From dealing with the sales guy to choosing lapels—everything you need to know about buying the perfect suit.

1. Use the salesperson to your advantage
He’ll tell you whatever you want to hear—that everything looks great on you, that the store’s tailor can fix any suit. And you can almost be guaranteed his sense of style will be different from yours. For all these reasons, you need to know as much as possible about how a suit should fit and what kind of suit you’re looking for before you walk through the door. Remember, you’re the boss, not him. If you need his/her help finding the size and style you want, do so. Remember you will most likely be able to find the same suit online for half the price.

2. Know why you’re buying a suit
Are you hunting for a suit that you’re going to wear to the office once or more a week? (If so, keep it dark and classic.) Or are you looking for a suit you’ll wear a few times a year to weddings and funerals? (Black or navy is a safe bet.) Is it a suit you’ll wear to job interviews? (If so, you want to be well dressed but not better dressed than the guy interviewing you, so nothing too pricey.) Or is it the kind you’d wear with sneakers and a T-shirt, or wear just the jacket with a pair of jeans? (Think designer, Ermenegildo Zegna, Giorgio Armani, or Canali, not Brooks Brothers or Hickey Freeman.)

3. Start at a department store but purchase online
When you’re ready to start shopping, grab a friend who won’t hesitate to provide you with a blunt opinion, and head to a store like Barneys or Saks or Bloomingdale’s. You’ll be able to view a variety of brands instead of just one. Once you’re inside, do a lap of the suit floor by yourself. See what styles are carried—what grabs your attention. Look at prices. Ask for a salesman when you’re good and ready. Now, allow the salesperson to help you find your size if necessary. Once you determined the correct size it is time to go online to the Best Designer Suit Store and save enough money to buy a second suit or a pair of shoes.

4. Know your size
It sounds obvious, but it’s not. The most crucial element of a suit is its fit, and not many sales guys understand how a suit should fit or, more specifically, how you want yours to fit. Before you step into a dressing room, get a handle on the various components of a suit…
Shoulders:
The suit’s shoulders should hug yours; shoulder pads should not protrude beyond your own shoulders. If you stand sideways against a wall and the shoulder pad touches the wall before your arm does, the suit is too big.
Chest:
You should be able to easily button the jacket without it straining. Conversely, there shouldn’t be too much space between the button and your chest—no more than a fist’s worth.
Length:
When your arms are hanging straight down, you should be able to cup your fingers under the sides of your suit jacket. However, these days, with shorter suits in style, some jackets reach only about an inch beyond the cuff of your suit sleeve.

5. Start thinking about the number of buttons
Now you need to think about the style of the suit itself. The first thing you need to consider is the number of buttons on the suit. This will determine a good deal about the cut and fit. Here are some basic pointers:
The three-button suit became the dominant look in the 1990s; it now seems to be the standard young man’s choice. Instead of opting for one of those high-cut versions, look for one with a roll-over lapel—one in which you button the middle button, encouraging the soft lapel to roll over the top button.

For years the two-button suit was the go-to conservative, Capitol Hill getup. Now every fashion label imaginable is designing two-button suits, except they’re making them more streamlined and modern. This cut is what’s most in style right now.
If you’re looking for something rakish, a bit more high-style, try a one-button suit. It’s not for everyone, but if you can pull it off, it’s a sleek look.

6. Think about the vents on the back of the suit jacketA center vent is all-purpose; it is both modern and traditional. You can’t go wrong.
Side vents are more European; a bit more suave.
A ventless jacket is just plain wrong. It says you think it’s still 1986.

7. …and the type of lapel
A notch lapel—what you see on most business suits—is the standard. You’re always safe with a notch lapel.
A peak lapel is more old-school and elegant. And now it’s enjoying a comeback with the high-fashion crowd. It makes a statement.

8. Now head to the dressing room
If you’re not wearing a dress shirt and dress shoes, ask for them; a good store should be able to hook you up. Then, find the three-way mirror and size up your suit. And not just the jacket. Consider the pants, too: They should be comfortable, and the rise (where the pants sit on your waist) shouldn’t be too high or too low for your taste. If you don’t think the pants fit right, try on another suit.

