Five years ago, I met Enis Inci at the Pitti Uomo in Florence. He introduced himself as the owner of Sartoria Napoletana and we exchanged business cards. In the years that followed, I met Enis Inci again and again in Florence. Shortly before the pandemic, the idea came up that I should visit the store in Istanbul. The plans for the trip were well advanced, but we postponed it due to the pandemic. Enis met Inci again in Florence in January 2024. He now works with Rovschan Gambarov, who has gained professional experience at several menswear retailers, including Michael Jondral in Hanover. I met them for an interview and we talked about my visit again. We agreed on a date in mid-May. I flew from Berlin to Istanbul on a Tuesday and drove directly from Istanbul International Airport to the Nişantaşı district. The cab dropped me off near the store and I walked the last 50 meters. I didn’t know exactly what to look out for. The address stated that the store was located in an apartment. My eyes searched the upper floors of the street, so I almost missed my target. But then I discover a large shop window with the inscription Sartoria Napoletana. It offered a panoramic view of a classic menswear store, the likes of which I haven’t seen for a long time. In front, as a display, a few jackets on busts. Behind it, classic furniture, green wallpaper on the walls, pictures with fashion prints. The first impression: English. Timeless. But modern. Very high quality. But discreet. And elegant. A mixture that is hard to find in Germany.
The floor of the store was roughly at eye level, i.e. in the basement, but slightly raised. Apparently a store, which originally had a workshop below the salesroom in the basement. To the right of the shop window was a staircase that led to the door of the store. I found the doorbell next to the door and made myself noticed. Shortly afterwards, the door buzzed, opened and I entered the stairwell. A door opened there and Rovschan Gambarov welcomed me. He wore a striped shirt and tie, his leg dress was held up by suspenders. On the feet, welted loafers, discreetly patterned knee-high socks. First he brought my luggage to the office, then he fetched water for me and an espresso for himself. He then talked about the business he runs as a partner of the founder. “The first store in the Bebek district was founded 12 years ago. The store here is brand new, it only opened in February 2024. The first store initially only sold made-to-measure items, but recently the range has been increasingly supplemented by ready-to-wear.”
“There is a long tradition of tailoring here and many suppliers of bespoke clothing. We have introduced our tailors to the Italian way of working and the Italian style over many years. That gives us a unique position here.”
Here, Rovschan Gambarov was able to contribute his experience from Germany. “Many customers want to take something with them straight away. That’s why the confection was very well received.” For jackets and suits, the focus is on Orazio Luciano. The Teba jackets by Justo Gimeno from Zaragoza were ordered for the first time in January and are already almost completely sold out. “Customers love this casual elegance,” explains Rovschan Gambarov as he takes a Teba jacket made of bottle-green hopsack fabric by Vitale Barberis Canonico out of the wardrobe. The brand portfolio is rounded off by shirts from Vanacore and Borriello and ties from Seven Fold Firenze. The accessories come from Calabrese, Serà fine silk, Bresciani, Pasotti, Peroni, Albert Thurston and Bespoke Dudes Eyewear. The focus is still on custom-made suits, jackets, coats, pants and shirts under the company’s own label. Everything is sewn on site in Istanbul. “There is a long tradition of tailoring here and many suppliers of made-to-measure clothing.
We have introduced our tailors to the Italian way of working and the Italian style over many years. That gives us a unique position here.” I have tried on several pieces, starting with ready-to-wear from Orazio Luciano. They always fit me very well. But the sample pieces from Sartoria Napoletana, made in Istanbul, also fit perfectly and were very easy to wear. The fit was a coincidence, as I could only put on pieces that were made for someone else. However, I was able to get an impression of the feel and, of course, the workmanship. The store is divided into the spacious, bright sales area at the front, followed by the tasting area, the bathroom and office at the back left and the cigar and whisky salon at the back right. In this salon, customers are presented with the fabrics for the custom-made products in a club atmosphere. The library of fabric sample books is extensive and contains the bundles of all the top weavers. The selection of cigars is exquisite, including Montecristo, Cohiba and Bolivar. The interior design with the key color green was implemented completely and consistently in all rooms, right down to the toilet in the green of the wallpaper. Overall, the store makes a very elegant, tidy and stylish impression. This also applies to the details, for example the espresso cups come from the Gran Caffè Gambrinus in Naples.
During my visit, which lasted about 2 hours on the first day, customers kept coming in. Some picked up finished suits, others just said hello or had a quick espresso. Most of them tried on or bought something. The clientele was mostly polyglot and well-traveled and always very well-dressed. We ended the day with a Turkish meal in the neighborhood. We were joined by photographer and influencer Ozan Erdogan from Ankara. He spontaneously agreed to take the photos for this report the next day. We met him in the store in the morning, where he took the pictures you see here. I will present it separately in another report. Anyone traveling to Istanbul should definitely plan a visit to Sartoria Napoletana, as good men’s outfitters have become rare.
