We met Roman bespoke tailor Carmine Sansaro in Berlin during his trunk show at Roberto´s Gentlemen´s Suppliers (https://robertosgs.com/), Charlottenstraße 35, 10117 Berlin, the shop of Italian shirtmaker Roberto Benignetti. The interview was translated by Alfredo de Giglio.
Elf Jahre Zusammenarbeit: Von Rom nach Berlin
FH: For how long have you been coming to Berlin?
It all started 11 years ago, when a friend and customer introduced me to Roberto in Berlin, who wanted to provide a tailor-made service for his customers. So we met and he liked my work and the seriousness of Sartoria Sansaro. So from 2014 until today, customer after customer, we have carried on this collaboration with satisfaction for both parties.
Maßschneiderei ohne Hausstil: Im Dialog mit dem Kunden
FH: How would you describe the style of your tailoring? Is there a house style that you try to suggest to customers?
The Sartoria Sansaro is the meeting point between Italian craftsmanship tradition and contemporary style. Each garment is made to measure with selected fabrics from the best Italian and foreign suppliers. The lines are clean and we try to take care of every detail, even small, that helps to create a unique and recognizable identity for our client. We combine the excellence of handmade with a sober and refined style, able to last over time. We don’t have a unique style, but we want to build it together with the customer. Our work begins by listening to the customer’s needs and analyzing his personality and taste. Each garment, therefore, comes from the dialogue, from the shared choice of fabrics, cuts and details, to give life to an authentic style, unique and tailor-made, that really enhances who wears it.
Vom Vater gelernt: Der Weg zum eigenen Atelier
FH: What is your background in tailoring? Where have you trained? Who are the masters that guided you?
My path in tailoring began in my family: my father, in fact, was a tailor. So I breathed the artisan air from a young age, following in the footsteps of my father. After a few years, however, I chose to follow my own path. I worked in a different tailor shop, where I specialized in all the manual phases. Over time I had the opportunity to travel, meet tailors from all over the world and make clothes for an international clientele. Each meeting, each experience, has helped to form my vision: a personal style, open, able to adapt to different cultural and aesthetic needs. All this lives today in the Sartoria Sansaro, where tradition, openness and craftsmanship meet in every garment.
Die Berliner Kundschaft: Profis, Unternehmer und junge Avantgardisten
FH: What type of men do you make suits for in Berlin? Are they all Germans?
The customers I have the pleasure of meeting in Germany are mostly Germans, with some Italians working abroad. The majority are professionals and entrepreneurs, who wear the suit every day and need elegance but also comfort. Then there are also some younger guys who naturally ask us for something more contemporary, with more extravagant and particular colors and details.
Vom Misstrauen zur Begeisterung: Maßschneiderei entdecken
FH: Many German men haven’t tried bespoke tailoring, but many know made-to-measure. How do you convince them of bespoke?
Periodically I organize open day events, where I explain what is really a handmade suit, I show it, detail each process, every step. Explaining the hours needed and the tools that a real tailor uses. The guests are always people attracted to Italian style but who often do not know who to turn to. This is why they are curious, participate and ask questions. Once I have explained the whole process of choosing the fabric and all the fittings to be done, they become excited, and are completely won over by the first fitting. Often, once they have had a good experience, they bring their friends and continue to order new clothes.
Praktisches: Termine, Anproben und der Weg zum ersten Anzug
FH: Finally some practical questions: How often do you come to Berlin? How many fittings are necessary for new customers? How long does it take to finish the first suit, provided that the customers can see you every time you are in Berlin? Can customers come to Rome for fittings?
I go to Berlin once a month but sometimes add additional dates if there are urgent deliveries. I meet new customers three times before delivering the finished suit, fewer times if they are regular customers. We complete the fittings and deliver the suit within two to three months. It has happened that customers came directly to the workshop in Rome while on holiday to choose new clothes, curious also to see a real artisan workshop where the clothes they love so much are made.