9. Know what a tailor can—and can’t—do for you
Here are the areas you should direct your tailor’s attention to:
Shoulders: If your suit doesn’t fit in the shoulders, it’s not going to fit anywhere else. Salesmen will tell you they can reduce or reshape the shoulder pads—don’t listen to them.
Pants: If the pants are an inch or so too tight or too large in the waist, a tailor can usually fix them. But if it’s more than an inch, you’re asking for trouble.
Jacket: A tailor usually will need to alter the length of the sleeves. Insist that you’d like a quarter inch of shirt cuff to show. The sides of a jacket often need tapering so they contour to your torso. And check out the collar: Many times there is a roll in the back of the suit jacket, up near your neck. A good tailor can correct this.

Any tailoring required to obtain that perfect can be done locally with funds saved by shopping online.

By RAY A. SMITH

Every workday, scores of businessmen go through the motion of putting on a dark suit and tie. These men end up looking almost indistinguishable from every other guy—and that's part of the problem.
For the man who wants to stand out, but not stick out, there are ways both subtle and bold to inject personality into a suit-and-tie look without prompting gawks from the office peanut gallery.

The trick is navigating how much to push the personalization. The look must be comfortable and confident, never forced or affected. Taken too far a man risks being accused of having a mid-life crisis or becoming a slave to fashion.

Suiting Up
Popular in the big-shouldered '80s, the double-breasted suit is mounting a comeback.

"Personalizing your suit demonstrates confidence and creativity," says David Lisbon, a menswear personal shopper at Bloomingdale's Manhattan flagship store.

Men just starting their careers may see the suit-and-tie thing as restrictive, a capitulation to a future of being just another bland man in a gray flannel suit. Older men may want to add some personal flair to their old standard.

Robin Walker, a Chicago-based image strategist, says her average client is 45 to 60 years old: "They are bored wearing the same old stuff," she says. "It may be stress-free and a no-brainer but they are tired of looking at it."

At the men's fashion shows in Europe late last month, some designers showed suits accessorized with gauzy scarves, T-shirts, sandals and even shorts.
Still, a man has to know when to say what's right and what's not for him—and avoid being a slave to outré runway looks.

Often, personalizing a suit just involves small tweaks and accessories. That can mean something that isn't immediately apparent to others, like a barely there pocket square. Or a leather braided or beaded bracelet worn just above the watch, recommends Eric Jennings, men's fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue. "When you're reaching for your glass of wine or fork, [others] will see a flash of it." Mr. Jennings says he noticed a number of men wearing such bracelets last month in Italy, where he was attending menswear shows.

Another way to personalize a suit is with a custom belt, suggests Mr. Lisbon. The Trafalgar label, for example, has a program in which shoppers choose belt color, leather type, buckle and monogram style.

When it comes to cufflinks, going whimsical and quirky is acceptable, says Mr. Lisbon, so long as the designs aren't objectionable or offensive (no pin-up girls). Cufflinks can add a hint of color and humor to a more conservative look and also reflect the wearer's off-work interests with, say, a golf motif or images of sailboats.

A pocket square is an easy way to distinguish a suit. "It's a small thing but it does speak volumes," sending the message you care about the way you present yourself, says Mr. Jennings.

"Don't get hung up on the proper way to fold it," he adds. "There is no right or wrong way." Mr. Jennings notes that the Brunello Cucinelli label showed pocket squares folded in a number of different ways at a recent trade show.

The perfect suit watch is an equal mix of conservative and trendy, says Mr. Lisbon. He recommends a Frederique Constant model that is rose gold, which is popular right now, but is otherwise understated. While it can be worn with many suits, "it just oomphs up the classic khaki suit," he says.

Ms. Walker says it's OK to be a bit adventurous with the watch, choosing one that has a bolder face or evokes a certain time period. "It means [others] will have something to talk about when they shake your hand."
Leather bracelets, called wristlets, can be worn above a watch for a personalized look. Ms. Walker says one of her clients, who is more rock'n'roll when off the clock, wears a skull and crossbones bracelet under his suit to reflect that part of his personality.

She approves. "The outside of the suit is for everybody else, the inside is for you," she says.

Double-Breasted Lite

The double-breasted suit, popular in the big-shouldered '80s, is mounting a comeback. It was all over the runways at the recent spring 2012 men's shows in Europe and the July issue of GQ featured a double-breasted suit jacket on its cover for the first time since 1998. The look can give off a yacht captain or Masters of the Universe vibe without attention to a man's accessories. One key to personalizing the double-breasted suit (Z Zegna, $1,275, above), Bloomingdale's David Lisbon says, is to invest in a newer model that's slimmed down with four buttons rather than the typical six or more. Since the jacket covers more chest than a single-breasted, adding a lot of color with the tie (Turnbull & Asser, $185) and pocket square (Duchamp, $85) is the crucial play. A briefcase bag (Salvatore Ferragamo, $990), rather than a traditional boxy briefcase, also diffuses the stuffiness.

