PITTI UOMO 105: GLOBAL CREATIVITY MEETS IN FLORENCE, INVOLVING THE EXCELLENCE OF TALENT AND BUSINESS

The 105th edition of Pitti Uomo reveals an exciting lineup. For the winter session, scheduled in Florence from 9 to 12 January 2024, the leading men’s fashion show is broadening its horizons more than ever. Just like its special guests from every corner of the globe. Without forgetting a series of international projects, such as the new Neudeutsch space dedicated to the new generation of German designers and the partnership with Promas, which presents the Ouest Paris and Valette Studio brands for the first time.

There are almost 835 exhibitors registered for this 105th edition, dedicated to the Autumn/Winter 2024/25 collections, of which 43% come from abroad, compared to the 825 last June and the 789 in January 2023. A significant increase, as demonstrated the 180 new applications to participate in the event, all of “very high quality”, according to the event director Raffaello Napoleone, enthusiastic about the confirmations from prestigious international buyers such as Galeries Lafayette, Saks, Bergdorf, Beymen and Beams.

As always, the show is organized around its five main sections, full of exhibitors. Among these, the highly coveted “Futuro Maschile” area, which is rapidly expanding, according to the organizers, with its proposal of contemporary men’s clothing, “Fantastic Classic” focused on the evolution of the classic style, “Dynamic Attitude” dedicated to great sports and streetwear brands, “Superstyling”, dedicated to avant-garde and niche brands, and “I Go Out”, which highlights a more contemporary outdoor look with accessories for the outdoor lifestyle, such as the Japanese camping brand Snowpeak, also present with a bar in the Fortezza da Basso, venue of the event.

However, the “S Style” project is suspended, one of the most interesting initiatives of the show, which since 2020 has showcased young, cutting-edge and eco-friendly international brands. While in this next edition new sections will return, such as PittiPets, dedicated to the world of pets, and Vintage Hub Circular Fashion, designed to promote upcycling and the second-hand market.

The focus remains clearly international. With the exception of the Italian Luca Magliano, the guests and special projects of this 105th edition of the show come from beyond the Alps. Other guest designers include Steven Stokey-Daley from the UK, as well as Todd Snyder from the US, designated as the “designer showcase”, and Achilles Ion Gabriel from Finland, whose show is scheduled for January 11th. On this occasion, the creative director of Camper will unveil the first collection of his new ready-to-wear brand of the same name, confirming the role of Pitti Uomo as a launching pad for promising young brands.

In January the salon will also inaugurate “Neudeutsch”, a project dedicated to the German new wave, entrusted to the talented trend scout Julian Daynov. Buyer and fashion consultant for some of the largest chains and brands, he has selected seventeen names from the German fashion scene, including established and emerging brands for men and women (Avenir, Marke, Hernán, Oftt, Acceptance Letter Studio, FRNKOW, j’ ai mal à la tête, OBS, Haderlump, New Tendency, International Citizen, Muti, perfumes of equality, NOAM, Budde, Sebastian Herkner, Sarah Illenberger). The idea is to showcase the country’s creative scene beyond the usual stereotype of monotonous and functional German fashion.

Another novelty this year is the emphasis on French brands, thanks to a closer partnership with Promas, the office for the promotion of French men’s clothing, which together with DEFI supports around thirty French labels at Pitti Uomo every season . In January the Florentine organizers will invite two promising young designers selected by them: Ouest Paris by designer Arthur Robert and Valette Studio by Pierre-François Valette. The partnership will be renewed in June.

The 105th edition also hosts “No Nation Fashion X Polimoda”, an initiative promoted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to promote the integration of migrants. The fourth year students of the Florentine school Polimoda were invited to create a collection of six silhouettes, which will be produced in Sarajevo involving both students and migrants, and presented at the show. “It’s the first time we’ve done something like this. We really believe in it. The idea is to put these migrants in a position to produce, deliver and enter the market circuit”, says Raffaello Napoleone.

At the same time, the international initiatives launched in recent years continue. Starting with Scandinavian Manifesto, now in its eighth edition, in collaboration with the Danish fair Ciff x Revolver in Copenhagen. Japan is also present through two programs. The J Quality Factory Brand project, launched in January 2022, brings together the best of Japanese craftsmanship. This time, twelve Japanese manufacturers have achieved J Quality certification, up from five last June. And the Japanese Leather Goods Association, with the support of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), brings four brands of leather accessories to Pitti.

Finally, “Detroitissimi”, tested last June, returns with eight brands from Detroit and Michigan that celebrate the creativity of the important American manufacturing district. They are B.May Bags, Boswell Millinery, Detroit Denim, Deviate, High’s Adventure Gear, K.Walker Collective, Modern Athlete and Stormy Kromer.

In addition to these collective presentations, there are also special projects from various brands, especially international ones, such as the American label Guess, which will unveil its new Guess Jeans line at Pitti Uomo, curated by Nicolai Marciano, while the Dutch denim manufacturer G – Star Raw, back in Florence, is planning an installation with the Dutch artist and designer Maarten Baas. Also worth mentioning is the Velvet mi amor installation, entirely dedicated to velvet, created by designers Corinna Chiassai and her father Stefano.

The theme of this winter’s show is “time”, under the slogan “Pitti Time”. The idea is to explore the meaning of time for fashion. Fashion sometimes accelerates with numerous capsule collections and collaborations, sometimes it takes its time, focusing on iconic pieces and timeless luxury.