When it comes to men’s fine fashion, there is nothing that represents the good life, suave charm, poise, and distinctive individuality like a suit from Brioni.

In the world of handcrafted men’s suits, Savile Row in London is still the first name that comes to mind. But its influence today is seen in the legacy of those like Nazareno Fonticoli, who helped found the house of Brioni in 1947.

Fonticoli was trained at the Abruzzo school of tailoring, which combines the peerless cutting and stitching techniques borrowed from Savile Row with more relaxed, Mediterranean-inspired silhouettes.

In a fashion scene that had so far only witnessed women’s shows, it was Brioni that introduced men to the ramp at a show held in 1952 in Palazzo Pitti. Just two years later, a men’s fashion show occurred in New York.

Brioni has helped define and today represents what one thinks of as “typically Italian”.

Its suits somehow transform you. They subtly broaden your shoulders, tuck in your waist, and make you stand tall, molding your body according to the jacket – a distinctive attribute of Italian tailoring.

Brioni offers a wide variety of over 5,000 exquisite fabrics to choose from. These luxury fabrics include the world’s finest super-spun wools, the best of silks and silk-blends, cashmere, and baby alpaca.

Brioni is summed up perhaps the best in the words of one of its present master-tailors, Mr. Savarese: “Brioni, the quintessential name in luxurious hand crafted menswear, has for over fifty years brought its singular Roman sophistication and sartorial elegance to the most discerning clientele. Some of the world’s most illustrious politicians and businessmen choose Brioni as their ‘power suit’ to showcase their elegance and individuality.”

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In comparison to women’s fashion, the look of menswear barely changes from year to year, and even generation to generation. That’s a point of pride for some stylish men, like Fiat scion Lapo Elkann, who wears the expertly tailored suits he inherited from his immaculately dressed grandfather, Gianni Agnelli, with flair.

But well-dressed men who notice such details as the height of a lapel, the texture of a cashmere sweater or the polish strokes on a pair of shoes are aware that the best makers of menswear update their collections constantly.

Technical innovation leads to fabrics that regulate body head, repel water or power an Ipod. Eco-consciousness triggers the use of wood pulp, bamboo and organically grown fibers in clothing fabrics. A global demand for luxury fuels the addition of such decadent touches as fur, exotic skins and limited edition items in collections. And the ever-changing style tide brings new colors, patterns, silhouettes and ensembles to the forefront of every season.

The Italians remain the undisputed leaders in the luxury menswear arena, and our twice-a-year visit to their showrooms and trade show displays reveal what stylish men will want to wear in the months ahead.

In this guide, we preview the collections that men will be wearing next fall/winter. We saw the sample suits, outerwear, shoes and accessories this past January in Florence and Milan, alongside the menswear buyers from the world’s top department stores and specialty retailers as they selected what to carry in their own stores next fall.

On many occasions, prices were not yet established and designers could not yet say whether select items would indeed be carried in certain corners of the world. But well-defined style trends and key pieces worthy of pre-orders emerged, and this guide will make sure you are among the first to know about them.

Hot trends for men when the temperature drops will include the return of the three-piece suit, elbow patches on sport coats, knitwear as light as a cloud, Prince of Wales plaid, detachable fur collars and linings on outerwear, eco-friendly fabrics, high-tech performance fabrics, and exotic skins given a suede finish.

And as seen for several seasons now, small details that only come from old-fashioned hand-tailoring (working button holes, hand-stitched lapels, custom linings, brush strokes on shoes) are codes for quality.  Article by: Elite Traveler