Power Khaki

In some people's minds, a khaki suit (the Men's Store Bloomingdale's, $350) can come off as Dockers-casual. While it's less formal than a wool suit, there are ways to personalize it to hit a sweet spot between basic-dressy and sporty. One way: Ditch the tie and focus on the shirt color, says Bloomingdale's David Lisbon. This bold purple-and-white check patterned shirt (Eton, $245), makes for a sophisticated, office-appropriate look. Other company men will wear their khaki suit with a tie, so going without will appear unique in a good way. Add a simple white sneaker (Jack Purcell for Converse, $80), as opposed to an athletic sneaker, to 'make it a little bit more summery nice,' Mr. Lisbon says. For the man who's just not a sneakers-guy, he recommends a slip-on loafer in some shade of brown. Adding a sleek, soft, attaché-style brown leather bag (Jack Spade, $375) 'dresses up the suit a tad,' Mr. Lisbon adds.

Urban Southern

In the wrong hands, a seersucker suit (Hugo Boss, $795) can look like a costume from the old-timey South—one reason some men find seersucker hard to pull off. The key to owning this look is to make the warm-weather Southern fixture more urbane, starting with the shoes. 'You're taking something classic and adding edge to it with a nice brown monkstrap, with or without a sock,' says Bloomingdale's David Lisbon. The shoe (Bruno Magli, $570) also helps dress up the seersucker. A simple pocket square—seersucker already makes enough of a statement so no need to go wild—adds a touch of formality, while the slim cotton tie (The Men's Store Bloomingdale's, $59.50) keeps the look relaxed and balanced. Another modernizing accessory is a backpack (Prada, $830) with a top handle so it can be carried by hand to a meeting, without wrinkling the jacket shoulder.

The New Navy

For the man who wants to project to the wider world that he is conservative but signal to intimates that he has some style tricks up his sleeves, start with a navy suit (Canali, $1,695). Whimsical light-blue cufflinks (Jenny Knott, $350) stay in the blue family but add a pop of color that mostly will be noticed by people in direct contact with the wearer. Socks (Duchamp, $35) are another opportunity to sneak in some personal style, says Bloomingdale's David Lisbon. 'He can be very conservative on top but show personal flair on the bottom.' Mr. Lisbon recommends a tie bar, 'which adds that extra layer of sophistication.' Look for one with some texture or engraving (Burberry, $150). For shoes, Mr. Lisbon prescribes moving away from the expected lace-up with a simple loafer with a modern edge, and less of a rounded toe. A loafer (Salvatore Ferragamo, $570) also tends to be lower in the front, a better way to flash a bit of fun sock color.

Preppy versus bohemian; those were the two main looks fighting for supremacy at the men’s shows in New York.

Squaring up in the preppy corner were Calvin Klein, Antonio Azzuolo, Billy Reid and hipster label Band of Outsiders. The most applauded show of the season was Calvin Klein, where designer Italo Zucchelli’s use of waffle materials and puffed-up tweeds enhanced the models’ air of authority, while exaggerated blousons and padded trench coats gave the consummate alpha male on display a cartoonish superhero twist.

Blazers in bouclé wool and Linton tweed appeared at Antonio Azzuolo’s French take on the preppy theme, which was inspired by the Seeberger Brothers’ early 20th-century photos of smart French resorts. In spite of the label’s non-conformist name, Band of Outsiders’ show evoked wholesome university graduates in college scarves, Native American-inspired graphic cardigans and wool blanket coats.

Another strike for the preppy gang came from Billy Reid, a southern gent who won the Best New Menswear Designer in America award last year before scooping the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize. He gave his gents a rugged masculine air with dinner jackets in undyed velvet and waxy leather pea coats worn over construction boots that were soiled but still polished.

