Carlo Andreacchio

Sartoria A. Caraceni

Tailor

©Eleonora Proietti

The secret cut

Carlo's craft is a blend of art, love and tradition
26 measurements are necessary to make a suit
He diligently trains young apprentices

Sartoria A. Caraceni tailor shop was founded in 1946 by Augusto Caraceni, when he moved to Milan from Paris after the war. It was continued by his son Mario, who retired in 1998, leaving the business to his daughter Rita Maria and his son-in-law Carlo Andreacchio. The family tradition continues today through Carlo’s son Massimiliano, who is the only other person apart from his father who knows the secret of the famous Augusto Caraceni cut. “All our garments are strictly stitched by hand in the old sartorial tradition,” explains Carlo, “which has been passed from generation to generation and lives on in the young people who come to us to learn it. We can proudly say that we feel like the keepers of an art which represents both the past and the future of Italy, and which is appreciated and sought-after throughout the world despite the advances of modern technology and innovation.”

Interview

Was becoming a tailor your goal in life?: Absolutely. As a child, I loved creating dresses for my sisters' dolls, but growing up I had to put aside my passion to devote myself to another type of work. Over time, my desire to become a tailor strengthened and when I met my wife, Rita Maria Caraceni, descendant from a family of tailors, I realised that this was my path.
How did you learn you craft?: At 25, a little before starting to work for my father-in-law, in the evening from seven to midnight I took private lessons. It takes an incalculable time to hold the chalk, the scissors, everything. I progressed quickly, and when I got here I went straight into the cutting room.
Is cutting your specialisation?: Yes. It’s a work of great stress and responsibility. If the tailor makes a mistake in sewing, it can be repaired. But if the cutter makes the wrong cut, everything has to be thrown away.
What is a memorable moment in your career?: One day a gentleman dressed extravagantly and with his hair in a pigtail entered my shop. I was tempted to refuse to dress him... Fortunately I didn't, because that client was the unforgettable Karl Lagerfeld!

Carlo Andreacchio is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1972