VItoVI: Classic Blazers Made Cool
This month we learn about VItoVI, a brand that specializes in women's jackets. Classically tailored but with a modern, casual feel, this is the blazer you didn't know you needed.
In my opinion, the one article of clothing that sums up Italian sartorial excellence is the blazer. I will admit that before moving to Italy, I was not a blazer person. Maybe it was the way they hung on my pronounced shoulders that made me feel self-conscious, or maybe it was the trauma of my mom making me match with her in a Gap blazer when I was only 6 years old. Whatever the reason, throughout my entire young adulthood, I never bought a single one. But when I moved to Italy, I started noticing that the blazer was a staple in the Italian woman’s wardrobe. Perhaps, it was time for me to reconsider this garment for the sake of embracing the local culture and blending in.
A few years ago, I came across VItoVI, a niche luxury brand that specializes in women’s blazers with a “masculine soul”. I immediately started to appreciate what Maria Vittoria Merloni, founder of the brand, was offering. VItoVI blazers are feminine in the way they fit, but there is nothing too precious or overly frilly about them (in a good way). They are inspired by classic men’s styles, made with beautiful Italian milled textiles, and will make you look like you have great style with minimal effort. If you want to invest in something that will do the heavy lifting of getting dressed, invest in a nice blazer. Made in Italy, ovviamente.
Maria Vittoria
A native of Le Marche region of Italy, Milan-based Maria Vittoria found herself between work contracts during Covid, and started researching jackets for fun. She had always loved finding distinct pieces that complimented her personality. “I had always been interested in style as a form of art, as a way of communicating.” The blazer was an obvious piece to focus on, because of how much it does for an outfit. “It is something that you see immediately [on someone], it dresses you.” After spending some time researching textiles, patterns, and putting some samples together, what was initially a hobby became something real. Four years later, with the help of a small team, she has built a niche luxury company that makes impeccable blazers. She calls it VItoVI, paying homage to her grandfather’s jackets that had inspired her initially (Vittorio to Vittoria).
Production
The jackets are made between Le Marche and Emilia Romagna. The designing, patterns, and production samples are all produced in Fabriano, Le Marche, whereas the jackets ready for market are produced in Bologna. Milan is where the styling, marketing, and communication takes place. “VItoVI came out of a desire I had to start a business. I wanted to do something in the Fabriano area, because I am very attached to Le Marche.”
Instead of working from existing patterns, Maria Vittoria built her blazers from the ground up and has always spent a lot of time studying the construction, design, and fit of the jackets she produces, despite some criticism that she spends too much energy on the small details. “When you are selling a blazer for €600, you have to respect that price tag. I believe that what is considered beautiful is subjective, however, a garment of a certain type that has a story behind it, made with attention to detail, with carefully researched textiles, remains in your closet [longer]. . .” Maria Vittoria knows that what they are making is not groundbreaking, and so she invests her time in her team and the values that her company represents: Made in Italy, quality production, and respect for the people behind the scenes.
VItoVI sources fabrics from the top textile mills throughout Italy, including famed Vitale Barberis Canonico 1663. The supply chain is fully traceable both in terms of production, as well as the materials.
Masculine Soul
Initially inspired by her Nonno Vittorio’s old blazers, Maria Vittoria defines her pieces as having a masculine soul. That is not to say that they are not feminine. “I think they are more feminine than blazers that are made with little bows (costruite a fiocchettino), it has more to do with the fact that they are less formal, and are easy to wear.” She herself identifies as having a more masculine attitude, and since they are the product of her inspiration, the blazers couldn’t be any different.
Though VItoVI blazers are inspired by the relaxed feel of a men’s garment, they follow certain guidelines for constructing a women’s jacket: the shoulders slope in a certain way, they are lined or semi-lined, and the lapels point up sharply to the shoulders (revers a lancia). The sartorial aspects are more quietly understood: the buttons on the cuff are real and can be buttoned and unbuttoned, the jackets are made in Italy, and special attention is put into choosing the fabrics.
The masculine soul to me is what makes these jackets timeless and trend-proof. They are special in their perfect silhouettes and exquisite materials, but they are also nonchalant, easy, and wearable with almost anything, everyday.
The Jackets
The brand releases two main collections per year: Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter, along with a special capsule collection for the holidays. They have about 12 styles that they make, which are available in different fabrics each season, making each collection have about 25-30 jackets available between their website and partner boutiques (listed below). Let’s take a look at some of the most popular VItoVI blazers.
The Anyway Jacket
This is a classic single breasted jacket with two front buttons, relaxed shoulders, and an easy style. It has peaked lapels and a double vent in the back.
The Ready Jacket
This jacket is modelled after the classic smoking blazer. However, since they use fabrics like Shetland wool and Glen plaid (Principe di Galles), it remains a comfortable and easy jacket to wear for everyday. It features one front button closure, structured shoulders, welt pockets, peaked lapels, and a single vent in the back.
For the holiday capsule collection, Maria Vittoria played a lot with the lapels of the Ready, adding contrasting fabrics to create elegant plays on the design. Inès de la Fressange, queen of Parisian chic style, advises that every woman have a black tuxedo jacket in her wardrobe. This is it.
The Very
This is a short, bolero-style jacket with a Korean collar and four front buttons. It is always made with special fabrics like velvet and tweed. “We have worked on it and taken many steps to get it to where it is today. We have added a pocket, taken it away, before there was an extra button, now one less. It took us a second to understand how it would fit best, and now I must say that I love it. I find it fun. Maybe I pair it with cargo pants and sneakers.”