Meanwhile, Andrew Buckler, Richard Chai and John Varvatos flew the flag for a more bohemian approach.
Andrew Buckler’s boys strutted out on to the snow-streaked SoHo street where he staged his show wearing floppy necked T-shirts, rock star-like mechanic boots, yellow leggings and oversized cardigans with hoods, recalling the painters and sculptors who used to inhabit this neighbourhood.
If Buckler’s catwalk character also had a posh attitude, taking meetings with his agent in sleek double-breasted jackets and canary yellow parkas, happening designer Richard Chai imagined someone with such a bohemian disregard for convention that they might wear a dressing gown to a restaurant. Think pyjama tops with crisp pants and cardigans and long-john leggings with shiny nylon coats. For fringes-of-society-chic, there was John Varvatos and his artful dodger-style frayed suits and great bashed-up Dickensian wingtip boots with khaki cloth sides, while slightly wrecked jeans are still de rigueur at Buckler, Varvatos and Ralph Lauren.

At Tommy Hilfiger and Lauren, however, the lines between these two dominating concepts were more blurred. Lauren, the ultimate establishment brand, launched a whole new range of rugged jeans called Black Label Denim. Although brand new, they looked as if artists in Brooklyn bedsits had worn them in over a couple of years. Tommy Hilfiger, who already has a collection entitled Prep World, also mixed up the opposing ideas with a show he called “Indie Prep” after “the meeting of indie rocker and college preppy”. Staged in West Village restaurant The Lion – decorated like a Pall Mall private members’ club with panelling and quirky prints – the show also featured the key outerwear of the American season – the big blanket coat, ideally in broad horizontal stripes. After a bitter winter left every street corner in Manhattan covered in black ice, perhaps it’s little wonder that designers created something so cozy.
It wasn’t until a rather quirky event entitled “The Ultimate Dream Date”, however, that the winner of the sartorial battle was clear. Financed by toymaker Mattel, the show involved designers such as Billy Reid, Simon Spurr, Yigal Azrouel and Michael Bastian creating a range of clothes for Barbie’s “beau” Ken. The result – a college-boy array of New England beach shorts and sailing sweaters with miniature Scottish and American flags and even a wool tam o’ shanter – was a deciding blow for the preppy crew.

Having a suit is very important for men’s wardrobe. In fact, they hierarchy of fashion, any high-quality suit stays a man’s only trump card. Even in today’s age of casual-wear, the men suit yet carries an air of achievement, experience, and superiority. Men’s suits are especially designed to make you appear much better than normal wear, to break the gap among social classes, to make a less heighted man tall with pinstripes suit and to make a fat man look slimmer. Suits usually look great when you go to restaurants, travel, events, dinner parties, work place or Paris; in other words, anywhere you go. This is the best and complete form of dress, which can never fail.

Unfortunately some of the suits may look ugly and awful, but then it is not necessary. Even if you are at work for 9 hours with your suit on, being watchful of the suit clothing would certainly keep you prepare for a party after work. Again few men does not really know how to care and how to wear suit and untimely land up looking horrible, this should obviously be avoided.

However before buying a men suit there certain general rules that needs to be followed:

- Regardless of the suit style, fitting is what you need the most. This simply means all suit pieces must be cut and stitched appropriately in your shape. Actually, this does not ask to spend you lot of money but then you just need to be watchful and little brains to ignore any syrupy compliments a salesman may give.

- Trends have six-to-eighteen-month shelf lives. If you plan to retire your suit in this window, feel free to splurge. Otherwise, shop considerately.

- Normally any trend goes for about six to twelve months. If you are now planning to retire your purchased suit in this season, then feel free to overdo. In other case, do shop thoughtfully.

- Men Suits are made up of wool or cotton, and some of their variations. Do not go with additional fabrics.

- You are an attractive, positive, colorful man. Let your surroundings learn that from how you act, not from the tag on your jacket.

- A suit coat goes only with suit pants, does not go with jeans or chinos. If you desire a casual jacket, purchase a sport-coat or may be a blazer.

- It is important to know what to need to wear along with your suit. Unless you’re a chic confident guy, keep it easy: any decent light colored shirt, dark tie will surely work for you.

- A self-effacingly, chic man has never failed to make an impression. Note it.

Know that you do not require ten suits to decorate the wardrobe, just four is sufficient. This simply means that you could be a discerning shopper and spend more time accumulating, and then maintaining it in good condition (dry cleaning a year and keeping away from spills will do).

Giorgio Armani is a fashion icon. He is known in particular for his menswear although as many of his peers have done, he has branched out into other areas.

