17 Questions to a well-dressed man: Robert Viscomi
Photo credit: Roberto Viscomi
The first time I met Roberto Viscomi was in Florence during Pitti Uomo. We met in the lounge of a magazine briefly and when we saw each other on the street a couple of hours later he invited me for an espresso in a good coffee bar. I remember Roberto wearing a beautiful three piece tweed suit, a wonderfully made overcoat and a hat. It’s rare to see people who are so well dressed in such well made clothing, but if you meet them it will be in Italy for sure. Roberto knows his artisans and is a regular customer of bespoke tailor Solito and shirtmaker Anna Matuozzo in Naples. In the same town he also loves to shop at Cilento. For ties he knows to find his way to Drake’s and Arcuri and if he dresses casual it will for sure contain a shirt from Catarisano. His toiletries are supplied by D.R. Harris, Creed and Boellis which are three very fine addresses. Quality, style and beauty is fascinating him and he never stops learning about it, sometimes he even follows courses at the university of Rome about the topic. Roberto is for that matter a true ‘’Clerici Vagantes’’. A man with this passion and such a good style is an honour to ask our ‘’17 questions to a well-dressed man’’
What are you wearing today?
An hopsack blazer with gabardine trouser, bow tie, loafer and chambray shirt.
If you had to choose to spend money either on a suit or on a watch, what would you choose?
Definitely suit.
What jewellery could a man wear?
I would say none.
Tie or a bowtie?
It depends on the occasion, of course; I use, also, a lot the cravat (cachecol) even at home.
Do you remember your first jacket?
Indeed; I was about 14 years old, made by the same tailor of my father.
What is your favourite watch?
I am not a big fan of watches but my favourite is the simple and first model of Jaeger Le Coultre Reverso.
Fountain pen or ballpoint?
Again it depends on what you are writing; I would say both even though I love writing also with a pencil, my favourite is the Faber Castell number 2: yellow with eraser on top.
Have you found the perfect garment yet?
Yes I am lucky enough, working with my Tailor and Shirtmakers, to have quite a few pieces in my wardrobe: this would include a Linen suit made for me from the last bolt of linen produced by an Irish Linen Mill which was about to close bought at the factory.
Explain your biggest passion in one sentence?
Discovering around the world great crafts people especially in world of food and clothes.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Eating more than one Babà.
Who is the best dressed man in the world for you?
From my personal point of view it was my father; from a public prospect I would say five gentlemen that I am lucky enough to know: Michael Drake; Italo Borrello; Renè Lebenthal; Jeremy Hackett and Fabrizio Servente.
The best book you ever read?
Luciano de Crescenzo “Così parlò Bellavista”
Which city should one go shopping?
Napoli; Ardara; Beauly
Tweed or flannel?
Tweed jacket and flannel trousers
The most elegant restaurant in the world for you?
For me an elegant restaurant is one where they use table cloth; where they use local ingredients; where they respect tradition; where the serving staff is professional and respect the clients; where there is a cloakroom; these things are more important to me than the building; anyway my favourite is “Trattoria Umberto in Napoli” and ‘’Regina Bistecca in Florence.
Describe your style in three words?
Clerici Vagantes (two words in one)
Best purchase you did in the last 6 months?
A silk scarf and a wool bow tie from Arcuri, both tailor made; a Paraboot shoes from Drake’s.