Translated by
Nicola Mira
Published
May 11, 2023
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Pitti Uomo 104: the game is on

Translated by
Nicola Mira
Published
May 11, 2023

For the summer session scheduled at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence on June 13-16, the Pitti Uomo menswear show has adopted as its theme the tagline ‘Pitti Games’, which fits hand in glove with the cheerful buzz heralding the event. The choice of ‘Pitti Games’ as the theme for the show's summer session is not accidental: “we have envisioned Fortezza da Basso as a giant gaming table, where we can have fun, take risks, bet on ourselves and our strategies, consider our opponents and partners, step out of our comfort zones, and make a few daring moves. Acting like individualists as much as team players,” said Agostino Poletto, managing director of Pitti Immagine, the show's organiser.

The watchword is ‘playing’, getting involved in a challenging, creative game that rhymes with energy, commitment and the desire to win. Elements that Pitti Immagine is very familiar with, and is putting centre-stage for the fashion and lifestyle sectors with a highly creative event. The show will host 825 exhibitors (41% of them from outside Italy) across five sections (Fantastic Classic, Futuro Maschile, Dynamic Attitude, Superstyling and I Go Out) that cover traditional, casual and cutting-edge menswear, the latter showcased in the Sala delle Nazioni and the Arsenale.


‘Pitti Games’ is the theme chosen by Pitti Immagine for its shows’ summer 2023 edition


Menswear will of course be the main focus, alongside lifestyle products and those dedicated to summer outdoor pursuits, from beachwear to camping and hiking accessories. There will again be a section dedicated to pets, which premièred last year, and a revamped setting for the I Go Out and S|Style sections. 
 
Pitti Uomo 104’s format will feature some of the innovations introduced at the January session, as the show strives to broaden and enhance its exhibition solutions. The result is a vibrant, fluid show experience within the Fortezza, enlivened by plenty of unique solutions and cross-over features, mirroring the market’s new requirements.

Californian designer Eli Russell Linnetz - guest designer of Pitti Uomo 104 – the founder and inspiration of the ERL label and also an eclectic artist, will transform the Fortezza da Basso’s central courtyard into a film set, with a nod to a famous Hollywood cult movie. Blending imagination and creation, truth and verisimilitude, Eli will assemble colourful stories that the audience will be able to watch as spectators, or take part in as actors, in a game of make-believe and dreams.
 
During Pitti Uomo 104, Fendi will present its Spring/Summer 2024 men's collection near Florence, staging a special invitation-only runway show scheduled in the late afternoon of June 15 at the recently opened Fendi Factory, the luxury label’s craftsmanship hub located in the heart of the Tuscan countryside at Capannuccia (near Bagno a Ripoli).
 
Pitti Uomo 104 will feature several launches and major come-backs, as well as special anniversaries and collaborations. Arena will celebrate half a century in business, and will debut in the lifestyle segment with The Woolmark Company, in the Giardino del Glicine area. Fila too is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its iconic F Box logo, with a special sportswear and outerwear collection, while Doucal’s will fête its 50th birthday by introducing ‘Mario’, a special edition of the brand’s signature moccasin, dedicated to founder Mario Giannini.
 
Japanese camping equipment brand Snow Peac will be back in Florence with a double presence, in the I Go Out section and the Fortezza’s outdoor space. Making their come-back are also leading German contemporary label Drykorn, once a regular Pitti Uomo exhibitor, and Giuseppe Zanotti, celebrating the 15th anniversary of its men's footwear collections with a selection of evening shoes.

Among this summer's new entries, Liverano & Liverano Atelier, a bespoke tailor from Florence, and German contemporary tailoring label Carl Gross, which will exhibit at the Sala delle Colonne. Roy Roger’s will present a collaboration with US workwear retailer Dave’s NY, while Cycle will launch a capsule collection developed with artist Sexs Dreams. The emerging talent support project sponsored by Incotex Blue Division will have its own showcase, taking over the shop windows of the Rinascente Firenze department store with creations by fashion students from Accademia Costume e Moda, Domus Academy, Naba and Istituto Marangoni.

Making their international debut in Florence are also the Do label, founded in the city by designer Domenico Orefice and backed by Polimoda, and Rovi Lucca, a fashion project inspired by the gardens of the period villas in nearby Lucca, a collaboration between Italian designer Fabrizio Taliani (formerly head designer at Zegna) and Australian creative director Bradley Seymour. Pitti Uomo 104 will expand the section dedicated to international collaborations, with collective stands by US and Chinese labels. Scandinavian Manifesto and J∞Quality from Japan will also exhibit.

“People are keen to meet again in Florence. This is what we perceived in the months when we were busy preparing this new edition of Pitti Uomo. In a year that is surely far from easy for the industry we represent, our event is increasingly attractive, and is chosen and recognised as the essential showcase where exhibitors can gain visibility and meet their international clients,” said Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine.

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