For the most part Armani adheres to simpler designs and patterns, and for this reason his men’s ties have become classics which never go out of style.

There’s a reason why Armani is one of the top fashion brands in the world. And that it is because of designer and founder Giorgio Armani. And when asked about hiring new breed of fashion designers for the fashion house, the 76-year-old explained that he is happy with the way things are and added that when changed need to be mane, it is better to have someone who already works for the firm take over.

One of Armani’s tenets is for a designer to be true to themselves and their philosophy. Unfortunately many people dabble in a variety of areas without a vision or sense of self, and in the end lack the consistency that Armani has attained over the years.
But that doesn’t mean that we have seen the last of this genius’ work, because he has no intention of standing down from his fashion house soon.
He said, “I want to go out and run my company with the people that I have. This is a company that is going into the future with whatever changes and evolutions are needed. If you put in a different design talent, say someone spectacular like Galliano, it wouldn’t be Armani anymore.”
That is why Giorgio is working hard to make people who work at Armani understand his aesthetics. And he is very happy that it is working and is very proud of everything the company has achieved.

In his interview with British Vogue, “I have to make those around me understand the style of Armani. I find it absurd, the idea of putting someone in place who will undo everything I have done in the last 20 years. It would be such a shame when one has built something with such care.”

Add a touch of Giorgio Armani to your wardrobe today!

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While reading an international daily a few months back, I chanced upon an advertisement for Brioni. I was pleasantly surprised to find a distinguished-looking male model in a handsome suit side by side with an equally elegant-looking female model wearing a perfectly tailored dress-and-jacket ensemble that exuded timeless femininity and grace. I wasn’t aware that Brioni also had a women’s line, so when I found out they opened a flagship store in Ginza in May, I had to have a look-see; I contacted the gracious head of PR for Brioni-Tokyo and got a lowdown on the label.

Brioni is a fashion brand that is synonymous with unparalleled luxury; it reigns supreme in men’s clothing and is distinguished by impeccably cut and elegantly tailored suits in the finest of fabrics. Their long-standing tradition of creating only the best in men’s fashion remains unchanged, 65 years after their first atelier opened in Rome on Via Barberini.

Brioni is named after the Istrian Island frequented by the most exclusive European jetsetters in the first decades of the 20th century. The fashion house was the brainchild of a tailor from Penne named Nazareno Fonticoli and a businessman from Umbria by the name of Gaetano Savini. Their combined love of elegance and an enterprising spirit brought Italy’s top-class tailoring to the forefront of international fashion.

Headed by Andrea Perrone, grandson of Gaetano Savini, the descendants of the founding families of the brand manage the business and are just as committed to maintaining Brioni’s unrivaled position in the luxury tailoring and lifestyle market.

A Stitch at a Time
The creativity involved in realizing a Brioni garment is close to an art form. It takes about 18 to 22 hours to create one suit; 220 steps equate to 440 hands working on one piece of clothing. Every worker is dedicated to only one phase, with 80 workers assigned to ironing alone. Depending on the design and type of construction required, 5,000 to 7,000 stitches are hand-sewn to each jacket; every sewing phase is followed by ironing, then by a “precise resting” phase that varies according to the fabric and the garment’s geographic and climatic destination.

Fabrics are strictly inspected to ensure that they have the fundamental elasticity. Silk, mohair, linen, cotton and gabardine are subject to modification so as to consistently guarantee the best possible movement and the proper, comfortable fit of each piece of clothing. Each fabric is then matched with a particular type of lining, 50 available varieties in all. Along the way, numerous intermediate inspections take place, especially after the article is pressed. Each garment is given several hours to rest and is checked for any reaction that might affect the finish and if there is one, appropriate modification automatically follows.

Today, the Brioni brand rests in the hands of 400 master tailors and a total of 1,650 employees. Truly, no other brand exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of “Made in Italy” than Brioni.

Quest for Perfection
Made-to-measure tailoring is one of Brioni’s most traditional and satisfying rituals; it is also the epitome of exclusivity. Brioni has established an exclusive service that provides their clients from all over the world access to their master tailors. These master tailors travel the globe 90 days out of a year, paying personal visits to their clients and providing them with one-of-a kind, specially crafted clothing with the perfect fit. They travel not only to a client’s city but also the client’s world; they learn about his taste, aesthetic approach, cultural background, lifestyle and psychological component and integrate them into the client’s final wardrobe choice.

