What Happened At Pitti Uomo 93?

– The event lasted 4 days from January 9th – 12th.

– Attendants numbered 36,000 buyers, journalists and those involved in other areas of the world of fashion.

– There were presentations of the AW18 collections from 1,230 men’s fashion brands.

– 60,000 square meters of exhibition space was used to stage the event, with 14 sections exploring men’s fashion.

The International Woolmark prize is a design competition annually organised by the Australian company and the finale took place on the first day. A key indicator for future success, and only the very best design talent, Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent both won the prize themselves. This year the winners were chosen from among 65 of the most talented emerging designers worldwide, with an award going to the best in menswear, womenswear and innovation. The panel of judges was made up of some of the most prestigious names of the fashion industry including the likes of Phillip Lim, Livia Firth and Amber Valletta. The result? Briton Matthew Miller took home the menswear Woolmark prize for his innovative collection, inspired by designer and philosopher Dieter Rams, which showed in-depth creative thought weaved through each of the garments. Vogue Italia Editor-in-Chief Emanuele Farneti commented that:

From the six womenswear finalists, it was the brand Bodice which won with a stunning combination of modern techniques and deep-rooted cultural ties. The collection was unorthodox in its methods, but entirely heartfelt. A central focus was the issue of consumer waste in fashion, as Ruchika Sachdeva united with hand weavers to produce the final artisanal product. To top off proceedings sportswear brand DYNE won the International Woolmark Prize for innovation. It was awarded for the snowboarding-focused collection’s NFC chip, allowing for the wearer to be tracked in avalanches, which completely fulfilled the requirement of being the most innovative and creative wool fabrication. Overall it was a wonderful celebration of innovation and modernity within the world of fashion – the Pitti Uomo ethos.

To begin a year of bicentenary celebrations, Brooks Brothers hosted a fashion show for the very first time, along with a special retrospective exhibition in the equally historical Palazzo Vecchio. It marked the combination of an American fashion icon with stunning Italian architecture. The show represented centuries of American fashion, with Brooks Brothers having been the first company to offer ready-made suits and button-down collars. Undeniably though, the brand has grown with the times – dressing 40 out of 45 US Presidents, along with other elites, along the way. On the evening of Wednesday 10th, against a backdrop of the most elaborately decorated hall punctuated by marble statues, there was an evident thread in the show of both timelessness and modernity. This was menswear at its finest. There was a true mix of suit styles, classic knitwear and bright accessories – all set to a soundtrack of a live orchestra playing twenty-first century hits. This ode to American fashion’s highlights came in the form of double breasted jackets, a range of grey suits, smatterings of androgynous womenswear, and jumpers and shirts of tasteful patchwork. Each look, layered to its full potential, played homage to the brand’s history but still felt contemporarily commercial. It was triumphant.

The guest nation at the exhibition this year was Finland. Whilst Janne Taalas, the Ambassador of Finland quipped that “not everyone knows Finnish fashion design but all know Finnish design,” this was a true spotlight on the Finnish fashion industry. Eight of the most promising brands and designers, including Nomen Nescio, Rolf Ekroth, and Saint Vacant, threw down the gauntlet and proved that the nation deserved its special focus. They presented an array of colour, pattern, sumptuous texture and modern silhouettes. It was a true gala of Finnish design.

The highly anticipated event for the evening of Thursday 11th was the catwalk of two legendary Japanese labels. Undercover by Jun Takahashi and Takahiromiyashita The Soloist presented their AW18 collections for the very first time in consecutive shows. Good friends and rare talents, Lapo Cianchi, Pitti Immagine director of communications and events, stated of Takahashi and Miyashita that:

The shows perfectly fulfilled their avant-garde expectations as they both centred around order/disorder. Undercover had an industrial, technological theme, topped off by rubber boots and gloves. The epitome of this came in the grand finale of brightly coloured, puffa jacket spacemen. The show felt assuredly apt for our increasingly high-tech world, as it explored the impact of science and technology on modern life. For Takahiromiyashita The Soloist’s show however, dark hooded figures graced the catwalk in utilitarian ensembles, transitioning into a finale of orange. It was a sombre affair of loss and isolation in a combatant, contaminated world similar to the one Takahashi had created – all encompassed in beautifully-crafted and creative outerwear.

From playful to apocalyptic, darkness to hope, this dual catwalk was theatre as much as fashion.

Under the creation of artistic director Alessandro Michele, a new space was opened honouring Gucci in all of its ethereal beauty – aptly named Gucci Garden. In the restaurant, if its secret garden theme wasn’t enough to charm any diner, the menu by the three-Michelin-star chef Massimo Bottura was a triumph too. Just like its designs on the catwalk, Gucci’s foray into the world of high-cuisine is whimsy based in a foundation of quality and substance. Gucci Garden opened its doors in the Palazzo della Mercanzia building which overlooks the city’s most famous square, Piazza della Signoria. But the restaurant is a mere highlight in the delights that this creative space has to offer. There is also an exhibition, a boutique which is bazaar-like in its feel but offers exclusivity in abundance, and a cinema room. It is a sparkling new addition to the cultural landscape of Florence.

There are few places outside of fashion weeks which are home to absolutely the best menswear. Brave, often traditionally tailored, but with an inherent effortlessness, Pitti Uomo is where experimental men’s fashion marries with tradition on the street.

It was the ‘man bag’ which established its dominance this year as the accessory of choice. And, in the heart of Italy, leather was of course the only way. Take inspiration from this with the sleek Ravenna and SantinoS, both of which will add a timeless edge to any outfit.