New Britain native designs suits for baseball legend David Ortiz, including one for the Hall of Fame induction
When baseball legend David Ortiz is inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, he’ll be dressed in a red and blue suit designed by Salvatore Paterno, who grew up in New Britain and has strong family ties here.
Paterno, owner of Milano Fine Men’s Fashion on Long Island, has been Ortiz’s stylist for about three years. Paterno said the blue suit with red stitching to be worn with a white shirt is symbolic of the flag colors of America and the Dominican Republic, from where Ortiz hails.
Tony Ramos, Ortiz’s assistant, said the suit for the induction is “incredible.“
”Nobody has that,” Ramos said.
Ramos also added that the outfit Ortiz wore to this week’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game from Paterno was “a sensation.”
Ortiz is a 10-time All-Star who helped the Boston Red Sox win three World Series championships.
“This is special because I’ve been a Red Sox fan since 1968,” Paterno said of designing the suit. “I’ve been a fanatic Red Sox fan.”
Paterno said he appears as part of the crowd in the ESPN 30 for 30 video on Game 7 of the 2004 Yankees vs. Red Sox ALCS.
Paterno, who will be a guest at the induction, is also a fan of Ortiz — as a person — since meeting the slugger through a friend a few years ago. Paterno got to know him better after attending a cigar night featuring Ortiz’s product.
“He’s a fun guy, a very giving person who gives back to the community,” Paterno said. “He’s such a good guy.”
Paterno became Ortiz’s stylist after making the player a suit as a gift, as he noticed Ortiz “needed things to fit better.” Paterno’s specialty, he said, is fitting clothes to body types to get the best-looking results. Ortiz needs slimming cuts because although he’s in good shape, he’s “boxy” Paterno said.
Paterno said Ortiz told him the suit he made was “the best suit I’ve ever had.”
That was numerous custom suits and shirts ago.
Paterno, who moved to America from Italy at about age 12, graduated from Pulaski High School and lived in New Britain until 1978 when he went to Miami to learn the clothes business.
Paterno had no formal training, but fashion was around him at a young age, he said.
His mother, who still lives in New Britain along with his sister, was a pattern maker, Paterno said, and his dad liked to dress fashionably.
As a teen, Paterno found himself spending lots of money on fine clothes, sometimes working all month to buy a pair of pants. He decided to go into the business so he could continue dressing that way. He was named “Best Dressed” in his high school class.
In Miami he rose through the ranks of the large fine men’s clothing company he worked for — sales, management, buying. The job took him to Italy often.
Paterno said he visits Connecticut often to see family and clients he has here.
In addition to designing Ortiz’s Hall of Fame ceremony outfit, Paterno recently delivered to him 12 custom suits and six sport jackets for Ortiz’s future commentator gigs on Fox Sports.
Paterno, who is married with five children, said Ortiz tells him of numerous compliments he gets on suits by Paterno.
