Suit Geek n.18 - Mr. Tiziano
“Suit Geek” is PRINCIPLE M's original feature column where each month we reach out to one of our loyal customers & friends and ask him to share his clothing, life, and his unique point of view on gentlemen‘s style.
Many suit geeks and clients have shared their passion for wine with us, which most of them are not familiar with the wine industry, but not our today's guest - Mr. Tiziano works at a top wine seller in China which specialized in Italian wine. Today, he shares not only his sartorial journey with us, but also how he started his career in the wine industry.
"My name is Tiziano, and I am the branch manager of an Italian wine importer here in Beijing. The company is called Interprocom, which is the biggest wine importer to China that is focused exclusively on Italian wine."
"My daily Job is pretty simple, it is to guarantee the regular service of a wine office and manage client relationships. Sometimes we host dinners and events, other than that we use spare time to accumulate more knowledge of the wine industry. Although we specialize in Italian wine, it's also important to learn about wine produced by other countries."
Mr. Tiziano in Semi-bespoke Caccioppoli Seersucker Jacket
Tiziano mentions that he dresses himself by following the classic 'TPO' method (Time, Place, Occasion).
"I normally don’t have a lot of opportunities to suit up at work because our office dress code is quite casual. However, I do enjoy putting on a nice suit for a work event, like a wine tasting event. The choice of the outfit depends on the importance of the event and the theme, but normally a jacket is always required."
"I also really like to wear a full suit, but again, it depends on the occasion, the most important thing for me is not to overdress and not to steal the scene from the others."
Being asked about the reason why that was important, Tiziano answers, "Maybe that's because I'm half Chinese. In eastern culture, we would always consider 'the whole picture' instead of standing out."
"I'm half Chinese, half Italian. I grew up in Italy. I remember it very clearly that I got my first suit when I was ten years old. It was during “Communion". In Italy, every child would suit up for that occasion."
"It was a black 3-piece suit, with a grey gillet. Very classic. My mom chose it for me. I would still wear it if it could fit me now!"
*Communion, also known as 'the Eucharist', is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches. According to the New Testament, the rite was instituted by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper; giving his disciples bread and wine during a Passover meal.
Young Tiziano in his very first suit
"The first product that I commissioned here was a Beige Linen Jacket. I was looking for something very fresh for a summer event."
“I do prefer to mix and match colours and styles in order to look more relaxed and easy-going but always well-put together. I don’t really have a style or an inspiration, for me the simple rule is: too much is not elegant, too little is not elegant either, so I try to stay in the middle and strike a balance.“
Semi-bespoke Beige Linen Jacket
Using 100% Irish Linen from Baird McNutt
Commissioned in Apirl 2020
PM's favoured linen offering -
Baird McNutt’s brand heritage stretches back over 220 years to the Kellswater river of Antrim. With generations of know-how in traditional methods, they produce the world's finest Irish Linen.
Semi-bespoke Mint Linen Jacket
Using 100% Irish Linen from Baird McNutt
Commissioned in June 2020
Mr. Tiziano chooses Italian fabrics more than often. We suspect it is because of his Italian heritage.
He confirms but then adds, "Italian fabric is also very well-known, and I find it suits me more. I prefer something lighter. For someone who doesn't know much about fabric itself, Italian fabric seems more elegant."
Semi-bespoke Blue Check Jacket
Using fabric from Stylbiella 2020 A/W
Matching with Semi-bespoke Navy Corduroy Trousers
Using fabric from Caccioppoli
Commissioned in November 2020
One of PM's most popular fabric providers -
Born in 1920 in the heart of Naples, Caccioppolli has covered a leading role in fabrics’ trade for tailored suits for a hundred years. Every season they come up with new surprises and more fun offerings. Their creative checked patterns and unexpected colour combinations will never bore you.
Semi-bespoke Blue and White Seersucker Suit
Using fabric from Caccioppoli
Commissioned in March 2021
“My most recent suit is a very elegant suit for special high-end wine dinners. I never had a very elegant suit and I think everyone should have one in the wardrobe, so I went with a navy blue suit, using a Super 150's four-season fabric.“
Tiziano during a fitting.
There were several Geeks who previously expressed their love for wine, without working in the wine industry. We interviewed Mr. Tiziano on how he started his career.
"I started with my brother. We didn't have any experience back then, except for his education background of being a Food & Berevage major student. We imported a wine container (with 9000 bottles of wine) to China and tried to sell them. What we didn't realize was how mature the wine market has developed in Beijing, which was around 2018, so it didn't go well. Then I was approached by an Italian vineyard in China that hoped to expand their business here. So, I started from selling wine, to representing vineyards, to where I am now."
"It's not just about love and passion, I also think it (the wine industry) has potential."
Franciacorta
Tiziano shares some of his favourite Italian wine.
"My favourite wine changes with seasons, like clothing, I won't like just one thing forever. During the summertime, I enjoy sparkling wine, it feels like a sense of celebration. My favourite one is Franciacorta, which produces the best sparking wine Italy has to offer. It is produced using the same method as champagne, so basically it is like Italy's champagne. However, it has lower acidity than champagne, and smells like fruits.“
"In winter, I like to drink Super Tuscan." （“Super Tuscan” is a term used to describe red wines from Tuscany that may include non-indigenous grapes, particularly Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.）
“My favourite red is Sangiovese, which is the most widespread grape in Italy." (Sangiovese often has a flavour profile of sour red cherries with earthy aromas and tea leaf notes.)□ PRINCIPLE M
