The Journal — Construction

Sharkskin is one of the most distinctive suiting fabrics in the tailoring canon — recognizable to the trained eye at a glance, and responsible for one of the most consistently excellent-looking suit silhouettes in menswear history. The name is evocative but somewhat misleading: there is no shark in sharkskin fabric. The name comes from the visual and tactile similarity of the cloth's surface to the skin of a shark — subtle, directional, with a slight sheen that changes as the wearer moves.

The three most important natural fibers in tailoring are wool, cashmere, and mohair. Each comes from a different animal, has different physical properties, and is best suited to different garments and occasions. Understanding them helps you make better choices at every stage of the tailoring process — from fabric selection to care and longevity.

The "Super" designation on suiting fabric is one of the most consistently misunderstood terms in men's fashion. It appears on hang tags, in fabric bunch descriptions, and in sales pitches, typically as a signal of quality — "Super 150s!" appears impressive. But what the number actually measures, and what it means for how the fabric performs, is almost never explained.

The Italian suiting tradition is built on a small number of mills whose names circulate among tailors as shorthand for quality. Fratelli Tallia Di Delfino is one of those names — less well known to the general public than some, but recognized immediately by anyone who has spent time in the tailoring trade.