Comparison
Cifonelli vs Huntsman
Two structured coats built to opposite ends: Parisian sculpture against English discipline.
Cifonelli
Cifonelli is a Paris tailoring firm, founded by a Roman family in the 1920s, famous for a padded, rounded shoulder and a very close-fitting chest.
Huntsman
Huntsman, Savile Row's sharpest tailor, makes lean jackets with strong shoulders, a high nipped waist and usually one button, rooted in riding clothes.
Both build; neither drapes
Set against the softer end of the trade these two look similar: full canvas, defined shoulder, close chest, marked waist. Set against each other the difference is immediate.
Huntsman's shoulder is squared and lifted by a rope; Cifonelli's is built up into a rounded curve that rolls into the sleeve. English tailoring corrects a shoulder; Parisian tailoring sculpts one.
What each costs in labour
Cifonelli sits meaningfully above Huntsman on price, and the reason is hours rather than materials. The built shoulder requires work that a roped English one does not, and the house's finishing extends to parts of the coat nobody sees.
Both houses take a comparable number of fittings and both draft an individual pattern. The difference is what happens between the fittings.
How each reads
A Huntsman coat reads as upright, formal and slightly military. A Cifonelli coat reads as theatrical; it is the most visually assertive tailoring in Europe that is not deliberately eccentric.
Neither disappears in a room, which is worth knowing if disappearing is what you want. For that, look at Henry Poole or at the Milanese houses.
Side by side
| Cifonelli | Huntsman | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1880 | 1849 |
| City | Paris | London |
| Bespoke | Yes | Yes |
| Made-to-measure | Yes | Yes |
| Ready-to-wear | Yes | Yes |
| Shoulder | Roped | Roped |
| Chest construction | Full Canvas | Full Canvas |
| Silhouette | Sculpted Shoulder, Very Clean Close Chest, High Waist | Lean, High Waisted, Single Button |
| Handwork | Extensive | Extensive |
| Made in | Paris | London (Outworkers) |
| Ownership | Cifonelli Family | — |
| Shoulder | Built and sculpted, rolled into the sleeve | Squared, frequently roped |
| Chest | Very clean and close | Clean, lean |
| Waist | High and narrow, slight flare below | High and marked |
| Reads as | Theatrical, sculptural | Upright, formal, military |
| Relative price | Higher | High |
| City | Paris | London |
| Entry price | €8,000–13,000
Bespoke jacket · September 2026 · estimated-range |
£6,800–10,000
Two-piece bespoke suit · September 2026 · estimated-range |
What each is better at
This section is editorial opinion, clearly separated from the record above. It follows our stated assessment method.
Other comparisons
All →Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page. Cifonelli · Huntsman
- House information, Cifonelli.
- House information, Huntsman.
Picture credits 2
- An illustration of the house's recorded cut: roped shoulder, full canvas chest, sculpted shoulder, very clean close chest, high waist. Not a photograph of the house's own work.: Original art · Il Sartoriale · Il Sartoriale · Il Sartoriale original art
- An illustration of the house's recorded cut: roped shoulder, full canvas chest, lean, high-waisted, single button. Not a photograph of the house's own work.: Original art · Il Sartoriale · Il Sartoriale · Il Sartoriale original art