The Death of the Father of Sartorial Fashion - Ciro Paone’s Kiton legacy
On the 27th of October 2021, the world lost a legend of the fashion world
Ciro Paone was the beloved founder of Kiton - probably the world’s most famous Italian Sartorial fashion house
Way before his time, even the name Kiton speaks to the excellence of the brand - it is rare for a brand to change the world around them, instead of the other way around - but Ciro Paone achieved this feat by changing the world of tailoring forever
Even the name - meaning prayer tunic or toga - is testament to Kiton’s class and excellence - and just like how two thousand years ago the Greeks wore Chitones - so too will the leaders of the world be wearing Kiton suits two thousand years into the future
Originally it was only British tailors who had earnt the respect of the global community with their tailoring
However, Alongside his friend (and rival) Vincenzo Attolini, Ciro Paone was responsible for the explosion of Neapolitan fashion across the world
A true visionary - Ciro Paone helped carve the way for the birth of a new form of tailoring - known as Sartorial - which put Napoli back on the map
A city that had been forgotten for many years was suddenly one of the boiling points of global fashion - and thanks to Paone’s keen eye and taste, what a suit is today has forever been changed
Ever the patriarch - Ciro Paone had always believed in breathing new life into his company - and oversaw the introduction of Kired and KNT - two sister companies that helped bolster the power of Kiton
Even more important was the continuation of the great Sartorial tradition - with the training of young tailors-to-be at the Kiton Tailoring School in Napoli
Here, even today, young tailors can be seen learning from their elders - and a revitalisation of the tailoring tradition, which, as Circo Paone himself said, was one of the most important tasks he even completed
“My greatest source of pride is to have restored dignity to the tailoring profession.” - Ciro Paone
But teaching new tailors how to make a suit is not enough, the importance of tailoring is also instilled into them - so that the sartorial tradition of Napoli will never be lost - and there is one person to thank for this… Ciro Paone
His groundbreaking suits have been a favourite of the rich and famous twice the world over, and the loss of such a keen eye for fashion is a loss for the entire world of fashion - not just for the powerhouse company of Kiton
It all started with the foundation of Kiton in 1956 - and the official launch of its products in 1968
From that moment on - Kiton has been one of the largest names in Luxury Sartorial fashion for the last half a century
From just 1 showroom to over 73 around the world - Ciro Paone’s legacy is cemented as part of the city of Napoli - and pieces designed by him will still be worn for hundreds of years
Kiton was never a one-man project - but it would have never happened without this one great man
Up until the point that he passed away - he was still designing, still overseeing, and still obsessed with one thing - quality
“I never compromised on Quality” - Ciro Paone
And the truth is - he did never compromise on quality, and this uncompromising stance is the reason that his company will last a millennium
A distinctly family affair, the CEO of the company is Antonio de Matteis (nephew of Ciro Paone) - The daughter of Ciro Paone is the vice-president of Kiton and the creative director of the Brand’s womenswear line
We here at IsuiT offer our condolences to the family of this great man - and hope that we can continue to help honour his memory by helping to spread the good word about this fantastic company to every corner of the world
Thank you Ciro Paone and Rest in Peace