Seven generations of master tailors have already been trained by the Nazareno Fonticoli School of Tailoring founded in 1985 in Penne, Abruzzo, to continue the tradition of Italian tailoring; the school cultivates the talents of dedicated young students through a four-year course on traditional tailoring followed by a one-year apprenticeship in modern manufacturing techniques at Brioni.

More than Just Clothes
Unknown too many, even before lifestyle became a byword in the fashion industry, Brioni was already fully embracing the concept. The brand is responsible for the first Italian polo club established in 1924 and has since organized a number of Brioni Polo Classic competitions. The fashion house keeps a small Polo collection for both players and fans of the sport — gentlemen and experts who share a passion for this ancient, virile and unrivaled sport.

In 2005, Brioni partnered with The Four Seasons Hotel-Milan to create “Suite Brioni,” a haven on the top floor of the hotel. Located a short distance from its Milanese headquarters, the hotel suites were created by Brioni architects and interior designers in a style that reflects the atmosphere of an intimate apartment, a refuge that comforts, delights and soothes. One-of-a-kind pieces like the Louis-Philippe armchair irreverently updated in contemporary fabric, Syrian silver tables, Empire armchairs in horsehair and a bassorilievo by cabinet-maker Giuseppe Amato fill the suites.

You too can wear a Brioni suit or a Brioni sport coat. Check the prices below and I think you will be surprised at how affordable many of their suits and jackets are when discounted.

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Creating a Successful Business Image : Proper Fit for a Jacket

Learn tips and advice on how to develop a professional wardrobe for men, including business casual style and the proper fit of a suit jacket in this free how to video.

By ADAM TSCHORN, Los Angeles Times

Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were the toast of the town during last month's men's fashion week in Milan. It wasn't just because of their 20th anniversary menswear show, which included Morgan Freeman in the audience and Annie Lennox at the piano - it was the star-studded red carpet gala that followed later that evening and a three-day public exhibit at Palazzo Marino (Milan's city hall) that featured rows of gleaming Apple iPads, flickering TV sets and the tools of the tailoring trade that once belonged in the atelier of Dolce's father.

Three days later, the Gabbana half of the design duo shared some of his thoughts on what's changed since they sent their first menswear collection down the runway in January 1990, five years after launching as a women's line. Sitting in the company's Via San Damiano headquarters in Milan, on a red velvet couch the size of an automobile, surrounded by a sea of leopard-print wallpaper and curtains and flanked by autographed photos of Nicole Kidman and framed Madonna album covers, Gabbana spoke of slim white shirts, David Beckham and Twitter.

Q: Do you take any time off between working on the men's collections and the women's collections?
A: Tomorrow we go to Moscow for a party celebrating the D&G store opening. After we come back from Moscow, I'll take about three days off, then it's right into the women's. I prefer it that way because of the adrenaline. We will work until the end of July and then take the month of August off.

Q: When it comes to inspiration and design, are the men's and women's collections conceived of together?
A: The collections are completely different, but sometimes the moods will be similar. And since the men's show is at the end of June, we have all of July, August and September to further develop and change the idea, to try different things (for the women's collection).

Q: How did the men's side of the Dolce & Gabbana label come about in the first place?
A: We decided to make men's because we had a hard time finding clothes we could wear. At the time we wore Japanese designers like Comme des Garcons and Yohji Yamamoto, but I couldn't find white shirts that were just a little bit slim, and unconstructed jackets without shoulder (pads), so we started to make them ourselves. And when our friends started asking about the clothes and where we got them, we decided to start doing a men's collection.

Q: What has changed the most since that first menswear collection hit the runway in January 1990?
A: It has totally changed - the roots are the same and the taste is the same, but that was 20 years ago.
Men used to have these Superman bodies when we started - like bodybuilders. Proportions have changed, and men's bodies are sporty but not built like they were before. People are healthier and more body conscious. Even the black suit has changed because it's more slim now - but at least the tank top hasn't changed!

Q: Dolce & Gabbana has always been able to leverage celebrity. Over the years, who has had the biggest effect on your menswear business?
A: Things really started to change in men's when we started to work occasionally with David Beckham. He was the channel we needed to speak to men. Here was a soccer player who is straight, with a wife and children, and men were saying: "If he wore it, I can wear it too." Before that it felt like men's fashion was just for gay men or strange people - men were afraid to wear something special.

