Learn the suit care ways of Filipino master tailor Nap Arienza

NAPOLEON “Nap” Arienza has been dressing some of the country’s most important men — from former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada to Hollywood actors like Pierce Brosnan (James Bond) — for over 15 years now.

Nap is the man behind bespoke tailoring company, TIÑO. Trained by an Italian artisan in Penne, Italy, he has been in the industry since 1979. Today, he runs his workshop with his grandson, tailors, and apprentices.

"Well-dressed men know that nothing worth-while is ever outmoded, that a superb tailor's work is ageless.” – Finis Farr Photo taken by: Metrophoto #tinosuits #tailorinManila #PhilippineTailor #bespokesuit #bespoke #bespokemanila #suits #mastertailor #bespoketailor #fullcanvas

A post shared by Tiño (@tinosuits) on Feb 25, 2018 at 6:19pm PST

Suits cost an arm and a leg, so you want to be sure that it lasts for as long as possible. During the launch of the exclusive collaboration between TIÑO and London-based fabric mill Holland & Sherry, we asked the master tailor from some hacks on how to take care of the expensive ensemble.

Don’t send it to the cleaners right away

@thefilodapper : "Where i am from (Philippines), this is the time of the year where you start looking for the perfect outfit for the prom. Here is a great example of a suit that will surely make you look sharp and confident. A 3 pc bespoke suit in dark navy w/ a double breasted waistcoat and double pleated trousers from @tinosuits. Less formal than a tuxedo but more formal than a lighter shade of color suit. And never ever sacrifice quality because this is definitely an investment. It is not something that you only wear once. A good suit will last you for years with the proper care." . . . . . . We have a special treat for students on their junior-senior prom and graduation! If you're inspired by @thefilodapper's three-piece suit ensemble like this, order a bespoke suit and get a FREE white long-sleeved shirt! Just present student's ID to avail the promo! Shot by @jocowanag. . . . . . . . . . . . . #tailorinmanila #PhilippineTailor #bespoke #bespokesuit #bespoketailor #thefilodapper #ajdee #sprezzatura #menswear #tinosuits #tailoredsuit #bespokesuit

A post shared by Tiño (@tinosuits) on Mar 3, 2018 at 1:20am PST

According to Nap, one of the biggest mistakes is sending a suit to dry cleaning right after using it. Turns out, such practice damages the outfit, wearing away the cloth’s natural fibers. “Naluluma yung suit pag palaging pinapa-dry clean.” he says. Unless you sweat through or spill something on the jacket, his advice is just “hang it in fresh air. Afterwards, keep in a garment bag and stash inside the closet properly.”

If you rarely wear yours, have it dry cleaned only once a year.

Spot clean tiny stains

However, if there’s tiny stain, he suggests that you "spot clean" your suit instead of handing it to the cleaners right away. “Use a soft towel with water to wipe the stain away. Tapos sampay at patuyuin mo lang.”

Use a rounded hanger

"Spalla camicia" adopts a similar technique that is used in shirt-making . By tucking the seam allowance against the shoulder (not against the sleeve), the jacket follows the shape of the body causing the fabric to fall naturally from the shoulder-down. There is an absence of padding in the shoulder and a natural puckering that is formed flowing down from the sleeve head, since sleeves are cut wider at the top with excess cloth eased into the shoulder and armhole–a look thought of as a fault to some, and pure poetry in motion to others. Notice how the shoulder is knocked down, with no appearance of padding."- @parisiangentlemanuk blog "The Italian Tailor, Naples, and the Neapolitan Jacket" Tiño Casual Classics: Neapolitan jackets are now available at our new partner store, @urbantravellerco located at 2nd floor of Greenbelt 5. Come and visit us! #tinosuits #TailorInManila #PhilippineTailor #TiñoCasualClassics #CasualJackets #Jackets #Neapolitanjacket #Naples #Neapolitan #Neapolitantailoring #jackets

A post shared by Tiño (@tinosuits) on Feb 21, 2018 at 1:58am PST

To maintain the form of the suit, Nap requires a wooden or plastic hanger with round edges. “Using a rounded hanger will support the shoulder parts. At mame-maintain yung magandang bagsak ng suit kahit matagal na nasa cabinet,” he says.

Remove odor by freezing

Believe it or not, freezing your suit even for a couple of hours gets rid of that stinky odor. “The smell on your suit is created by bacteria. And freezing your suit kills that bacteria,” he explains.

This story originally appeared on FHM.com.ph.

Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.