colours and materials, and we are equally convinced that we must remain faithful to our heritage. We often anticipate trends precisely because of our research and our vision, yet we never stray too far from a reassuring territory in which the customer can feel at ease, as they are investing in wardrobe pieces designed to last,” Kibardin explained.

Angeloni added that, in a complex context like the current one, positioning Caruso within affordable luxury has paid off. “Our core offering sits in the €2,000 bracket, and, with a top-tier wholesale network, we have been recognised as delivering exceptional quality at a distinctly attractive price,” he expressed.

To the keywords cited by Angeloni as defining elements of Caruso’s brand identity, one can confidently add “experimentation”. Proof of this, beyond truly distinctive collection pieces such as the silk coat or the tailored parka, are the collaborations undertaken by the Soragna-based brand.

Following the jewellery collaboration with Villa Milano launched last year, Caruso will introduce during Milan Fashion Week a truly unconventional collaboration with Sanyocoat, a major Japanese player that has devoted more than 80 years to the art of making coats.

Together with its Japanese partner, Caruso has developed two trench coat models crafted from a special cotton gabardine with a three-dimensional herringbone pattern. The garments, strictly Made in Japan at the Sanyo Sewing Aomori Factory, feature balanced proportions for a soft, relaxed fit. The sleeves are raglan, inspired by the functional language of military uniforms; all finishing is done by hand; horn buttons are used; and details such as the collar and leather buckle express a sense of understated, measured craftsmanship in which every element is essential.

More than a collaboration, this is a dialogue between Italy and Japan that translates into a contemporary interpretation of outerwear, where artisanal know-how and innovation coexist in harmony. On Saturday, the trench coats will be shown during the Milan presentation, but a few months’ patience will be needed before they can be purchased from leading retailers in Europe and Japan.