On Thursday last week, The Star newspaper carried a story titled “Suited Up: The label behind President Uhuru”.
Apparently, Uhuru has joined the exclusive list of very rich people who get their suits handmade by Italian fashion house Brioni. These suits are regarded as some of the best in the world, and that will explain why they’re preferred by the who’s who. From James Bond, to Koffi Annan, Donald Trump to even Nelson Mandela.
Brioni was founded in 1945 in Rome. Designer Nazareno Fonticoli teamed up with entrepreneur Gaetano Savini to create a brand that specialises in handmade suits. Over the years, their suits have become popular due to their attention to detail.
When you walk into any of their outlets, a master tailor gets your measurements, and one of the 900 tailors then works on it. The only use of machine is at the final touches stages. Everything else is hand sewn and that may explain why a single suit takes up to 35 hours to get ready.
To be a tailor at Brioni, a four-year apprenticeship must be undergone at the Fonticoli Superiore di Sartoria tailoring school in Italy.
The custom-tailored suits range from $6,500 (Sh552,500) to $47,500 (Sh4,037,500).
About 25,000 people worldwide own these exclusive suits, and our president happens to be one of them. His power suit was clearly evident during his inauguration.
Locally, Little Red at the Yaya Centre is the exclusive stockist of the brand. Apparently, a master tailor visits the premises twice a year to take the measurements of their clients.
It is not clear how much President Uhuru’s suits go for, but if Orengo wears a Sh 0.5 million suit, why not the richest president in Africa.
© nairobiwire.com
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