Behind closed doors, tucked away in a special and serene corner of Paris, more than forty expert craftsmen arrive each day at our famous workshop at 31 rue Marbeuf. Over the course of the year, they will produce a few hundred of the world's most sought-after bespoke suits and garments.

Bold art since 1880

Welcome to the House of Cifonelli: a lineage of family tradition and values handed down from generation to generation. Even today, customers are personally welcomed by the current generation, Massimo and Lorenzo.

The story begins in 1880, when great-grandfather Giuseppe Cifonelli opened the very first workshop in Rome. At that time, the streets of the Città Eterna were crowded with men wearing elegant tailors.

Eventually, Giuseppe's son Arturo, one of the most renowned craftsmen in history, had the ambition to share the Cifonelli name beyond Italy. While training at the prestigious Minister's Cutting Academy in London, he laid the foundation for his unparalleled technique that would define the House from its inception to modern times. To this day, we preserve his university degree and his expertise in our workshop.

In 1926, Arturo moved to Paris. First on rue de Courcelles, and in 1936 he moved permanently to rue Marbeuf, which has remained our home ever since. In the heart of the "Golden Triangle" of the French capital, the House of Cifonelli flourished thanks to a clever blend of British technique, Italian flair and French finishing. Over time, Arturo established Cifonelli's reputation for excellence, attracting a clientele of leading politicians and artists, many of whom have collected our suits.

Arturo was said to be "uncompromising" in his quest for perfection, being both admired and feared by his loyal craftsmen. While observing a jacket before sending it to the customer, his employees would pray that he would not cut the fabric with his scissors - a symbolic demand that they do it again.

On Arturo's death in 1972, his son Adriano took over the family business, continuing his father's legacy until the end of the last decade. During this period, Cifonelli was discussed outside the classic elite circles, and the iconic Hermès fashion house partnered with us to produce its exclusive bespoke line: Hermès par Cifonelli from 1992 to 2007.

Over the years, many famous clients have wandered through our doors: Lino Ventura, Josephine Baker, Marcello Mastroianni, Cary Grant, Charlton Heston, Fred Astaire, and the French president himself, François Mitterand (whose collection of Cifonelli suits was auctioned at Drouot) are just a few. The story continues with Massimo and Lorenzo, who bring their bold sense of art to the current chapter of the Cifonelli story.

An unparalleled technique

Every aspect of Cifonelli tailoring is in constant evolution. With a healthy balance of research and intuition, Massimo and Lorenzo reinvent made to measure men's suits for a modern lifestyle. The result is comfortable, contemporary clothing born of classic craftsmanship.

The marriage of five ranges and textiles has resulted in over forty unique designs: the Travel, Gatsby, Qilian, Hunting, Preppy, Imperia, Nara and Baikal (to name but a few). Each jacket expresses the infinite possibility of Couture tailoring - French cuffs, Mao collars, multiple buttonholes, welt pockets, martingales and much more.

Encouraged by our global community, the House has taken the next logical step in Cifonelli's future and prepared an elegant ready-to-wear line. Made with full respect for the House tradition and personally designed by Massimo and Lorenzo, the RTW collection is an outlet for their exciting creative ideas - designed to reflect our exclusive bespoke luxury.
This has taken place over several years of strategic planning, choosing the best craftsmen, materials and, of course, defining the designs. Going back to our roots, many of our carefully selected suppliers are Italian. Like the Couture bespoke line, most of the sleeve section is also handmade.
New and modern, with the familiar luxury that our customers love, the ready-to-wear collection is now deeply rooted in the Cifonelli DNA.