Giuseppe Rossi of Jaja Camiceria. Nice shirt.
By serendipity, I found Jaja Camiceria while walking around Rome one day trying to find a good lunch. I’ve always believed that when you’re in a touristy area, you’re better off searching for food off the beaten paths. So while walking down a smaller side street near the Spanish steps, I came across this custom tailoring shop.
Jaja has been around for almost 45 years, but changed ownership two years ago and is now run by Giuseppe Rossi. The shop’s front room is where he meets and fits clients, and all the shirts are made in the back. Giuseppe does all the custom pattern making and cutting, and he and three of his tailors do the sewing.
Since everything is bespoke and handmade, they only produce four shirts a day. Hand-sewn seams go around each of the armholes and down the plackets, and distinctive mother-of-pearl buttons slide through the handmade buttonholes. The side seams, hems, and collars are made by machine, but they’re done with such a high stitch count (nine per centimeter) that they’re barely perceptible.
Signore Rossi was nice enough to demonstrate for me some of his handwork. Taking one of his current client’s shirts, he slowly and patiently hand stitched up the placket. As he later showed me, monograms are also genuinely hand embroidered, which you could tell by examining the back of embroidered fabric. Truly hand-embroidered monograms lack the small piece of fabric on the back that’s attached on machine embroidery to prevent wrinkling.
Prices for custom shirts start at $260, and go up from there depending on the detailing and fabric. Due to how much work is involved in cutting the first pattern, there is a minimum three shirts for the first order. Jaja can also make boxers out of their Italian shirtings for $50, as well as pajamas out of soft cotton flannels for $235. Looking back, I wish I had ordered a couple of monogrammed boxers. Who can’t use a pair of Italian boxers with a shadowed monogram?
Jaja Camiceria
Via Belsiana 7A
Rome, Italy
Signore Rossi stitches a placket.
Handwork on a Jaja placket.
Bolts of fabric at Jaja.
Collar styles at Jaja.
Spreads.
Hand-embroidered monogram from Jaja.
A man is not fully dressed until he has a pocket square in his pajama pocket.
Embroidered boxers--better than writing your name on the waistband with a sharpie.
All photos and text by Derek Guy. Check out Derek’s other sartorial endeavors at Die, Workwear and Put This On.
