Brioni sketches from the 1970s
Brioni sketches from the 1970s

History

seven decades of roman style

Since 1945

Founded in Rome by visionary duo Nazareno Fonticoli, a Master Tailor, and his business partner Gaetano Savini, Brioni swiftly established a reputation as the go-to sartorial destination for the discerning Roman gentleman. Fonticoli and Savini’s partnership was a marriage of technical skill and creative entrepreneurship that would define Brioni’s heritage, and continues to drive the brand today.

Brioni founders Nazareno Fonticoli and Gaetano Savini
Brioni founders Nazareno Fonticoli and Gaetano Savini
Brioni first store on Via Barberini 79, Rome
Brioni first store on Via Barberini 79, Rome

The first Brioni store was on Via Barberini 79, in the heart of Rome, offering bespoke garments, handmade shoes, and accessories, in a range of exclusive materials, all executed to an impeccable standard. Brioni became synonymous with status, indicating the lifestyle of the international jet set. Society’s most prestigious and powerful, from Hollywood icons to heads of state, were queuing up to be dressed by the store’s artisan tailors.

As the brand went from strength to strength, the founders kept at the forefront of innovation by investing in a new form of production. In 1959, with a view to increasing capacity whilst maintaining a sartorial approach, Brioni opened an atelier in Penne, Abruzzo. From here, the company revolutionised high-end tailoring as we know it, by improving production capabilities whilst maintaining the brand’s trademark handmade quality.

Tailors and seamstresses at work in the Brioni atelier in Rome, 1960s
Tailors and seamstresses at work in the Brioni atelier in Rome, 1960s

Throughout its history the effortless Roman approach, flawlessly combined with unrivalled excellence in craftsmanship, has guided the House’s philosophy and been translated through the collections.

American actor John Wayne is fitted for a Brioni suit in the atelier in Rome, 1950s
American actor John Wayne is fitted for a Brioni suit in the atelier in Rome, 1950s
Brioni designs shown at the Waldorf-Astoria during the World’s Fair in New York City, 1964
Brioni designs shown at the Waldorf-Astoria during the World’s Fair in New York City, 1964
Members of the Brioni team in London for a fashion show at the Hyde Park Hotel, 1959
Members of the Brioni team in London for a fashion show at the Hyde Park Hotel, 1959
Models wearing Brioni ensembles at the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana in Rome, 1960s
Models wearing Brioni ensembles at the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana in Rome, 1960s
A Brioni dinner jacket in red and black wool, 1960s
A Brioni dinner jacket in red and black wool, 1960s
A Brioni dinner jacket in silk and gold lamé, 2000s
A Brioni dinner jacket in silk and gold lamé, 2000s
A Brioni double-breasted tuxedo jacket in silk paisley with black satin lapels, 1960s
A Brioni double-breasted tuxedo jacket in silk paisley with black satin lapels, 1960s

The innovative silhouettes eclipsed the conventional English style which had dominated the industry, transforming Brioni into the reference for Roman tailoring - an effortless ideal of elegance was established, and would become recognized worldwide.

In 2020, Brioni celebrated its 75th anniversary in the framing of the Sala Bianca of a prestigious Renaissance-style Florentine Palazzo. Returning to Florence, the House retraced the steps that accompanied the beginning of its legendary history.

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