Menswear and travel with Kirby Allison

Kirby Allison Takes on Italy: A Grand Tour of Craftsmanship and Tradition

Menswear influencer Kirby Allison embarked on a 3-week journey through Italy, exploring the country's renowned craftsmanship and tradition, with a focus on menswear. The result? An in-depth series, "Kirby's Grand Italian Tour," showcasing the best of Italian style, culture, and hospitality.

On the Tour:

"The grand tour of Italy was a two-week trip, three weeks through Italy, exploring the world of quality, craftsmanship, and tradition, predominantly through menswear companies like Stefano Bemer and Rubinacci. Also through lesser-known ones like Paolo Penko, a goldsmith in Florence."

On YouTube as a Craft:

"It's always been my opinion that if we're going to be filming the stories of some of the world's greatest heritage brands, we had to practice our craft at that same level. We bootstrapped our way through this journey...I have no background in videography or production, but I'm obsessive by nature. It was always my ambition to continue to push the quality of our craft as high as possible."

On Patreon Support:

"The Patreon community is important...Mr. Beast has kind of ruined the perception that just because you've got three-quarters of a million subscribers...you're making millions of dollars. The reality is that our YouTube monetization has decreased...For the quality of videos we're producing, it would be impossible to finance just by ad revenue...The patr*eon community funds our travel."

On Local Knowledge:

"[Having local connections] is so much a part of what makes the videos exciting...It's an opportunity for someone to create a personalized experience...All of the places that we filmed are open to the public. The access is really more about knowing they exist and then having the introduction to film."

On Italian Style:

"Italians have a much more casual dressing culture...they do brilliantly is softer tailoring...suited for the warmer climate...There's an ease and an elegance...Playing around with those elements allows one to be well-dressed without looking dressed up."

On Embracing Individual Style:

"Being well-dressed can remove constraints...it's within their lifestyle...Most well-dressed Italians are wearing a jacket, but it's a lightweight odd jacket...Maybe they've got a dress shirt, but no tie...It's a spectrum: finding something that works for you and having the confidence to put on a jacket."

On Highlights of the Tour:

"One of the episodes I'm most excited about was filmed in Rome at Gammarelli, the ecclesiastical tailor to the Catholic Church...an obscure, very niche tailoring and craft...founded in the 18th century...What's amazing to me is if you look at one of the Papal cassocks...all 28-32 buttonholes are done by hand. It takes someone two days to do all the buttonholes."

Links:

• Kirby Allison's YouTube channel and e-commerce site
• Italian craftsmen/companies: Stefano Bemer, Rubinacci, Paolo Penko, Biondi Santi winery, Scuola del Cuoio.
• Patreon support
• Sprezzatura - Italian style philosophy

Original Article