Angelo Di Febo is Brioni’s Youngest Chief Master Tailor
Brioni's Angelo Di Febo
This year Brioni introduced its youngest chief master tailor, Angelo Di Febo, 27. This graduate of the Brioni Tailoring School (Nazareno Fonticoli) became an integral component of the house, due to his advanced tailoring and production techniques. He’s already been involved in creating wardrobe pieces for James Bond in “The World is Not Enough” and “Die Another Day.” He embodies the Brioni slogan, “Be One of a Kind.” All this, before he’s hit 30.
Where are you originally from? How did you get into this industry?
I grow up in Penne, a place close to the sea and with a high quality of life and, above all, an area with a very deep tradition in tailoring. Even today, you can still find what we call “bottega” (tailor shops) with an old tailor. As you know, Brioni founded a school here. I graduated from the Brioni Tailoring School, “Nazareno Fonticoli,” and upon graduation, I started working immediately for the design house.
How did you get on such an accelerated path to being a master tailor?
I wouldn’t say accelerated. Four years of school plus one internship… and after that, a few years working in manufacturing.
What is your relationship with older tailors? How do you think others view you?
This is a crucial point here in Brioni and in our careers as young tailors. First, we respect older masters. Second, we try daily to keep new secrets from them. And third, we are proud to receive the same respect.
What exactly does your role entail? What are your day-to-day duties?
My role consists of developing the made-to-measure formal division. We work on every single order from the retail shops to the trunk shows to the personal services we offer. We do this to ensure that every customer is satisfied and that every single request is catered to. I also travel a lot to benefit the customers – especially during the trunk shows or for personal services. It’s an important way to listen to their needs and to understand their way of thinking in terms of dressing.
You were influential in designing wardrobe pieces for James Bond in films like “The World is Not Enough” and “Die Another Day”. What was that experience like?
It was my very first corporate project. It was amazing, challenging, and exciting. It was not easy to try to add new items… But we followed the same vision we follow for our customers. We listen to their needs, and in this case, we listened to the film’s costume designer, Lindy Hemming, and we worked hard at finding new solutions.
What was it like attending the Brioni Tailoring School? What skills did you learn there?
I would say both the technique and the knowledge. But apart from that, I would underline the life experiences that I gained. Strong values, human relations, and inter-generational respect.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In personal terms, I imagine a new happy family with children in this wonderful part of Italy.
What is something we don’t know about you? What do you like to do in your downtime?
I love my land and the lifestyle of the area—green, mountains, and the beautiful sea. “Who can ask for anything more,” as Gershwin said!
How has the role of tailor evolved, and where is it headed?
In many ways, both from technical and cultural point of view. But the main one is that in the past there were a lot of tailors “closed” in their own “bottegas” and now we are just few, traveling all around the world.
Angelo Di Febo will appear at Neiman Marcus Fashion Island on Sunday, October 16. Call 949-467-3341 to schedule an appointment.
