A Visit to Sastreria 91One of the most important aspects of...

A Visit to Sastreria 91

One of the most important aspects of blogging, at least in the menswear sphere, is the strong sense of community that builds throughout the years. It’s not by chance that expressions such as “sartorial brother” are often used when talking about friends from all over the world. For me, the chance to meet people I follow and admire is definitely one of the most enriching personal/professional experiences one can have… Álvaro Aliseda from The Shoemaker World is one of those people. After long conversations during last Pitti, I finally got a chance to meet him in Madrid for a sartorial rendezvous, focused on visiting local tailors and shoemakers and of course, having a blast.

Our first stop was at Sastreria 91, whom I first (unknowingly) became acquainted with through my camera’s viewfinder as I captured Paul arriving at Pitti. The project came to life through Paul and Cat’s shared love, for each other and the art of tailoring. Embracing the heritage left by Cat’s family, whose grandfather was a reputed tailor in Madrid, the duo went on to study the art before opening one of the most charismatic ateliers I’ve ever visited. The small space exudes a unique aura through the little details, thriving with the arrival of every costumer that instantly feels at home and believe me, there were quite a few during the brief period I was there. This success is undoubtedly the result of Paul and Cat’s overall niceness and magnetism, surpassed only by their perfectionism, passion and upfront posture towards tailoring. The latter was one of the most impressive I’ve seen to date: from the moment you decide to purchase a garment, Paul immediately tells you the available alternatives (fully handcrafted or semi-industrial) and thoroughly explains what you’ll be getting from your investment.

Combining this posture with an extensive know-how acquired by continuous research from different time periods, Paul is able to provide a modern approach to tailoring, rarely found these days. I see him almost as an architect, obsessing over fit, lines and draping, to an extent he will actually tear something apart to do it all over if it doesn’t meet his (extremely demanding) standards. This search for perfection is visible in the ever-rotating collection of shirt collars and cuffs he designs and fine tunes on a weekly basis, some of which are exclusive works of art. Same goes for the distinct cut and lines of his jackets and overcoats, that include smart details such as ipad or newspaper slits with leather straps fastening. As for me, I couldn’t help to have my measures taken for a pair of bespoke trousers, based on Paul’s grandfather pattern but updated with an array of carefully thought details… more on that on my next visit to El 91.