Mild weather greeted big crowds in Florence for The 93rd edition of Pitti Uomo – the leading destination for premium men’s fashion. Plenty of surprises were in stor,e with a mix of new and returning brands taking the place of familiar names.
Within the show’s general presentation area, the biggest buzz came courtesy of Birkenstock, whose updated footwear range was supported by elaborate displays of their sleep and cosmetics lines as well as the announcement of an upcoming collaboration with Rick Owens.
Birkenstock’s harmony-with-nature message was echoed by many throughout the show, with sustainability providing a headline theme for brands like Pepe Jeans (water conservation), North Sails (plastic recovery) and MINI.
Style-wise, it was clear that street and urban-active ideas continue to resonate further up the fashion pyramid, with oversized components, gritty prints, aggressive cut-and-sew and material research playing a prominent role in the styling and presentation of many collections – from denim to office-wear. Eighties and nineties nostalgia licensed also provided accents in collections from the likes of Replay (Nirvana), GAS (MTV), Element (Keith Haring and Polaroid Originals) and Dedicated (Dirty Dancing).
Licensed properties and collaborations with artists, designers and brands were evenly sprinkled throughout the show, but it was Karl Lagerfeld who generated the biggest impetus in a capsule curated by personal P.A./bodyguard, Sebastien Jondeau. Seen in the flesh, the collection’s focus on one man’s lifestyle was appealing and human, even if it was hard to forget Choupette and wonder if Kaiser Karl’s inspiration only happens within a two metre radius of himself.
But it was brand extension concepts that resonated most consistently, with many star category-specialist brands from the last decade discovering the confidence to spread into adjacent categories. Most notable here were names like Herschel Supply, Bellroy, Stutterheim, Italia Independent and Sundek.
For a full round-up of the ideas on show, be sure to peruse our reportage: