Men of the Cloth

In sedate contrast to assorted glitzy documentaries that catwalk behind the scenes of the fashion industry, Vicki Vasilopoulos's film instead scrutinizes the persistence of Old World Italian/Sicilian custom tailoring, as quietly practiced by small shops in Rome, Philadelphia, and New York City. These men—a few women are on the periphery—have literally devoted their lives to needle, thread, and scissors, creating immaculate suits from scratch. Nino Corvato, after Brooks Brothers refused to promote him because of his sixth-grade education, struck out on his own and is now an in-demand master tailor. Elderly Joseph Centofanti surprised his family by agreeing to apprentice college student Joseph Genuardi in the classic techniques. And in Italy, Checchino Fonticoli helped hand-tailoring survive in an era of factory-sweatshops with the luxury label Brioni (the tailors of James Bond movie suits). An inspiring documentary capturing the dedication of artisans pursuing perfection in a difficult craft, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)