Pitti Immagine holds what many critics consider the most prestigious fashion happenings in the world, organizing multiple fashion events in Florence, Italy:
Pitti Immagine Uomo (menswear, twice yearly.)
Pitti_W Woman Pre-collections (womenswear, twice yearly.)
Pitti Immagine Bimbo (ages 0-14, twice yearly.)
Pitti Immagine Filati (yarn collections, twice yearly.)
Fragranze (fragrances and essences, once yearly.)
Taste (food and wine, once yearly.)
Prior to the 1950’s, there was no real ready-to-wear market in Italy—what we call in Italy “Pronto Moda”; 90% of all clothing was custom-made by sarti and sarte (‘tailors’ and ‘seamstresses’).
Because of the local conditions in and around Florence, Italy, the Tuscan city became a mighty fulcrum that could raise the current structure of fashion events as we knew them today.
In 1972, Pitti Uomo was born and, by the early Nineties, Pitti Immagine had become an undisputed global leader in the fashion industry.
Now, more than 50 years later, Pitti Uomo celebrates the 78th Edition (15-17 June, 2010) with Jil Sander as special guest, in addition to 972 brands and 30,000 buyers.
The theme of this Summer Edition is Design Watching: “the world of fashion will be making a curious–and indiscreet–foray into the world of design through the ideas and visual-acoustic-verbal notes gathered by a platoon of ‘design watchers’, the spearhead of Pitti People, the international community of the Pitti Uomo buyers, journalists, and opinion leaders.”
Other events include:
My Factory is the new Pitti Uomo project that embodies the new sensitivity that has developed from the busy intersection where fashion, street styles, music, graphics and the new media meet.
My Factory is a new trade segment linked to today’s metro culture where the passwords are experimentation, eclecticism, eco-sustainability and modernity. The focus will be on full and capsule collections by young creatives and products form international brands sold in trend stores and online. Settings by Oliviero Baldini.
The names at this first edition of My Factory will include: Levi’s® Vintage Clothing, Red Wing, Soulland, Beat Generation, Dr. Bronner, Rm Williams, BB Washed, Be Different, Gorgeous, Rivieras Leisure Shoes, Sammy Hand Made In Ethiopia.
New Beats are the debuts at Pitti Uomo—the new names coming from all over the world: from South Korea to Spain and United Kingdom. It features collections by young avant-garde brands that the Pitti scouts found most interesting during their worldwide talent searches.
The names include: Bustler, Groundwave, Il Sistema degli Oggetti, La Portegna, Noonk, Open Baladin, Pop on bags, Serdar Uzuntas, Tee Library, The Mua Mua Dolls.
Who’s On Next is the contest dedicated to new talents–Italian or Italian-based–in men’s fashion, promoted and organized by Pitti Immagine in collaboration with AltaRoma and Uomo Vogue.
The winners are FQR by Fabio Quaranta for ready-to-wear andAI_ by Andrea Incontri for accessories.
Photo top right Tradeshow Courtesy & Copyright Pitti Immagine.
Photo upper left Design Watching Courtesy & Copyright Pitti Immagine.
Photo middle right Tradeshow Courtesy & Copyright Pitti Immagine.
Photo bottom left Who's On Next Courtesy & Copyright Pitti Immagine.