Q: How did Annie Lennox become involved in your 20th anniversary menswear show?
A: Making a fashion show is difficult, because you aren't just presenting a new collection, you're trying to make an emotional connection. The customer needs that. We were reminded of that about a year ago. So when we started working on this collection, we wanted something that would be quiet, almost relaxing, but powerful at the same time. And that made us think of Annie Lennox. We didn't think she would do it, but we asked her and she said yes.

Q: What happened a year ago that made you rethink how you connect with the customer?
A: This was about the women's, not the men's, but we received an anonymous letter from a customer that said: '"Where are Dolce and Gabbana, and why don't you make the real Dolce & Gabbana (label) anymore?" That was kind of a shock because we were so focused on always looking for the new, we left the rest behind. So this was a real moment for us to stop and look back at who we are and to focus more on the customer and not the trend. Right now we don't care about trends.

Q: You were some of the earlier designers to embrace the blog culture and social networking. Why?
A: Two years ago, we were the first to invite bloggers to sit in the front row at our shows. We understand what people want - it's another point of view and it's democratic information. Now we also post short videos to YouTube right before we show a collection, because that is our chance to speak directly to the consumer. It is our point of view, just like the newspaper or magazine is the point of view of the journalist. There is room for all of it.

Q: And now you use Twitter, right?
A: Yes, sometimes I'll use Twitter to ask whether people prefer black or white, corset or no corset. Two months ago, I took a picture of a flower and some said: "Why don't you use that on a fabric?"

Q: Do people know it's actually you?
A: Yes, but sometimes they'll ask: "Is it really you?" We have a separate account for Dolce & Gabbana PR, @stefanogabbana is my own, and I don't just talk about work, I talk about my dog, my dinner, my friends, the sunset. I love to work between technology and tradition. If you find the balance, it's interesting. You don't want to lose the tradition, but you don't want to ignore the new.
Later, Dolce, co-founder and partner in the Dolce & Gabbana brand, responded through his publicist about the importance of including items from his father's atelier in the 20th anniversary exhibit in Milan.
Domenico Dolce (via e-mail): That's my father's certificate from the Palermo tailor school, which my father attended and graduated from in the early 1930s. The Milan exhibit also featured the mirror of my father's atelier. I am very attached to both, I learned from my father the art of tailoring. I grew up among fabrics and patterns, and at age 7 I was already able to make a pair of trousers. ... At Palazzo Marino, the tailor's installation, in contrast with the technology of the other rooms, is a way to say thank you to what tradition and roots represent and have represented for me. I do not forget roots and that certificate is maybe the symbol. I am very attached to it and I keep it in my personal atelier; where I do the initial fittings for the collection.

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Best Match Items Ending First Newly-Listed Items First Price + Shipping: Lowest First Price + Shipping: Highest First

MENS 100 GENUINE ITALIAN DOLCE GABBANA BLACK LINEN JACKET 44
	$131.75 (16 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Feb-8-2012 11:50:08 PST Bid now

NWT 1795 DOLCE GABBANA Martini Solid Black Wool Silk Suit Slim 46 R Italy
	$695.00 End Date: Wednesday Feb-8-2012 14:43:18 PST Buy It Now for only: $695.00 Buy It Now

NWT 2195 DOLCE GABBANA Luxury Solid Black Wool Suit Slim 46 L Italy
	$695.00 End Date: Wednesday Feb-8-2012 15:50:19 PST Buy It Now for only: $695.00 Buy It Now

MENS DOLCE GABBANA DG SLIM FIT STRIPY SUIT 42L W36 X L35
	$84.13 (15 Bids) End Date: Thursday Feb-9-2012 11:41:56 PST Bid now

MENS 100 GENUINE LEATHER DG DOLCE GABBANA BIKER BOMBER JACKET COAT 40R M
	$117.46 (10 Bids) End Date: Thursday Feb-9-2012 11:50:49 PST Bid now

MENS QUALITY DG DOLCE GABBANA BROWN SMOKING JACKET CORD BLAZER 40 ITALY
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Beautiful DOLCE GABBANA Mens Suit Jacket Pants sz 50
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Construction
Same deal as with cars and watches: It's what's inside your suit jacket that counts the most, and for summer you want to avoid any padding or lining that might prevent your body from breathing. For maximum comfort, go completely unlined with the likes of this Zilli suit.

