Umit Benan has finally completed the home of Umit+, the brand he created after the pandemic in order to “restart from the customer,” as he puts it. The atelier-slash-shop has an almost hidden entrance, located within a concrete courtyard that doesn’t give away anything about what’s inside.
Inside the warm, open space, Benan works with customers one-on-one. They’re mostly men, and a few women who like their tailoring with a man’s fit. His shapes are still inspired by the Italian formal suit: the work of designers like Gianfranco Ferré, Giorgio Armani, Nino Cerruti, and Antonio Fusco has always been a reference point for him. But the colors and materials are at the discretion of his clients.
“I love the Latin-American culture, Acapulco [the city], Blow [the movie], and Andy Garcia. If you look at the vintage movie icons of that geographic area, all characters are dressed like this,” he says, gesturing to the colorful racks. “During the ’60s in Cuba a very virile man would wear a pink silk shirt, it was just normal.”
The collection balances on that line through caftans, silk shirts, and linen dresses rich with details, like the pocket stitched to separate eye glasses and cigar. The beauty is in the variety of fabrics and techniques, an exclusive service that turns one-off customers into regulars, Benan says.
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