Insider Italian Menswear Brand PML Is Launching a Made-to-Order Program
It’s a little ironic. While Gianluca Migliarotti founded PML in 2020 as the casual, ready-to-wear equivalent to his bespoke trouser brand Pommella Napoli, the younger label has begun to offer custom clothing too.
However, there’s no “b word” to contend with here. PML’s core range of rugged overshirts, single-pleated trousers, unstructured sport jackets, and unlined balmacaans are instead offered made-to-order, a designation more in keeping with the brand’s nonchalant purpose and charm.
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“I want to give people an option,” says Migliarotti, who views PML MTO as a third way between mass retail and bespoke tailoring. “There is something in between that is easier. It’s not dramatic, it’s just beautiful and comfortable, but you can wear it in everyday life with no drama.”
Rather than creating an entirely new pattern for clients, and requiring their presence at multiple fittings, PML will simply adjust a stock size to better fit the customer’s physicality. For instance, adding a few centimeters to the hem and sleeves of a sport jacket to accommodate a particularly tall patron.
And while basic styling decisions may be made by the clients, such as choosing between a single-breasted or double-breasted jacket stance and specifying its pocket shape and buttons, more granular concerns such as the width of the lapels are locked in.
As a result, the garments, which are made in Italy with a high degree of handwork, will be delivered to customers in as little as five weeks with comparatively gentle pricing. Overcoats lead the pack with a price starting at $1,500, while overshirts, trousers, and sport jackets begin at $500, $550 and $1,200, respectively.
But what makes the garments truly unique (and determines their final price) is that they may be made from an archive of rare, vintage fabrics that Migliarotti has personally assembled over his varied career as a clothier and a documentary filmmaker focused on the bespoke trade. In particular, Migliarotti has made it a mission to rescue choice fabrics from tailors who have retired or passed on.
He describes a recent visit to Milan’s F. Caraceni, which announced earlier this month that it would be closing after 56 years of business. On its premises, he discovered a single cut—about two jackets’ worth—of heavyweight, honey-colored cashmere he speculatively dates to the 1980s. “I mean, where can you find something like that?” he says, the excitement in his voice palpable.
The archive, which Migliarotti estimates at over 100 fabrics, is rich with one-off castoffs, many originally sourced from mills that no longer exist or bear little resemblance to their former selves. And he’s determined that these treasures should be enjoyed by ladies as well: PML’s entire MTO range is available in women’s sizing, with the addition of a waistcoat designed for wear as a two-piece with matching trousers.
“Most of the time, the styling is very nice for women, but the cloth is terrible,” Migliarotti says of the apparel industry’s unequal status quo. “We are trying to give the same quality in our approach.”
The West Village shoe store Leffot, which has long stocked PML’s ready-to-wear, will serve as the Manhattan hub for its made-to-order. Clients can try on sample jackets and trousers in various sizes and view representative swatches of the PML archive before placing an order. Migliarotti plans to drop in for regular trunk shows, with his next visit slated for May 10 and 11.
“Some of our clients, they are very specific for what they are looking for,” Migliarotti says. “So that is what we want to offer. Something you cannot find everywhere. Not just an average thing.”
PML’s latest offering may not be bespoke. But it’s anything but average.
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