Originally conceived in traditional trade show format, the menswear boom has seen Pitti Uomo become one of the most important menswear fashion events in the industry. A launch pad for new projects, and showcase for established brands and emerging talents alike, the event is increasingly home to the luxury ateliers as more and more international names switch to the Firenza location to stage their runway collections.
Image: Armani Exchange Fall Winter 2020-21
The Catwalks
Pitti’s 97th edition, returned to the iconic Fortezza da Basso with 1,200 inspiring exhibitors for the 21,000 buyers in attendance. Guest label Jil Sander, known for showcasing their new collections in Paris, this time chose Pitti Uomo as their Fall 2020 platform. Other notable participants included Stefano Pilati, launching his label Random Identities and Telfar, who used the imposing space to bring their concept of fluid and ‘simplex’ to their first European show to date. K-Way also held their first ever runway show whilst the Italian Sportswear brand Sergio Tacchini set up a retrospective event celebrating the brand’s history and their latest collection from new proprietor, Dao-Yi Chow.
Image: Jil Sander Fall Winter 2020-21
The Exhibitions
Woolrich marked their 190th anniversary with a special installation; The Ultimate Woolrich Experience, at La Dogana in Florence. Three rooms each with a unique and immersive environment, explored the complex Woolrich universe as well as premiering their Arctic Capsule, a tribute to the evolution of the original Arctic Parka. Brioni celebrated its 75th anniversary at Palazzo Gerini with a presentation that saw classical musicians dressed head-to-toe in the label.
Key Focus Points
Arc’teryx Veilance (Canada), F/CE (Japan) and Rolf Ekroth (Finland) were among the key brands that to be found in Pitti’s I Go Out section. The project was formed through a combination of passion for the outdoors, high performance materials and on-going stylistic research. Consisting of a selection of flawlessly designed outerwear collections, the focus was on highly functional and versatile garments and accessories with a refined aesthetic.
Image: Rolf Ekroth Fall Winter 2020-21
The German brand Falke, renowned for its high-quality legwear, socks and clothing, celebrated its 125th anniversary with a special presentation honouring its heritage while looking to the future. Italian label Sergio Rossi exhibited at the fair for the first time for the global launch of the exclusive Sergio Rossi Uomo project and the Karl Lagerfeld label returned with “A Tribute to Karl: The White Shirt Project.”: an exhibition curated by the house’s Style Adviser, Carine Roitfeld. It featured a bespoke edition of the late designer’s iconic white shirt silhouette created by a group of artists, actors, models, designers and friends.
Discover our coverage of this season’s Pitti Uomo on the Trendstop site here.
