LIFESTYLE

Capo Serio

One of the most famous clothing stores in Sicily with over 60 years of experience in the field.

One of the most renowned clothing stores in the province of Palermo, Capo Serio in Cefalù boasts a fifty-year long tradition. Established in the 60s from the intuition of Mariano Serio on the high demand for ready-made clothing, Capo Serio has grown over the years, opening two new stores which are now managed by the sons.

What is the relationship between tourists and Italian fashion?

This certainly depends on the type of customer we are talking about: of course, if the tourist is already used to dressing well in their own country and lifestyle, then here in Italy they will find fertile ground, especially considering the resonance that Italian fashion has on an international level. Also, as there are many types of hotels, ranging from 2 to 5 stars, we understand that there is also a difference in terms of aesthetic taste between the various customer types and, therefore, a certain parallel can be seen between the type hotel a guest is staying in and the customer who comes to the store: those who come to the store looking for the famous Italian brands and know the good quality clothing, are the wealthier hotel guests, about the 30% of the total amount of tourists staying in hotels.

For example, one of our best-selling products are sneakers of a brand from the Marche region, which have been in great demand in the last 6-7 years and are the direct competitors of the Hogan shoes, on the high segment of sneakers. This brand is well known in Europe, so much that we sell it to the Russians, the Chinese, the Dutch, the Americans, and also on our online platform.

What is the history of Capo Serio?

Our history is over fifty years long, but we have been present on the market with the name Capo Serio for 35 years. The name is somewhat special: my father was not aware of it until the day when the architect removed the wrapper from the sign. He was a very discreet person and did not like excesses; in fact, this name that attracted a lot of attention made him a little uncomfortable.
The idea behind the name Capo Serio was to put two things together: the idea of the item of clothing (“capo” in Italian means “a garment, an item of clothing”, among many other things) and the fact that the shop located in a corner building, is at the head (another meaning of “capo”) of the street and therefore, as we say in dialect, is “capo cantunera”. The place is so famous that after all these years it has become a popular meeting point: we often say “see you by Capo Serio” meaning the crossroads, the corner of the two streets.
Vigneri, the architect of this shop, was at the time the official designer of the shipyards of Sicily: in fact, the workers were the same ones who took care of the interiors of the ships. The shop is decorated like an old-fashioned ship and has kept its mahogany and brass structure even today. The early illumination was created with small portholes, and one of the larger ones still remains in the passage between the two entrances.

“We have created a High Family Store”

What is the typical clientele of Capo Serio?

Actually, there is no exclusive target market: even if we deal with brands that are predominantly classified as medium-high, if not high fashion. In the South, in general, the culture of dressing well is very common and widespread, unlike in the North, where the average employee does not set foot in shops of this type. But here, even if it is obviously easier to sell to high-earning professionals, everyone comes in from time to time: also because our brands range from Tod’s to New Balance or Lacoste, going from the very expensive brands to others that are a bit more affordable.

On your Facebook page we read that one of the ambitions of Capo Serio is to become a centre for the whole family: could you explain this concept?

The goal was to create a High Family Store, a store for the whole family of high level: man, woman and child, since there are very few stores of this kind in Sicily. The original store has, in fact, expanded over time, giving life to other sales points, including Capo Serio Donna and Capo Serio Children, later becoming Capo Serio Garage.

How do you position yourselves in the world of online commerce?

We have recently launched our online store, where you can buy all the brands present in our stores.

Speaking of trends, what in your opinion is going to be a must for the winter season?

In men’s fashion, the main trend concerns all that is old style: there has been a strong return to the fabric, especially in outerwear such as coats, trenches, or to items made of wool, that have been put aside for a long time. Even among the younger men the sales of plaid wool trousers, vests, double-breasted jackets and trousers with very dandy style pleats are increasing. Among the trendiest colours we would like to point out the green, the burgundy and the camel, however, blue is as always in charge.

Any forecasts for the spring-summer season?

The natural colours will become unpopular: green, brown, and also purple. We are returning to very noble materials, such as the 60s-70s polo shirts in a lightweight fabric, like ice cotton, but also to the old style with tight and buttoned up collars.
The other trend is that of oversized: after a decade of slim fit, it is being re-evaluated, especially worthy of a mention are the long jackets often fitted with shoulder straps. It is important to be able to find good compromises between fashion and what the customer asks and wants, and most importantly, will wear.

Two years ago, you organised a beautiful event in Piazza Duomo: is there anything similar planned for the future?

Organising an event such as a fashion show is not easy: the more you work with important companies, the more difficult it is to receive event authorisations. Obviously, I do not deny that there is the desire to organise a similar event, especially after the success of the previous edition in the splendid setting of Piazza Duomo.

If you were to describe yourself with two adjectives, which would you choose?

We certainly like to call ourselves a shop with an exhaustive offer, since one of our strengths is to have many brands in the same location, and then surely another thing that characterises us is the attention to welcoming our customers, which comes from our great founder – and my father – Mariano Serio.