Anyone who has strolled the stones of Piazza San Marco will be familiar with the innate charms of Venice, which has cast an electric spell over countless creatives throughout the centuries. Its allure wasn’t lost on Russian-born writer Joseph Brodsky, who spent nearly 20 winters there. In his 1992 tome, Watermark: An Essay on Venice – a collection of memories of La Serenissima – he writes how the city’s aesthetic merits impart a sense of visual superiority on visitors, with ‘the waves’ ever-changing colours and patterns [sending] you to buy a fancy scarf, tie or whatnot’, in a vain attempt to match its reflected beauty.

Brodsky’s musings go some way to explaining why Venice was the birthplace of many labels that have formed the fabric of modern Italian style. One such label is Incotex, which was founded in Venice in 1951 by Carlo Compagno. It started out making trousers for military and work uniforms – genres that demand practicality and comfort – and later transferred these ideals to stylish civilian wear. In the 1980s, for example, the brand incorporated a specially designed belt loop into its trousers, holding the fastening pin of a belt in the loop itself, to prevent it from shifting as you move. Incotex is now the gold-standard purveyor of well-crafted chinos. In fact, many sartorially fluent men swear it makes the best in the world. ‘Unsurprisingly, chinos are our top seller from the brand,’ says Daniel Todd, buying director at Mr Porter, a long-time stockist of Incotex.

Now a part of parent company Slowear, together, for the first time, Incotex’s subtle attention to detail has been applied to a suit jacket, offering a “full look” with the same understated elegance and ease that garnered its chinos cult status. ‘Why not apply the heritage gained over 70 years of work to tailoring? The Incotex suit was born from this idea,’ explains Piero Braga, CEO of Slowear, that also includes the Montedoro, Zanone and Glanshirt labels, which specialise in different apparel genres. ‘The great advantage of the Incotex suit is its ability to bring casual tailoring back into the wardrobe,’ adds Braga, referring to the desire to smarten up in post-pandemic life, without sacrificing on comfort.

The suit, cut to the same exacting standards as Incotex chinos – is made from the brand’s most coveted cloths, including Royal Batavia. This in-house developed fabric is woven from ultra-soft cotton with a touch of elastane to heighten the comfort factor. ‘The result is an extremely comfortable and resistant fabric with a soft feel, and is suitable for all seasons,’ explains Braga. In addition, harsh chemicals typically used in textile production are eschewed to avoid detrimental effects to the environment.

Available from Slowear in a spectrum of shades, from earthy tobacco to summery pastels, the Incotex suit has a continental elegance and versatility that’s likely to make it your go-to. ‘It aims to combine style, flawless tailoring and comfort in a garment designed to be worn on multiple occasions,’ says Braga. If anything, this is the suit to travel in, whether you’re on the daily commute to your City desk or a flying visit to Venezia. We know where we’d rather wear it.