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During my recent “Roman Holiday”, a friend strongly urged me to pay a visit to Rodolfo Caleffi, the owner of the atelier of the same name, strategically positioned opposite Palazzo Montacitorio, the capital’s Camera dei Deputati building. The shop expands over two storeys, with the ground floor dedicated to ready-to-wear attire and accessories. “Your visit comes at a delicate moment for us,” begins Rodolfo. “Of the twelve family members who own this shop, I am the only one left who wants to keep it open.” Family disputes aside, Caleffi remains an outstanding point of reference for the classically-attired gent. Thanks to its location, it counts many former presidents of Italy amongst its clients, including Cossiga who “on the very day of his inauguration as President of the lower chamber, came here to redo his entire wardrobe,” the proprietor recalls.
My eye skimmed over the brands present in the shop, but my attention was caught by the made-to-measure shirts that Caleffi himself creates. They offer two lines: one of €160, hand-cut, but machine-sewn; the other costs €220, but is hand-stitched. They are produced in an external workshop in Boccea, he carries out an initial fitting for the collar and cuffs, and the final product is ready in around 3 weeks, unless you plea an emergency situation. He attaches the sleeve with the sides already closed, and positions the sleeve based on the posture of the client, the stitching of the sleeve to the flank overlapping. I encountered this same trait on the ready-to-wear shirts, too. Finally, upon request, he can make a non-fused (one that is not glued) reverse collar, known in the local Roman dialect as “bombarozzo”, for its thick edges.
Bespoke hugs,
Fabio
UPDATE: Caleffi closed the business at the beginning of 2016