The Victory
The Victory is a double breasted jacket with 6 buttons, two front closed pockets, pronounced lapels, and one back vent. It has square shoulders and a slightly oversized fit. For this jacket, Maria Vittoria chooses solid color fabrics (tinta unita) or slightly textured fabrics that don’t catch the eye too much at first glance, so as not to overdo the look. “Personally, I find it perfect with tight leather trousers and a pair of All Stars: a balanced, decisive but relaxed look, with a well-groomed, rock touch.”
The Lining
One of my favorite features of VItoVI jackets is that they are lined with an 100% cotton striped lining that really encapsulates the brand. The colors change from jacket to jacket, depending on the external fabric, but they are always striped, bringing a bit of fun to the piece, which is meant to be worn and enjoyed as an everyday garment. The stripes are a reminder that we can be “serious but not severe”, as Maria Vittoria says.
Challenges
I asked Maria Vittoria what some of the challenges were that she faced, having a niche brand of clothing Made in Italy. “First and foremost, is being known for the product. It does not happen immediately, and it is not easy to present your project. You can explain it in a thousand ways. It is a complicated sector, in a complicated environment . . . Every thing is connected to another thing, every part [of the business] is connected across each section: from the image to marketing to communication to the brand voice to the fit to the product to way you do things to the details to the fabrics to the sales reps to the relationships with the stores to the Italian market to the European market to how willing you are to expose yourself to how much you participate in the things that help you get noticed. There are a lot of things that are linked, that you would ideally bring forward together, and that is very difficult to do.”
The Future
Maria Vittoria believes in the blazer as a product that deserves continuous study and focus, and it will continue to be what VItoVI specializes in. At the same time, she sees an opening for the brand to evolve and also include other types of jackets and coats in future collections. I cannot wait to see what is next.
Let’s Get Personal
What is your favorite jacket?
“The Ready Jacket, the Smoking Jacket, without a doubt. It is the jacket that expresses all of the construction and work that goes into making it. It dresses you. It is a jacket that was originally worn for formal occasions, but since we make it with fabrics like Prince of Wales or mono stretch flannel that make it easy to wear during the day, it is a jacket that you can wear easily, but also carry over into an aperitivo or dinner. It is a jacket that dresses you.”
What is the bestseller?
“Definitely the Anyway, in the black velvet.”
What is the most undervalued jacket, in your opinion?
“Perhaps the V-Shirt, if it is done in a special textile. If done in a quieter fabric, it is a good alternative, a nice weekend jacket.” I have the V-Shirt in the green glitter fabric, which I love. Its relaxed and unstructured fit is great for my lifestyle, and since it already has a lot going on, I try to balance it out with jeans and casual shoes.
Sophia’s Pick(s):
From this season, I love the bouclé tweeds. It is hard to appreciate their details through the computer screen, but in real life, they are truly special fabrics, with so many tones woven together and delicate sequins interlaced throughout.
From past seasons, I have my eye on this jacket in red velvet and this Ready jacket in rich brown. Do not miss out on this one from last Spring, which is only still available in one size.
Sophia’s Advice:
Before buying something, I like to check out a brand’s Instagram not only to see photos taken by the brand, but also their mentions. That gives me a chance to see how people are really wearing the piece that I am interested in, as well as the material from another angle. What usually happens is that something else catches my eye. The Very was the jacket that I barely noticed at first, but after spending some time looking through the brand’s profile, it is clearly a jacket that is well loved by VItoVI customers for it’s versatility. I like that I would be able to pair it with a dress or long skirt, as well as how Maria Vittoria says, with sneakers and something more casual. The other thing I learned was that the more colorful and patterned blazers look great on and are sure to make a statement.
Where to Buy
You can buy a VItoVI jacket through their website here. You can also find them at the following multi-brand boutiques in Italy: Tessabit in Como (Via Vittorio Emanuele, 44), Le Noir in Conegliano (Veneto), and Ratti in Pesaro (Le Marche). They are also sold in other countries in Europe.
Lastly . . .
The best thing about a blazer is that it immediately makes an outfit. As a mom of young children, I need versatile clothes. In the morning, I like to get dressed and look nice when I am out in public, but at the same time, I don’t like to look too nice when I am at the park chasing around my toddler in the afternoon. Investing in nice blazers to layer over my basics has been the easiest way for me to make these morning/afternoon transitions. I imagine this to be the same case for people who WFH: finding the balance of comfort at home and looking nice in public.
Yes, these jackets are expensive. If buying something from the new collection is out of your price range, take a look at the collections from past seasons, or the special price archive. Something like this is an unbelievable find. And remember that the people making these garments, as well as the fabrics from which they are made, are making a living wage, and the materials are sustainable. It is worth investing in a jacket that is made with good quality textiles and has a timeless elegance, so you can turn to it time and again, regardless of trends.
NoIS Italian Fashion Vocabulary Lesson:
When you are shopping for jackets in Italy, certain terms are used to describe the style and fit, or vestibilità. For example, a jacket with an oversized fit is described as over, or morbido. A double breasted jacket is called una giacca a doppio petto, and will most likely be worn a bit over, said with a rolled “r”. A normal fit is described as classica. As for the elements of a jacket: revers are the lapels, polso is the cuff, and asole are the buttonholes.
Further Reading/Links
I am a big fan of Allison Bornstein. I love how she advocates for wearing what we already own and teaches how to really think through making a purchase using the three word method. She also loves a good jacket. This is a great video for some styling inspiration.
Leandra Medine Cohen did a Substack recently about how to style a tuxedo jacket. It is a fun read for some out of the box ideas.
Missed last month’s post featuring Como textile producer, Tessitura Taborelli? Check it out here.
Please like this post (if you liked it!), it will help me gain traction on Substack!