ABOUT US

Antonio’s parents may have physically left Italy, but Italy never left them. And this passionate love for their richly storied homeland and everything Italian was modeled and passed down in all Antonio tasted, touched, watched, smelled and listened to.

Antonio loved being raised in his deeply Italian customs and traditions that were celebrated and kept alive by his family. He especially enjoyed the frequent family trips to Italy as a child, and the many wonderful memories of summers spent with his nonni, zii, cousins and friends. In fact, he continually expresses his gratitude for his deep Italian roots. They shaped him in so many ways.

As a young boy, Antonio recalls how he was first introduced to the essential importance of each person having a life-passion through his mother.

Antonio often shares how as a child he would awake in the morning not to the sound of an alarm clock, or his mother calling his name, but to the sound of a sewing needle on his mother’s Singer sewing machine rapidly darting up and down, while she belted out one of her favourite Italian tunes a cappella style as if no one was listening.

During those years when Antonio was just waist high, he would make his way to the kitchen every morning, and he remembers how his chin barely made it over the tabletop as he swung his legs back and forth while he sat on the oversized chair eating his breakfast. And he always noticed that the area where he ate, was the only tiny spot on the kitchen table that wasn’t covered with pieces of fabric, sewing patterns, scissors, pins, measuring sticks and a variety of other seamstress tools scattered everywhere.

His mother barely talked to him or even flinched an eye his way during those many mornings because she was so engrossed in what she was creating. And Antonio would scratch his head in bewilderment when his mom would often pause and whisper to herself while she stood pensively with her index finger resting on her lips, trying to figure out her next move on a particular pattern. Later, Antonio realized that during all those mornings he witnessed and learned firsthand what passion looked like.

And that’s where Antonio’s own passion for fashion began. Whatever Antonio needed, his mother made … to measure. Always reminding him of the importance to look his very best from head to foot. The baby picture to the right is proof of his mom’s meticulous attention-to-detail every time she dressed him.

What impact did all this have on Antonio? Throughout all of his adolescent and university years he worked in gentlemen’s clothing stores and thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it. He closely followed the latest trends. He was always ever so excited about the new arrivals. He actively and significantly contributed to every detail in merchandise display. And thoroughly enjoyed providing the best possible service to his customers.

His goal was to always make sure that not only every one of his customer’s needs were met, but that the finest possible selections were made that best suited each individual client. For Antonio, it was all about individualizing each customer’s needs and look.

When Antonio became a proud Canadian-Italian dual citizen, his deep Italian roots, along with his passion for fashion ignited a vision to bring more of Italy to Canada.

In 2012, Antonio proudly opened Gentil Uomo, a gentleman’s boutique in the Historic Distillery District in Toronto, with beautifully curated shirts, leather products, jewellery and fashion accessories, along with fragrance and body care products, all rigorously and exclusively made in Italy.

To this day, Antonio takes frequent trips to Italy on a yearly basis, to discover and procure unique Italian brands that he could showcase in Canada, many for the very first time. Today, he works very closely with over 30 family-owned manufacturers, some in their third and fourth generations, and all of them have become famiglia.

At Gentil Uomo, you’ll discover and explore curated products from historic Italian brands that are sure to accent your wardrobe, beautify your look, and even personalize your scent. All the while contributing to the you-nique you, you were made to be. And to that we say, Benvenuti.