Pitti Immagine Uomo, the premier international trade fair dedicated P to menswear and contemporary lifestyles, was held in Florence from June, 12-15, 2018. The always-evolving event anticipated and represented the latest fashion movements via a vast range of projects. This edition boasted 1,240 brands, 561 of which hailed from abroad (45 per cent), and was a curated geography of spaces focusing on venues that emphasised research in today’s menswear and are heavily geared towards the future of fashion. There were projects that interpreted the outdoor universe in an original way, redefining lifestyle concepts linked to athleisure and giving space to makers from all over the world.
There was the new wave of talent from Northern Europe and the creative scene from Eastern Europe, forward-looking styles marked by cutting-edge design. And one must not overlook the excellence of the new classic labels and brands relaunching modern sportswear. All this was combined with the unique hospitality provided by Pitti Immagine.
“The participation of all the most important Italian and international buyers – with an increasingly growing number of online retailers – and the huge amount of attention from the best international press,” says Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine, “Confirm Pitti Immagine Uomo’s role as a global reference point for lifestyle, quality scouting and for the worldwide launch of new trends and fashion projects. This is also demonstrated by the attendance figures and the feedback collected from exhibitors and buyers which was filled with high appreciation for the new ideas proposed at the fair, the new exhibition projects we launched at the Fortezza, the special events and for the atmosphere of creativity that invaded Florence over the past few days.”
The final attendance figures for this 94th edition recorded 19,100 buyers in total: The great dynamism of the foreign attendance was confirmed, maintaining the same high levels seen a year ago (around 8,400 international buyers), with positive performances from reference markets like Germany (still leading the ranking of foreign buyers), United States (+23 per cent), United Kingdom (+6 per cent), Netherlands (+13 per cent), France (+7 per cent) and Canada (+12 per cent), with consistent growth also from younger markets like Hong Kong (Which nearly doubled the number of buyers) and India (+30 per cent); whilst there was a slight drop in the numbers from Japan, Spain, China and Switzerland. There was also a slight yet predictable fall compared to the corresponding summer edition in Italian attendance (around -2.5 per cent), reflecting the ongoing difficult period being experienced by the domestic market. Overall once again the total visitors widely exceeded the 30,000 mark at this Pitti Uomo. Here are the top 20 countries in terms of attendance: Germany (922 buyers at this edition), Japan (757), United Kingdom (539), Spain (529), Netherlands (490), France (389), China (372), United States (340), Turkey (293),Switzerland (268), South Korea (236), Belgium (231), Austria (167), Portugal (167), Russia (166), Greece (146), Sweden (122), Denmark (121), Hong Kong (101) and Poland (97).
There were also record numbers on the social media front: The 4 days of Pitti Uomo 94 generated more than 35,000 posts and 7 mn interactions; Instagram recorded the highest number of posts collected and generated 97 per cent of the interactions; the most popular hashtag was #PittiUomo with 29,000 mentions.
There was a high level of interest and plenty of more than positive feedback from the press and buyers for the new features at the Fortezza da Basso – like I GO OUT, the new project on outdoor style presented in the Sala Della Ronda that received unanimous praise, the Guest Nation Georgia, the Scandinavian Manifesto area, the many premieres and participations at this edition in the various sections of the fair, and for the programme of special events (the catwalk show by the menswear Guest Designer CRAIG GREEN at Boboli, the special event organised by Roberto Cavalli at the Certosa, the catwalk show of the designer project Fumito Ganryu, the anniversary events by Herno and Lardini, the opening of the new Gucci Garden spaces, the premiere of the Moncler Genius project with Hiroshi Fujiwara, the MCM and Birkenstock showcases and performances, the BED j.w. Ford fashion show, the launch of the COS capsule collection, the presentation by Federico Curradi and the Emilio Pucci and Bonaveri exhibition-event).
This edition’s top events also included the inauguration of the Fanatic Feelings – Fashion Plays Football exhibition presented by the Fondazione Pitti Discovery in the Complesso di Santa Maria Novella – a broad multimedia project curated by Markus Ebner and Francesco Bonami – which can be visited until 22 July.
