Luca Faloni store on West Broadway in Manhattan
Luca Faloni, the founder of the luxury menswear brand that bears his name, was firmly set on a business path. Born in Turin, he studied at Bocconi University in Milan, the Wharton Business School, and the London School of Economics before working as a consultant at Bain & Co.
Although he never considered himself a stylesetter, Faloni surprisingly found his calling in fashion. His keen appreciation for Italian style and craftsmanship, coupled with his business acumen, helped him fill a niche in the menswear market.
In 2014, he launched his new brand to bring high-quality, timeless, Made-in-Italy fashion to a global audience at sensible prices. What began as a direct-to-consumer model was so successful that it grew into three stores in London, and others in New York, Miami, Milan, Zurich, Munich, and Stockholm. His tenth store is set to open in Paris this summer.
In an email interview, Forbes.com spoke to London/Milan-based Luca Faloni about Italian men’s fashion and his personal travel style.
Luca Faloni
Why is ‘Made in Italy’ fashion held in such high esteem?
Luca Faloni: For centuries, different regions in Italy developed skills around particular product categories. For example, Marche in central Italy is known for its shoes, Veneto for jackets, Lombardia for shirts, and Piemonte for textiles. These ‘cluster economies’ make it possible to source the best version of a product from that place.
There is also a longstanding tradition that Italian people follow the same career path as their parents, so each generation passes skills down, and those skills constantly improve over time.
Sadly, these traditions have become a little lost in recent years, which is one of the reasons I am so passionate about sustaining Italian craftsmanship.
Italy is also famous for its sense of style. We have always appreciated the more enjoyable side of life and have created some of the most coveted brands of cars, fashion, drinks, furniture, and more.
Your brand embraces the concept of ‘slow fashion.’ What does it mean?
LF: To me, the ‘slow fashion’ concept is just a return to how the garment industry traditionally worked. People should buy products based on their long-term needs rather than cheap ones that are not well-crafted, and will likely be disposed of soon after they buy them.
Menswear should be elegant, timeless, and well-made so it will never go out of fashion and last a long time. At Luca Faloni, we go one step beyond this, ensuring that our products are only made from the finest natural materials by expert artisans.
We believe in the opposite of overconsumption. We focus only on the parts of the wardrobe that people truly need, so our clothing is a perfected version of that staple. For example, we make the best linen shirts for summer with only a few style variations.
What type of travel does your work entail?
Window display at Manhattan Luca Faloni store
LF: Essentially, all my travel is linked to work in some way.
Of course, I travel across Italy to meet with suppliers and manufacturers and regularly meet with our in-house design and production teams in Milan and Bergamo.
Internationally, I visit our stores to see how they’re doing and speak to customers to learn what we are doing well and what we can improve. I visit them as often as possible and scout potential locations for new store openings.
When I travel for holidays, I constantly find inspiration for colors and styles we can introduce to future collections.
Describe your typical travel attire for a long-haul flight.
LF: I always wear a silk-cotton long-sleeved T-shirt because it’s comfortable. Flights can get quite chilly, so I layer it with a cashmere hoodie for warmth. The hood is spacious enough to pull over my eyes and act as an eye mask if needed.
I tend to wear pleated wool trousers or lightweight chinos for flights as they have good stretch and are comfortable.
What are the other essentials you take on every flight?
LF: An eye mask and a good pair of noise-canceling headphones are essential. I don’t watch films on flights, so I pack a book or download podcasts and have a notebook to write notes on as I listen.
My leather Weekender bag has been with me on every flight since I launched the brand; it has never let me down. I can fit several outfits, my laptop, etc., in it, and it perfectly fits into the overhead compartments as I never check luggage. Made from the finest Tuscan leather, it only gets better with age.
What is the one item you are most likely to forget?
LF: I’ve left my AirPods on my plane seat. Luckily, I can track them on my iPhone and haven’t fully lost them—yet. Otherwise, I am pretty organized and travel so much that I rarely forget to bring anything.
What do you wish tourists knew about dressing for European travel?
LF: European style is sophisticated and elevated, yet effortless.
We always dress smart but comfortably. We tend to ‘go with the flow,’ so we need to make sure we are dressed for all occasions and eventualities.
For example, Europeans know they may bump into a friend casually in the street and unexpectedly go for dinner and drinks. Thus, we think carefully about what we want to wear in the morning so we don’t have to give it another thought for the rest of the day, confident our choice will suit anything we do.
European cities are also highly walkable, so elegant yet appropriate footwear is essential.
What are some of your personal favorites in the line?
Luca Faloni Portofino in white linen
LF: Our Portofino linen shirt will always be an icon of Luca Faloni and something I am most proud of. It was one of the first products we launched, and we have perfected it over the years. It works for every smart-casual occasion, including an elegant evening, and comes in over 20 colors.
Our Elba and Positano linen-jersey polos are so comfortable. The cashmere zip cardigan is a complete must-have because it is versatile—you can wear it for any occasion in any season.
The Lipari trousers are great for summer smart-casual dressing. The pleated wool trousers come in medium and lightweight winter and summer fabrics. They look smart while being comfortable and elegant without being boring.
Note: This conversation has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.