Italian Menswear Shop Coming this Fall

Bruno Cipriani, the upscale Italian menswear store that has seen a downturn in sales at the White Flint Mall, is planning to move to the Bethesda-Chevy Chase area in the fall, according to store owner Eduardo De Pandi.

De Pandi, who recently returned from a trip to Italy, confirmed that his store is planning to move to the Bethesda-Chevy Chase area.

"At this moment, we are negotiating the lease," he said, so not all of the details have been worked out yet.

When asked if he planned to re-locate to Friendship Heights, De Pandi suggested that he will more likely base his business in Bethesda, in the area north of Friendship Heights and around Wisconsin and Woodmont avenues.

He also stressed that the White Flint store remains open, despite earlier reports of its closure.

"We have a lot of new stuff in at White Flint and are offering a very good selection right now," he added.

De Pandi has operated at the White Flint location for more than 20 years, and has attracted a number of celebrity customers, including opera star Placido Domingo, Bill Rancic, former Redskins’ star Brian Mitchell, Washington Capitals’ telecaster Joe Beninati and John Bruno.

But, the once-popular White Flint Mall appears to be on the downslide, with several stores—including Borders and Bloomingdale's—moving out over the past year or so, .

De Pandi began working as an apprentice tailor in his native Naples, Italy, when he was only 9 years old. He eventually opened a boutique tailor shop there, which became an immediate success.

Bruno Cipriani carries some of the top Italian menswear manufacturers, including Versace, Dolce Punta, Luigi Borelli, Gimo’s, Xacus, Torras, Centarelli and Grand Sasso, according to the Bruno Cipriani website.