Kiton

Industrial tailor’s workshop. Established in 1968 in Arzano, near Naples, by Ciro Paone and Antonio Carola, it counts at present 250 tailors. The refinement of its fabrics and handmade stitching limit their annual production to only a few thousand pieces. The artisans no longer work in the studio, but in an avant-garde structure in which personal skill and experience merge in the groups’ synergy, thus creating rigorously handmade suits equal to the best of Naples’ tailoring school, and always faithful to the rules of traditional elegance. Much care is also given to ties. Taking a silk square to start with, only two ties are manufactured, using a folding pattern taken from local traditions. A tiny hem finishes the tie to give it thickness. The chosen patterns are only micro-geometric patterns or plain dyed backgrounds that are purely in the classic tradition. Kiton distributes its products in the most prestigious clothing shops in the world.
&Quad;1998, March. Kiton won a Sotheby’s auction for the clothing Collection of the Duke of Windsor. The wardrobe was exhibited at the Excelsior Hotel in Florence.
&Quad;1999. The President of Italy, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, nominated Ciro Paone a “Cavaliere di Lavoro”, a high honor for people in industry.
&Quad;2000. The launch of the sporting line Kiton Outdoor; opening of the second factory in Arzano and of the branch office in Via Sant’Andrea.
&Quad;2003. The company employed more than 300 workers and its suits are distributed in 21 countries, with sales points in ten cities in Japan, two in Russia (Moscow and Cellabinsk), in Mexico, Syria and Israel.