Guest Nation Georgia
The up-and-coming names on the Georgian creative scene was showcased, thanks to the Fondazione Pitti Immagine Discovery’s collaboration with Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi, a dynamic platform that turned the spotlight on collections from top fashion designers in the country and neighbouring area. Hosted inside the Spazio Carra at the Fortezza da Basso, the project has received support from LEPL Enterprise Georgia, the agency operated by Georgia’s Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development that promotes entrepreneurship and trade in the country. The brands: Aznauri, Anuka Keburia, Gola Damian, Situationist, Tatuna Nikolaishvili and Vaska.
COS menswear capsule collection
During Pitti Uomo 94, the London-based fashion brand COS presented “Soma,” a capsule collection of essential menswear garments characterized by comfort and high-level design. A special event was held for the launch of the collection in a stunning location in the city that involved the participation of the famous British choreographer Wayne McGregor.
Padiglione Centrale: Contemporary Classic
The heart of the fair, the Padiglione Centrale, captured the evolution of menswear and its synergies with design. There was the extensive offering of the Pop Up Stores to the brands on the Lower Level that reinterpreted sartorial research in a contemporary key or decode highend men’s wardrobes as well as collections that have established an open dialogue with the other worlds of Pitti Uomo. Brands included: Add, Alessandro Gherardi, Altea, B.D Baggies, Bagutta, Barker Black, Boglioli, Brooksfield, Brunello Cucinelli, Casa Fagliano, Ciclotte, Circolo 1901, Danolis, Doriani Cashmere, Doucal’s, Essentiel Antwerp, Fabi, Falke, Felisi, Finamore 1925 Napoli, Fratelli Rossetti, Gimo’s Italiana, Hand Picked, Herno, L.B.M 1911, Lardini, Lords & Fools, Ludwig Reiter, Manuel Ritz, Maurizio Miri, New England, Nick Wooster X Paul&Shark, Nobis, Paoloni, Pineider 1774, Pringle of Scotland, PT Pantaloni Torino, Re-Hash, Richard J Brown, Roda, Roy Roger’s, Sand Menswear, Sartorio, Serge Blanco, Seventy Uomo, Stefano Ricci, Tagliatore, Tatras, Top Gun, Wool & Co., Yuichi Hanada.
Along with the brands in the Padiglione Centrale, the contemporary classic universe was represented via a number of brands that chose independent areas at the Fortezza. Brands include: Bally, CC Collection Corneliani, Corneliani, Ermenegildo Zegna – Underwear & Homewear, Il Bisonte, MCM Worldwide, ZZegna.
The Pop Up Stores, A Combination of Lifestyles and Crossover Styles
The Pop Up Stores presented a wide offering dedicated to menswear lifestyle products: Eyewear, shoes, bags and travel accessories as well as design products. It was a revamped selection that followed the latest trends. Brands included: Alice Made This, Edhèn Milano, Ettinger, F Clio, Fanga, HNDSM, Inverni, Lundi, Maison F- Paris, Maison Marcy, Mariella Martinato, Oscar Graves, Paolo Scafora Napoli, Riz, Spektre Sunglasses, The Bespoke Dudes Eyewear, The Silk Shirt Company, Tyler & Tyler, Ulturale.
Futuro Maschile: Concept Lab on Contemporary Menswear
A laboratory focusing on the more evolved contemporary-classic menswear, Futuro Maschile has always been one of Pitti Uomo’s most prestigious venues. The historic location of the Sala delle Nazioni has been joined by the Arena Strozzi, an area dedicated to welcoming hyperselect collections with an experimental sportswear soul: A sophisticated stylistic proposal that is open to the new. Brands included: Ahirain, Band of Outsiders, Camoshita United Arrows, Cohérence, Del Toro, Descente Allterrain, Doppiaa, Fortela, Holubar, Linda Farrow, Luca Larenza, Milano 140, Myths, Orlebar Brown, Pantofola D’oro 1886, PB 0110, Pierre Louis Mascia, Ring Jacket, Roberto Collina, Ron Dorff, Sunspel, Teatora, Ten C, Troubadour Goods.
Mini Fashion Field Notes Capsule Collection
Passion, innovation, creative research. The creative partnership between Pitti Immagine and Mini started in 2015 and made its mark at this edition with an incredible project. The Mini Fashion Field Notes Capsule Collection, special collaboration between MINI and The Woolmark Company, featured four emerging international designers, Liam Hodges (United Kingdom), Staffonly (China), PH5 (United States), and Rike Feurstein (Germany) who translated their travel stories into contemporary fashion products made in wool.
