Our history
The origins of Caraceni tailoring: from its Abruzzo roots to its Roman success.
It was the early 1900s when Domenico Caraceni, at the age of fifteen, left his hometown of Ortona a Mare in Abruzzo for Rome. His skill, the perfection of his tailoring, and the elegance of his lines, seemingly molded to his body, quickly won over everyone. After a first attempt in 1913, which failed due to the war, Domenico opened his own tailoring shop in 1926 in Rome on Via Boncompagni and invited his brother Augusto, also a tailor, to work in his atelier. Later, the youngest Caraceni, Galliano, joined them, and thanks to his charisma, he successfully handled administration and public relations. Prominent figures such as Gary Cooper, Douglas Fairbank, Tyrone Power, Cary Grant, the Prince of Wales, as well as bankers and industrialists, became regular clients. Thus two new ateliers were opened: one in Paris on the rue de Champs Elysée, which was entrusted to Augusto, who, as the first cutter, was charged with introducing the refined Caraceni line and style to the French elite, and one in Naples entrusted to the charisma of Galliano.
From the hardships of war to Milan's rebirth: the challenge of the 40s
The two new tailoring shops were short-lived. Following the Second World War, Augusto was forced to leave Paris, and the atelier was closed. The same fate befell the Neapolitan tailoring shop, overshadowed by the popularity and volume of work of the Roman atelier, and Galliano returned to Rome to help his brother Domenico. After the war, Domenico opened a new tailoring shop in Milan, in Piazza San Babila, where Augusto, with strength and tenacity, started over from scratch, quickly regaining a significant clientele. When Domenico died young, ownership of the tailoring shops (in Rome and Milan) passed to his son Augustarello, who, having never been a tailor, was unable to adequately manage the businesses. Without Domenico, who with his passion and personality had personally overseen all the ateliers up to that point, the brothers set out on their own.
Family continuity and the Caraceni tradition from the 1960s to today
Augusto opened his own tailoring shop on Via Fatebenefratelli in Milan, where he continued his business, followed by his son Mario, who has carried on the Caraceni tradition to this day. Galliano did the same in Rome, opening a new tailoring shop on Via Campania in 1963 with his sons Tommaso (Tommy) and Giulio. Up until that point, in addition to having learned the trade "in house," they had gained experience at other great tailoring shops: in 1948 in Paris, first with their uncle, then with Primavera and Paul Portes; in 1952 in Genoa with Evangelista; and in 1954 in London with the renowned Kilgour, Davies & Son, and French & Stanbury, the oldest tailoring shop on Savile Row. Thus, the Tommy & Giulio Caraceni tailoring shop became the natural continuation of the great tradition begun by Domenico. After several attempts, Augustarello and his daughters had no choice but to sell the Domenico Caraceni brand. The tradition has remained almost unchanged over time in Augusto's Milanese tailoring shop and in Tommy and Giulio's Roman one.
The Caraceni tradition today: guardians of a timeless style
Today, despite the passage of time and the long family history, the story continues thanks to the love and tradition of a craft in which technique and artistic spirit blend and express themselves through inimitable and recognizable lines. A tradition that continues to be passed down, thanks also to the new generations, ensuring that there are still custodians of those almost alchemical secrets that have shaped the history of unique elegance and style.
The origins of Caraceni tailoring: from its Abruzzo roots to its Roman success.
It was the early 1900s when Domenico Caraceni, at the age of fifteen, left his hometown of Ortona a Mare in Abruzzo for Rome. His skill, the perfection of his tailoring, and the elegance of his lines, seemingly molded to his body, quickly won over everyone. After a first attempt in 1913, which failed due to the war, Domenico opened his own tailoring shop in 1926 in Rome on Via Boncompagni and invited his brother Augusto, also a tailor, to work in his atelier. Later, the youngest Caraceni, Galliano, joined them, and thanks to his charisma, he successfully handled administration and public relations. Prominent figures such as Gary Cooper, Douglas Fairbank, Tyrone Power, Cary Grant, the Prince of Wales, as well as bankers and industrialists, became regular clients. Thus two new ateliers were opened: one in Paris on the rue de Champs Elysée, which was entrusted to Augusto, who, as the first cutter, was charged with introducing the refined Caraceni line and style to the French elite, and one in Naples entrusted to the charisma of Galliano.
From the hardships of war to Milan's rebirth: the challenge of the 40s
The two new tailoring shops were short-lived. Following the Second World War, Augusto was forced to leave Paris, and the atelier was closed. The same fate befell the Neapolitan tailoring shop, overshadowed by the popularity and volume of work of the Roman atelier, and Galliano returned to Rome to help his brother Domenico. After the war, Domenico opened a new tailoring shop in Milan, in Piazza San Babila, where Augusto, with strength and tenacity, started over from scratch, quickly regaining a significant clientele. When Domenico died young, ownership of the tailoring shops (in Rome and Milan) passed to his son Augustarello, who, having never been a tailor, was unable to adequately manage the businesses. Without Domenico, who with his passion and personality had personally overseen all the ateliers up to that point, the brothers set out on their own.
Family continuity and the Caraceni tradition from the 1960s to today
Augusto opened his own tailoring shop on Via Fatebenefratelli in Milan, where he continued his business, followed by his son Mario, who has carried on the Caraceni tradition to this day. Galliano did the same in Rome, opening a new tailoring shop on Via Campania in 1963 with his sons Tommaso (Tommy) and Giulio. Up until that point, in addition to having learned the trade "in house," they had gained experience at other great tailoring shops: in 1948 in Paris, first with their uncle, then with Primavera and Paul Portes; in 1952 in Genoa with Evangelista; and in 1954 in London with the renowned Kilgour, Davies & Son, and French & Stanbury, the oldest tailoring shop on Savile Row. Thus, the Tommy & Giulio Caraceni tailoring shop became the natural continuation of the great tradition begun by Domenico. After several attempts, Augustarello and his daughters had no choice but to sell the Domenico Caraceni brand. The tradition has remained almost unchanged over time in Augusto's Milanese tailoring shop and in Tommy and Giulio's Roman one.
The Caraceni tradition today: guardians of a timeless style
Today, despite the passage of time and the long family history, the story continues thanks to the love and tradition of a craft in which technique and artistic spirit blend and express themselves through inimitable and recognizable lines. A tradition that continues to be passed down, thanks also to the new generations, ensuring that there are still custodians of those almost alchemical secrets that have shaped the history of unique elegance and style.
