What's Fresco?

What’s fresco fabric?
Not to be confused with Renaissance murals or outdoor dining, fresco fabric is a type of worsted wool with a tactile, slightly raised texture and a more open, breathable weave. The former quality makes it more visually interesting, and the latter makes it an excellent choice for spring and summer wear.

These qualities are owed to fresco’s status as a “high-twist” fabric. This means that the fabric yarns have been twisted to have a springy, bounce-back quality before being loosely woven together. In addition to increasing air circulation, this also gives fresco fabric a natural wrinkle-resistant quality.

How do you wear a fresco suit?
One of the great things about a subtly textured, solid-colored suit is that it can be worn the same way you would a plain-weave, solid-colored suit. A blue fresco suit can go wherever a blue worsted wool suit can, the difference being that a fresco suit can better withstand wrinkles and circulate air.

Yet fresco is much easier to dress down. That hint of texture provides enough interest for it to be worn with just an open shirt and pocket square without feeling like a tie is missing. And the flatter quality of fresco means that a suit jacket made from the fabric can be more easily paired off for separate wear with chinos and jeans without looking like part of an orphaned suit.