PLANS FOR PITTI 106 REVEALED

Raffaello Napoleone, the CEO of Pitti Uomo, hosted a lunch for menswear press and influencers at Scarpetta in New York City last Friday where he introduced plans for the upcoming summer edition of the show, which will take place at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence from June 11 to 14, 2024, and will include around 790 brands, about 43% of which are international.

As previously announced, this year’s guest designer is Marine Serre, making her debut in menswear, and British designer Paul Smith will headline a special event on opening day. Designer Pierre Louis Mascia will present his first runway show and Plan C’s Carolina Castiglioni will also debut her first men’s fashion capsule.

“Pitti Uomo continues to grow alongside the brands, providing its ever-growing and stronger community with an opportunity to connect, conduct business, and delve into topics shaping contemporary fashion culture,” says Napoleone. “For the upcoming season, fashion companies have once again chosen to focus their resources and investments on Florence and our event, which, in return, offers brands international visibility and an ideal, ever-evolving context to engage with the right stakeholders.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Trade Agency are supporting the 2024 Pitti Immagine fashion trade shows to enhance Florence’s role in internationalizing Italian fashion.

“Thanks to this collaboration,” says Agostino Poletto, General Director of Pitti Immagine, “we can invest valuable resources in inviting buyers from emerging markets, whether they’re potential new clients for high-quality Made in Italy products or those who are already becoming important for our national exhibitors. For this initiative, we’ve worked with ICE staff abroad, who consistently demonstrate expertise and deep knowledge of their respective distribution and consumption contexts, crucial elements for effective planning.”

The Buyers

Many buyers have confirmed their attendance, from leading international department stores to boutiques, specialty shops, and concept stores, including 10 Corso Como, Beams, Bergdorf & Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, Browns, Galeries Lafayette, Harry Rosen, Harvey Nichols, Highsnobiety, Holt Renfrew (Canada), La Maison Simons, Lane Crawford, M Penner, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Printemps, Saks Fifth Avenue, Selfridges, Ssense, United Arrows, and many more.

The World of Pitti

International collaborations at the show continue this season, including:

SCANDINAVIAN MANIFESTO
The showcase will feature a selection of brands at the Costruzioni Lorenesi, the result of a partnership between Pitti Uomo and CIFF, the premier trade fair platform for Scandinavian fashion brands in Copenhagen. Confirmed participating brands include Henrik Vibskov, Isnurh, Rue De Tokyo, Messy Weekend, ARKK Copenhagen, Aveny, Wood Bird, J. Lindeberg, and Nikben.

J QUALITY
J QUALITY is led by the Japan Apparel and Fashion Industry Association (JAFIC), promoting high-quality Japanese apparel while supporting the textile and garment manufacturing regions. Through the “J QUALITY Factory Brand Project” (JQFBP), selected factories collaborate to create collections for the global market. Companies/brands participating this edition include SUNLINE / in-a Ka-Date, MARUCHO / GOODPEOPLEGOODSTITCHINGGOODPRODUCT, MARUWA KNIT / Balancircular, OKOCHI MERIYASU / IDEAL Pull-over. Masato Koyama, designer and founder of the brand Heugn, returns as design director.

CHINA WAVE
The best contemporary Chinese menswear arrives at the Fortezza thanks to CHINA WAVE, the result of the partnership between Pitti Uomo and the China National Garment Association. The spaces of the Costruzioni Lorenesi will showcase brands and designers selected for “CHIC In Pitti Uomo,” an initiative through which CHIC (China International Fashion Fair) aims to promote Chinese labels distinguished by quality and aesthetics. The confirmed participating brands include Valleyouth, KB HONG by K-BOXING, Raxxy, JDV, Fenggy, Blackhead, Keyone by Hattershub, and Typetail.

PROMAS
The special focus on creativity made in France returns, thanks to a collaboration with Promas French Menswear Fédération and DEFI, the organization for the development of French menswear. They have launched Promas LIST, a platform to facilitate direct contact between buyers and brands. At Pitti Uomo 106, there is a new selection of French brands, including names making their debut at the show such as Adn Paris, Again, Anthony Peto, Bask in the sun, Baziszt, Chapal, Coltesse, De Bonne Facture, Homecore, Mii, Olow, Ouest Paris, and The Hideout Clothing.

Pitti Lemon has been chosen as the theme for the advertising campaign and the setups at the Fortezza. The campaign, coordinated by creative director Angelo Figus, has been interpreted by Giordano Poloni, a renowned illustrator who collaborates with major magazines and newspapers worldwide. His creativity brought to life a visionary Lemon City, the ideal destination for the two protagonists of the drawing, just as Pitti Uomo is for those seeking style and modernity.

“Playful and fun, the lemon strikes a balance between a tennis ball and a rugby ball. It’s simple yet consists of many segments, and it’s both sweet and sour, providing a burst of energy. Essentially, it is a symbol with an iconic impact on meaning and the senses that drove us to a significant decision: to forego photos and videos in our advertising campaigns, opting instead for purely graphical representations created exclusively by graphic designers,” comments Agostino Poletto, general director of Pitti Immagine.

For a complete listing of Pitti Immagine Uomo.