Isaia

Isaia

Isaia

Italian menswear brand

Not to be confused with Isaiah.
For people with the name Isaia, see Isaia (name).

Isaia is a Neapolitan tailoring brand founded by Enrico ISAIA in Naples in 1920.[1] The brand is recognized by its tiny red coral logo,[2] which is a good-luck charm in Naples.[3] The brand desribes its clientele as "passionate, sophisticated, irreverent, eclectic and elegant."

Quick Facts Company type, Industry ...
Red coral inspired the Isaia lapel pin and is a symbol of the brand

Gianluca Isaia is the chief executive officer.[4]

Stores

Isaia has monobrand stores in Naples, Baku, Beverly Hills, Capri, Ekaterinburg, Hong Kong, Kyiv, Macao, Milan, Moscow, Ulaanbaatar, New York City, St. Petersburg, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto and Tokyo.[5]

History

Isaia was founded in Naples by Enrico Isaia, who opened a fabric store for Neapolitan tailoring, and later a small atelier next to the store. In 1957 the brothers Enrico, Rosario and Corrado Isaia moved the business to Casalnuovo, a village near Napoli where tailoring was a large part of the economy, and Isaia became a men's tailoring company.[6][7] Enrico Isaia died at age 84 on 7 March 2017.[8]

Coral legend

Perseus saving Andromeda while Medusa's severed head bleeds into the sea

In Naples, the mythical origin story of red coral is well known. As the legend goes, the Greek hero Perseus killed the Gorgon Medusa and wanted to deliver her head as a wedding present to the King of Seriphos, who was about to wed his mother. On his way home, he saw the beautiful Andromeda chained to a rock and about to be eaten by a sea monster. Wanting to save her life, he killed the beast and then sat on the bank of the water to wash his hands. When he set the sack with Medusa’s head besides him, her blood dripped into the water and transformed into what we know as red coral. For this, Neapolitans consider red coral a sign of good luck, and they use it in everything from pendants to religious ornaments to jewelry.[9]

Products

Isaia is most known for its tailored clothing. In 2020, the brand produced denim with a customized selvage and a traditional Neapolitan proverb embroidered on the inside.[10]

Philanthropy

The Capodimonte Museum in Naples receives financial support from Isaia

Isaia supports Capodimonte Museum in its hometown of Naples.[11]

See also

References

  1. [1]
    About Isaia
  2. [2]
    CC Reagan, Being Neapolitan | A Lesson in Language & Style at Isaia July 3, 2012, accessed 5/5/2015
  3. [3]
    esquire.com The Extra Ten Percent: The Preloaded Lapel Pin March 2011, accessed 5/5/2015
  4. [4]
    Alessandra Turra, Gianluca Isaia to Appear in Alfa Romeo Digital Ads Women's wear Daily, July 27, 2017
  5. [5]
    showrooms accessed 10/8/2015
  6. [6]
    "ISAIA AND THE SPIRIT OF NAPLES". The Rake. August 2019.
  7. [7]
    isaia.it About Isaia Napoli accessed March 2024
  8. [8]
    Enrico Isaia Dies at 84: The executive founded the Isaia men’s wear company in Naples in 1957 with his brothers Corrado and Rosario, Alessandra Turra, Women's Wear Daily, March 8, 2017
  9. [9]
    "Red Coral in Naples".
  10. [10]
    Isaia Men’s Fall 2020: Isaia once again delivered impeccable tailoring, introducing a denim range Luisa Zargani, Women’s Wear Daily, January 14, 2020
  11. [11]
    Isaia Men’s Spring 2020: The collection paid tribute to the Capodimonte Museum in Naples, which the company is supporting Luisa Zargani, Women’s Wear Daily, June 17, 2019
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