‘Luxury is not shouted, but noticed’ is the poetic – and perfectly apt – phrase used by Eleventy to describe their style philosophy. No brand names, no logos, no brash colours, no flashy details – Eleventy menswear is subtle, contemporary, supremely comfortable, and very Italian. 

“My dream is to make clothes that are timeless and quiet,” says Eleventy’s co-founder and creative director, Marco Baldassari. With refreshing honesty, he adds, “I want to make men feel the best version of themselves, and help them to look younger and cooler.” Well, what guy wouldn’t want that? 

Marco, 55, has a youthful energy and a boyish grin of someone 20 years his junior. His range of luxurious menswear in flattering colours of beige, grey, and white has a simplicity and a versatility that makes the clothes accessible to men in their 20s through to their 60s. 

Marco believes the emotions men absorb from what they wear positively affect how they behave. “I think clothes can change our lives,” he says. “Sometimes, I feel stupid saying that, but it’s true. Older clients send me pictures of what they’re wearing and tell me, ‘I feel 10 years younger, my wife loves the way I look, you changed my life.’ It makes me so happy to hear that.” 

“We can make ourselves feel good through our outfit. I want to support men and make them feel confident,” he says. “When you see yourself in the mirror and you look great, you feel happy, and you go out into the world and see everything in a different way.”

Made in Italy from premium fabrics, Eleventy menswear taps into the effortless style associated with Italian men. “Every season, we want to bring Italy to the world with our clothes,” confirms Marco. “We take inspiration from the Italian mindset. I’m from Milan and I think Milanese style is appreciated in every part of the world.”

Inspired by nature, Marco always starts a collection with a colour in mind. “I think about beautiful rocks on a beach, sand, or maybe trees,” he says. After colour and silhouette have been determined, luxury follows. 

“We are obsessed with quality,” he says. “We want the best quality because we believe ‘Made in Italy’ means something special. A lot of brands produce their clothes in China, but we make ours in Italy because it stands for quality.”

Eleventy is enjoying rapid expansion in the Middle East, with stores in Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab hotel, Abu Dhabi, and its latest openings in Solitaire Riyadh and Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates. 

Reflecting on his journey since establishing the brand in 2007, Marco shakes his head and laughs, “I could never imagine I’d be here now. I started with a small collection of polo shirts in different colours that we sold through friends who had shops in Milan.”

“In 2015, we received investment, and that was the moment we started to grow internationally,” he says. “We want to grow organically, and I think we have a huge opportunity to do that.”