Family Business
The name Kiton stands for Italian crafts- manship and exclusive fashion, with the secret to success being a family affair.
In Vienna, the boutique has been a hotspot for good taste for a decade.
Text: MANUELA TIEFNIG
The second and third generations of the Paone family firmly control Kiton: Maria Giovanna Paone (middle, seated) is the eldest daughter of founder Ciro Paone and serves as the president and creative director of Kiton. She steers the luxury conglomerate with her siblings, children, and relatives.
Kiton from Naples has established itself as a true family business: founder Ciro Paone transformed a men’s tailor shop into a global luxury brand – his legacy is continued by his children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and relatives.
In Vienna, the Kiton boutique in the Golden Quarter has been the exclusive go-to for top fashion for a good ten years now. The shop showcases the long-standing tradition of Neapolitan tailoring: elegance, meticulous craftsmanship, exquisite taste, and modern creations. Kiton not only offers individual consultations by collection fashion stylists but also custom tailoring. Thus, the brand stands for the highest quality in ready-to-wear and traditional craftsmanship. The range includes tailor-made suits, jackets, shirts, trousers, coats, jackets, ties, and shoes, as well as luxurious women’s clothing.
For Retail Store Director Martin Krzyzanowski, Kiton’s motto is clear: “With us, you get the best of the best +1.” For him, luxury itself is a rarity: “It’s something that is not easy to come by – something special that you don’t wear every day. Many people take luxury for granted, but it’s not.” He continues, “Luxury doesn’t have to be material. For me, having time or taking a nice vacation is also a luxury.”
The finest luxury fashion from Naples: Kiton relies on tradition and craftsmanship
What kind of luxury can customers expect at Kiton in Vienna?
“It starts with the quality of the materials, as we only use the highest quality fabrics such as cashmere, vicuña, or silk,” says Krzyzanowski. Both men and women appreciate the lightness of the outfits, which cling to the body like a second skin. Fine structures and textures, made in Italy: This craftsmanship is also a form of luxury.
Because: “It’s not the quantity that counts with us, but the fact that the individual pieces are handcraft-ed. Our clientele knows this and appreciates this fact.” A bit of discretion is also essential: “Our fashionis not branded, there are hardly any logos. After all, not everyone needs to know how expensive each piece of clothing is.”
Kiton operates five production facilities in Italy – over half
of the 800 employees are tailors and artisans.
Customers appreciate the timeless fashion for men, as well as for women, and the use of the finest fabrics
Each Kiton suit is hand-cut and stitched, avoiding the use of machines
Where does the Retail Store Director see his boutique in the next five to ten years?
“We are increasingly focusing on building local customer bases and customer relationships.” The goal is to expand the clientele. “Kiton in Vienna is no longer a franchise com-pany, as it has been in recent years.” That’s why they are also working hard on a new image: “We want to signal that we are an Italian family company as Kiton and thereby make a fashion statement.”
This begins with the recent renovation of the store and extends to reactivating former customers. The introduction of a women’s collection to the range has also paid off: “Women can find classic trouser suits or dresses in subdued earth tones at our place. Time-less fashion, that’s what we stand for. It’s fruitful!”, says Krzyzanowski.
And in terms of advertising, they want to expand their reach: “Visibility is essential. We want to achieve great success in one or two years – and are very grateful to Park Hyatt Vienna for their support!”
KITON
Seitzergasse 1–3, 1010 Vienna
tel.: +43 (0)1 318 03 98
Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m.– 6.30 p.m.
kiton.com