When Summer Suiting Makes Sense
Discovering Epicureo's Approach to Breathable Elegance
There's a question that haunts every man who wears suits: Why does elegance have to mean discomfort?
You've been there. Important meeting. August heat. The suit looks sharp, but you're suffering. By noon, you're questioning every decision that led you to this moment—wondering if "business casual" might be the lesser evil after all.
But what if the problem isn't the suit itself? What if it's that we've forgotten how to make suits that breathe?
That's the philosophy behind Epicureo—a brand I discovered while exploring modern approaches to suiting. Their answer to summer elegance challenged everything I thought I knew about warm-weather dressing.
The Man Behind Epicureo
If you're not familiar with Julian Picket, let me introduce you.
Julian is the founder of Epicureo, a brand built around one deceptively simple question: What if your suit could breathe?
Not metaphorically. Literally.
Epicureo specializes in Solaro fabric—a material originally woven in 1907 for British Army officers stationed in North Africa and India. It was designed to protect against unforgiving sun while remaining refined enough for formal occasions. The fabric's breathable weave keeps you cool in warm weather, and its shifting tones add subtle elegance as light hits it throughout the day.
Julian took this heritage fabric and built an entire philosophy around it: suits designed for life, not just for boardrooms. For aperitivo on a terrace in Positano. For hot office days that demand sharpness without suffocation. For men who refuse to choose between comfort and elegance because they understand the two were never meant to be enemies.
When I first discovered Epicureo online, I was struck by the clarity of vision. This wasn't a brand trying to be everything to everyone. It was a brand saying, "Here's what we believe, and if you believe it too, we've made something for you."
That kind of conviction is rare. And in Florence, surrounded by noise and peacocking, it stood out.
The Conversation That Shifted Perspective
We found each other in Pitti, during that golden hour when the crowds thin slightly and the light turns everything cinematic. Julian was wearing one of his Solaro jackets—naturally—and I was in a linen-wool blend from ….(Let's use the brand that tailored your suit, to increase both reach and selling the company). We looked like what we were: two men who'd thought carefully about getting dressed that morning.
What struck me wasn't just Julian's knowledge of fabric construction or his stories about sourcing from mills in southern Italy. It was his understanding of why any of it matters.
"People think suiting is formal," he said, "but that's only because we've forgotten how to make it functional. A suit should make your life better, not constrain it. If you're uncomfortable, you're not well-dressed—you're just wearing someone else's idea of what looks good."
I thought about my own philosophy: timelessness isn't found—it's built, detail by detail. And here was Julian, building the same thing from a different angle. Where I focus on structure, construction, and the weight of tradition, he focuses on lightness, movement, and adaptation to modern life.
Same destination. Different roads.
What Epicureo Understands
Epicureo's garments are made in southern Italy by master artisans who understand that craftsmanship isn't about rigidity—it's about responding to need with skill. The suits are unlined or half-lined for breathability. The construction is soft but structured. Every detail serves comfort without sacrificing elegance.
"We're not trying to dress men for weddings," he explained. "We're trying to dress them for Tuesdays in August when they have an important meeting, and it's 35 degrees outside. That's the moment that matters."
This is what Julian calls "living with intention." And it's visible in everything Epicureo creates:
Solaro fabric that shifts in tone as you move through sunlight—olive to copper to bronze
Breathable weaves that perform in heat without looking casual
Southern Italian craftsmanship that prioritizes how a garment ages, not just how it looks new
Versatile styling that works at the office, on holiday, or at dinner
The brand's ethos is clear: Made for life, wherever it takes you.
It's a philosophy I respect deeply, because it doesn't apologize for caring. It doesn't try to be ironic about elegance or apologetic about quality. It simply says: here's what we believe matters, and we've made it real.
What I Brought Home from Florence
Pitti Uomo is exhausting. Three days of relentless stimulation, noise, spectacle, and peacocking. But it's also clarifying.
Being around Julian reminded me why my brand exists. Not to compete with brands like Epicureo, but to complement them. To add our voice to a conversation that's bigger than any single brand.
There's room for both of us—and many others—because elegance isn't a formula. It's a spectrum. Some men need suits that breathe in Sicilian heat. Others need a structure that stands up to British rain. Some prioritize lightness; others prioritize presence.
The craft accommodates all of it, as long as we commit to doing it right.
Where to Find Julian
If Epicureo's philosophy resonates with you—if you've ever suffered through a summer wedding in a wool suit or wished your workwear could breathe—explore what Julian's building.
Visit: epicureo.co
Follow: @julianpicket on Instagram
Discover: The magic of Solaro fabric and Italian craftsmanship designed for modern life
And if you're in the market for something lighter, breathable, but still undeniably elegant—Epicureo isn't a compromise. It's a different answer to the same question we're all asking: How do we dress well in a world that's forgotten what that means?