Salvatore Ambrosi and the perfect pants

We sat with Salvatore Ambrosi, fourth-generation trouser maker from Naples, to get the lowdown and the leg up on our trusty slacks.

MANILA, Philippines - When it comes to a man and his pants, the trouser has long been the style measure. Yet despite its significance in a guy’s daily dressing, trousers are often overlooked and underappreciated. So to broaden our horizons — going beyond the baggy, hipster, bootleg or skinny ideologies of fast-fashion — the people of Menswear Syndicate, along with their new menswear label Signet, brought the world’s finest trouser outfitter, Salvatore Ambrosi, to the country.

Rockwell’s aesthetic-forward development, Proscenium, played host to Signet’s two-day trunk show before the brand opens its anticipated Legaspi Village showroom. Rockwell’s Sakura Model Unit was transformed into an exceptional tailor’s lair, where Ambrosi reigned amid bolts of fabric, buttons, measuring tapes and dressmaker pins. And naturally, the metro’s stylish men flocked to pay homage.

“We are keen on bringing in craftsmanship and style that isn’t really available here in the Philippines,” explained Signet general manager Kevin Yapjoco. “A lot of our customers like having bespoke trousers made, mostly because we’re a tropical country and a lot of people here don’t usually wear suits. But they are the ones who like well-made trousers,” he added.

So, on a quest for the perfect pair of pants, we sat with the fourth-generation trouser maker from Naples to get the lowdown and the leg up on our trusty slacks.

Made to measure

While most of our bottom-line decisions in the pants department are determined by our waistlines, Salvatore Ambrosi thinks it rather unwise to fall for a ready-made pair. “For instance, if you are a size 15 for trousers, you may have a waist that fits, but your hips may be smaller. This won’t look good with an off-the-rack trouser. That is why investing in bespoke trousers is better, because you can be confident that it is tailor-fit for you,” he said.

Among the line of Quartier Espagnol’s finest tailors under the Ambrosi Napoli banner, Salvatore crafts a total of 1,500 hand-cut, hand-sewn, hand-tailored trousers annually. These then complete the other half of Neapolitan suits ordered in the area, or complement the wardrobes of discerning dressers all over the world.

“Bespoke means we don’t have any models. We cut them all to size. We take your measurements and create the trousers according to your body size,” Ambrosi said. This attention to cut has made the Ambrosi trouser famous for its curved fit, yet it’s a procedure Salvatore can accomplish in just a little over 30 seconds.

Eye on style

“In terms of style, some people are very open and say, ‘Let’s do a different style for me.’ Others are very straight. They don’t want to change their styles, and they just have specific preferences. You can’t force the customer to change, and he will always be happy to get what he wants,” explained Ambrosi. So, despite his expertise, he leaves the final aesthetic decisions to the client.

“Sometimes you go to a shop, you see a pair of pants that you like in terms of fit, but you don’t like the pocket style. But the trousers are ready. All you have to do is buy them. With us, you can decide if you want the pleats or flat-front, without a pocket in the back or with one pocket, with a cuff or without a cuff; whatever you want,” he added.

Ambrosi adds some caveats: “Start with the basics. That’s the most important thing. Grays, light grays, chinos, beige that you can match with almost anything. With this, you don’t go crazy in the morning. Some people see a lot of color and say, ‘Okay, let’s be fun!’ But, at hand, you see your wardrobe and you can’t find anything sure. That’s why it’s best to start with something easy and, step by step, you can be as crazy as you wish,” he said.

Cut on cloth

Once measured and the style of pants agreed upon, Ambrosi lets patrons choose from his hefty selections of fabrics, with superior wools and cottons from Italy. And even if Filipinos tend to shy away from the merinos or mohairs due to our equatorial climate, Ambrosi comes prepared with plenty of cloth options.

“Light wool, chino cotton, and linen are excellent summer fabrics and should be perfect for this weather,” Ambrosi recommended while fanning himself. These are airy fabrics that can surely give us a breather down there.

In stitches

Despite the Ambrosi family’s longstanding repute as Naples’ finest trouser technicians, their pants are still made with the same handmade practice they observed when they opened the first Montecalvario shop. “Almost all of our stitching, almost 90 percent of our trousers, are still made by hand,” Ambrosi claims.

Ambrosi is no manufacturing masochist, but a hand-sewn pair of pants certainly has its benefits. “Handmade trousers end up being stronger and sturdier by construction. And between the hand-stitching and machine stitching, the hand stitches adjust to your body curve over time. When you wear it, the fit becomes more relaxed and adjusts to your shape,” he explained.

Hand-stitched details are one striking feature of these pants. One look at his reinforced stitched pleats, double-stitched seams and trademarked “Pancierina” closure, and you can tell Ambrosi’s battle-scarred digits come in handy.

Fit for a king

Yet much of this work would amount to nothing if the fit is a flop. While the Ambrosi  Napoli atelier is revered for its Neapolitan fit, a two-pleat trouser cut a little short and narrow at the bottom, the company has scoured the world for different body types and fit preferences to know what falls perfectly on each body.

“The Manila posture is more like the Japanese. People here, while they have small waists, hips and upper thighs, have big calves, and you need trousers that are a bit curved to take care of your ‘postura,’” he noted. “This is my job, to take care of this.”

When doing the fitting, you’ll notice how Ambrosi’s trousers stay perfectly snug at the waist, with no twists nor swells, and the leg follows every contour, leading you to look taller and slimmer.

Room for growth

While the Ambrosi business has remained “in the family,” Salvatore did expand to meet demand. “The manufacturing remained the same; it is our approach that differed,”
he explains. “Before, in the time of my grandfather or father, everybody was working in Italy and they were known for their work. My generation sees me moving our business overseas, to meet more customers of more international base and pedigree. This has helped me figure out the different shapes of my customer and open myself to different collaborations. Before, it was a mom-and-pop shop. Now it’s all about the global business.”

It was this move that led to orders placed by Hong Kong’s leading menswear curators, The Armoury, founded by Alan See and Jake Grantham. Not only were these guys instrumental in taking the Neapolitan miracle worker to the rest of mainland China, but also to the Philippines, through strategic partnerships with the Menswear Syndicate. Now, we don’t have to make the pilgrimage all the way to his Via Giovanni Nicotera shop. Signet is currently taking orders.

And while we won’t change our pants-wearing and shopping habits overnight, every man should experience the luxury of owning a hand-tailored pair of trousers. “Bespoke trousers, like a bespoke suit or shirt, is all about the customer’s prestige. Here, there’s nothing ready for you. It’s all about construction, and you’re building it with us,” Ambrosi said.