Floating Canvas, Pic Stitching, and More Stylish Terminology of Italian Suits

Are you a man who thrives on buzzwords? There is no one better qualified to clarify suit terminology than DeCalo Fashion's own style expert. Indulge yourself and improve your appearance while we demystify some of those obscure, yet important, terms that describe the components of a high grade suit.

Canvas : No, you don't paint on it. Inside the jacket of every suit are materials that give shape to the fabric. These are collectively known as the "canvas," and business suit coat makers shape it to make the jacket three-dimensional. Common materials used in dress suit jackets include horsehair, cotton, and felt.

Fusing : Nothing explosive here. In high grade suits, the canvas is stitched to the outer fabric. The alternative method is fusing, used in ready to wear suits to produce a classic style while reducing the cost of production. Chemicals and heat are used at certain points to glue the outer and inner parts together. Be sure to find the best dry cleaning service in your area to avoid damaging a fused business suit.

Floating canvas : No, this won't lighten your dress suit. In ready-to-wear suits, the designation of a floating canvas usually indicates that while the canvas and the exterior of a suit are fused together in many places, at the collar they are stitched together.

Pic stitching : In the terminology of suits and dress suits in general, "pic" does not refer to images. The pic of a business suit or dress suit is cosmetic stitching around select sections of the suit to provide a hand-stitched appearance. On the outside of a man's suit, the stitching will be the same color as the suit fabric. On the inside where the lining meets, it may be white. This results in a suit that has the appearance of hand construction, although the stitching was in fact performed by machine.