CEO of Italian Menswear Line Canali Describes His Favorite Things—Including the Jacket He’ll Have Forever

Stefano Canali shares his go-to spots in Milan, the wine in his cellar, and other brands he admires.

        Courtesy of Canali
      




    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    


  



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The family that runs luxury menswear brand Canali has put the company’s Italian roots front and center.

“We are distinctly Italian in that we use only Italian fabrics and materials in our collections and produce everything in Italy,” says Stefano Canali, the brand’s president and CEO. “It’s cheaper to outsource to other countries, but we’re stubborn about staying in Italy because it’s the only way to ensure that our products are the high quality that we want them to be.”

Founded in 1934 by his grandfather, Giovanni Canali, a fabric magnate, and Giovanni’s brother, Giacomo, a tailor, Canali is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. The brand debuted in the U.S. in the late 1970s. Canali, based in the northern town Sovico, still relies on Italian artisans who work in five ateliers throughout the country to produce its goods.

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These days, Stefano Canali says that Italy represents roughly 10% of the brand’s turnover. “We mostly export our collections,” he says.

Canali recently spoke with Penta at the brand’s Madison Avenue store about his favorite things.

**The Canali piece I’ll own forever is… **a jacket that dates back 20 years and is our first deconstructed jacket.

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**My Milan insider gems are… **I’m a foodie, and I love treats from Guido Gobino, a master chocolatier. I always go for the gianduja [an Italian chocolate-hazelnut candy]. I’m also a fan of the Brera area, and outside the city, I love being in the town of Monza, where I live. Monza Park is a haven of trees.

When I want a great meal in the city, I go to… Trattoria della Pesa for traditional Milanese food like breaded veal cutlets and saffron risotto. For fusion Asian, I go to Iyo, a Michelin-starred spot.

The wine you’ll always find in my home is… Barbaresco red wine. I also drink French wines and wines from New Zealand and other regions worldwide, and my cellar has a mix.

The Italian dish I eat on repeat is… pasta in many different forms. In a simple tomato sauce or carbonara or cacio e pepe.

**When I want to escape from the city for a long weekend, I go to… **I last went to Trieste, a beautiful town that’s four hours by car from Milan. It’s very rich in arts and culture. I also like the mountains, especially the Dolomites.

My ideal weekend morning involves… waking up at 7 a.m., having a rich breakfast and then enjoying a round of golf with friends or a good workout. That could mean tennis or mountain biking.

**The most invaluable piece of advice my father gave me is… **that you must be humble, no matter how successful you are.

**When I’m not working, I like to… **read books and listen to music, either classical or ’90s tunes or whatever my 19-year-old daughter is listening to.

Other fashion brands I admire are… Chanel. It has a strong heritage and is distinctive. When you see a Chanel piece, you know it’s a Chanel piece. Also, Hermès.

My favorite place to vacation is… Sardinia. The sea, landscape, and food are alluring. I’ve been going for 15 years.

The sports teams I follow obsessively include… the soccer team Inter Milan. As of this year, the players are wearing Canali for their formal attire. We have a three-year partnership with them.