Cloth
Look for lightweight wools or some blended variation thereof — e.g., the wool-and-silk weave of this Brioni suit. Wool is usually weighed in ounces, and weaves in the seven-to-ten-ounce range (with seven being lighter and thinner) hit the summer sweet spot. You should also pay attention to the so-called super number (e.g., this suit's super 150 designation), with a higher number indicating finer, lighter-weight cloth

Color
If your job entails going from air-conditioned car to air-conditioned office and back again, you can get away with wearing dark suits straight through Labor Day. But if you're in and out of doors all day, opt for a lighter shade (like stone, pictured here) that reflects light and minimizes heat.

Technology
Beware newfangled technology in tailoring — except when said technology actually works. This Cool Effect suit from Ermenegildo Zegna, for one, is made of brown wool that has been dyed to take on the reflective properties of a much-lighter-color cloth.

One of men’s fashion's most storied brands, Ermenegildo Zegna, celebrated its 100th anniversary on Monday, June 21, with a swish and stylish double-header fashion show and a impressive retrospective exhibition in Milan.

Founded by Ermenegildo Gildo in 1910 after his watchmaker father acquired a couple of looms in an early example of entrepreneurship, today Zegna is a brand boasting sales of over one billion dollars. And it’s still all in family hands.

To celebrate its centenary, Zegna mixed heritage with innovation by staging two consecutive shows, held in La Triennale, which was also the setting of the Monday opening of a retrospective named, “Ermenegildo Zegna 100 Years of Excellence.”

Events opened with a display of the house’s main line, which was all about the fabric of this Milan season – seersucker, though instead of the usual contrasts of blue, or red, and white, there was lots of black and gray, or of navy and sky-blue.

Milan has also heralded the latest death of the tie, in an almost tie-free season, and they were largely banished at Zegna, though its bread and butter business is the sleek business suit. Instead, most models sported cotton or silk bandanas and racing stocks, and were all the more dashing for that.

Next came the far more fashion-forward Z Zegna collection, whose creative director, Alessandro Sartori, is currently rated the most sophisticated, new tailor in Italy. For next spring, he sees men in rugged linens and mixes of silk, cotton and even jute.

Sartori cut blazers and Eisenhower jackets with exposed seams and tapped into a major new look here, semi-transparent tailoring. By using silk chiffon mixes, he makes jackets super-lightweight and user friendly – they keep their shape and keep the wearer cool at the same time.

Featuring a palette of blood orange, cement, faded gray and rust, Sartori dreamed up some great new looks, even if his insistence on cutting most trousers two inches above the ankle seemed a tall ask for most men.

“I wanted the past and present of Zegna, but with the technological tailoring of the future,” Sartori said, as he received compliments backstage, dressed in a rough-hewn slate gray hemp suit.

Testifying to the longevity of this family business, the founder’s son, Angelo Zegna, a sturdy 88-year-old, took a bow at the show’s finale.

“For me it’s always about roots and winks. The roots are our tailoring, our great suits that give men a distinguished look. And the winks are our experimentation, our determination to try something new. And I think we saw plenty of both today,” smiled CEO Gildo Zegna, as the crowd of 1,500 drifted out of the event.

You can purchase Zegna mens' suits at subsantial savings below:

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Best Match Items Ending First Newly-Listed Items First Price + Shipping: Lowest First Price + Shipping: Highest First

NWT 2595 ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA TROFEO Slate Blue Stripe Side Vent Wool Suit 46 R
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Zegna Suit New With Tags Retails For 1100
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Ermenegildo Zegna 42L Wool Green Forest Suit
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mens grey pinstripe ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA wool suit 38R 38 Reg Regular W32
	$27.46 (15 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Feb-8-2012 13:16:44 PST Bid now

NWT 1395 Z ZEGNA City Solid Navy Blue Side Vent Wool Suit Slim 46 R Eu 56
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NWT 2695 ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA Cool Effect Herringbone Wool Silk Suit 46 48 R
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Zegna Mainline Grey Charcoal Suit size EUR 54 UK 44 100 Wool RRP 1100
	$142.86 End Date: Wednesday Feb-8-2012 14:47:00 PST Bid now

Zegna Mainline Navy Pinstripe Suit size EUR 54 UK 44 100 Wool RRP 1000
	$142.86 End Date: Wednesday Feb-8-2012 15:08:41 PST Bid now

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