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Posts with keyword "Isaia" 11 result(s)

Doing it the Milan way...

The gentlemen of Isaia at Pitti Uomo!


Sr. Leonardo Genova and Agyesh Madan

by Ben Tobar
January 11, 2012

Isaia, A.K.RIKK'S

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That shirt is how much!?!?

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Just had a gentlemen stop in the store who was admiring the pattern choices of our Isaia and Ermenegildo Zegna shirting fabrics. He was quite excited to see all that we had to offer and began to hoard them into a small pile; that is until he pulled out a price tag. The dialogue that followed is something that happens from time to time at our business. 


"Is this shirt really X amount?"
"Yes, sir."
"What makes it that price?"

(Insert deep breath) "Well..."

I could talk about fabric, and how the cotton is woven so tightly that it is resistant to wrinkles. Or, I could talk about how there are no chemicals used in making the cotton that can irritate your skin. Or I could talk about the minuscule pleating that is found around each seam that shows hand craftsmanship and is there to give the seams of the shirt a little bit of give (translate: stretch). I could also talk about the four to six man hours it takes to complete one shirt. 

However, I am not going to talk about any of those things. I am just going to talk about buttons. The buttons on each of these shirts are hand cut from coral shells distinctive to the Mediterranean. They are known for their resilience and their resistance to heat/cracking, and each one is polished and sewn on by hand. To put things in perspective, one should compare these coral buttons to plastic buttons. When a shirting company purchases plastic buttons they buy them in bulk; meaning on average 1,000 buttons go for about $1.00. Each coral button, that's right, one coral button costs $1.00. SOOOO....after doing the math on one shirt, in just buttons, it cost the company around $14.00. That is the kind of attention to detail you will find in every special piece you find at A.K.RIKK'S. 

"The memory of bad quality lasts longer than the shock of high prices"

As you were.

Registered Tartan

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Isaia just released press images for their official registered tartan fabric for Fall/Winter of 2011. Such a cool bordeaux combinations of color that would be great made into a pant to pair with Isaia's navy aqua-cashmere sailor jacket, or for the braver man, a full three piece suit? This is the beauty of custom garments, the world is your oyster. 


PS: This one's for Greg S. in the Chi (all you brother)

New York buying trip: Isaia

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Such a pleasure to see Victor and talk about the upcoming S/S 2012 season from one of the staff's favorites: Isaia. As always the brand really showed up to the table with a palette as colorful as a gelato vendors choices. Can't believe I have to wait a whole year till my white mohair dinner jacket comes in! Ugh!

Blueberry Suit?

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It's finally summer, the cold frozen tundra has melted away to reveal one of nature's great gifts: the blueberry. You could incorporate it into a summer smoothie or maybe one of Grandma's succulent pies; but the folks here at A.K.RIKK'S along with Isaia thought it might be best to use the indigo fruit in say...a suit!

Using ancient dying techniques, the fabric specialists in Napoli have foregone all synthetic coloring processes on their wool and decided to go all natural using only these berries to color the blues in a very select number of their suits. What better way to find the perfect summer hue of navy than to let nature pick it for you!
If you would like to see one of these beauties, call for an appointment, we would love to show off a little!


Red Coral

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From the uptown Manhattan by the park to the cobblestone streets of Napoli all the way to the doors at A.K.RIKK's; we are proud to have Isaia as a part of our family. Join us this Friday as we welcome Victor deLeon to the store for fittings and a showcase of exclusive fabrics. Cocktail hour starts when you arrive.

Light on White

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It's the name of the game for Isaia this Spring/Summer season. Incredibly durable light fabrics in a color range that suggests a laid back vibe with a sophisticated nod to fashion a few decades ago. 


On a side note the color of the suit in the first pic is made through a completely natural process of dyeing using only blueberries. Luxury with an eco-conscious twist!

by Ben Tobar
March 24, 2011

Isaia, A.K.RIKK'S

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Italian Alps

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Ran into Ryan this weekend and somehow the conversation stumbled onto an amazing trip he took to the Swiss Alps to ski. I guess he took a wrong turn and ended up in Italy in a small hamlet without a passport and cell phone!

One would think this would be an international disaster of sorts, but according to him, with a few extra Euro's, crossing international borders is not out of the question (attention: TSA/Dep. of Homeland Security)....anyway I am getting off on another tangent. 
Our conversation made me think about what my adventures might look like in the Italian/Swiss Alps, which made me think of the great add campaign Isaia had this year which is centered around the idea of what Hemingway might do if he was obsessed with the Alps instead of the southern Spanish coast and wrote "From the Garden of Eden" in a Swiss chalet instead of a Bahamian hammock.

by Ben Tobar
December 13, 2010

Isaia

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Isaia & Montante Cicli

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If you happen to stop by the Napoli Isaia shop next time you find yourself stranded amidst the Italian country-side, you might want to go inside and have a tailor with forty years experience measure you for a new Isaia suit. As you finish your wine and are walking through the shop you will notice a bicycle or two strewn about the place. If you feel the need to ask and have a desire to cruise about the city a "La Dolce Vita", one of the specialists can fit you for a custom bicycle by Milan based Montante Cicli. The unique thing about this bicycle is that it has you, the sartorialist that you are in mind. Not only is the bike customized to your height, weight, and riding ability; you can give it the sense of sprezzatura that you already possess by choosing the (Isaia cloth) fabric for the seat and the handlebars. The bike was designed specifically with the well dressed man in mind with splash guards on the wheels to make sure you are not drenched; it also has a felt covering that encapsulates the gears and chain to ensure no grease streaks your brown suede brogues. The details that can be attended to could fill a book, just know that this is a jewel on two wheels made for the man with the priceless wardrobe.

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