Everything You Need to Know About Pitti Uomo’s June 2023 Edition

Pitti Uomo is gearing up to launch its next edition.

Slated to run from June 13-16 at Florence’s historic Fortezza da Basso, the Italian menswear trade show will kick off the spring/summer 2024 men’s selling season as the industry still deals a plethora of economic concerns.

As the men’s industry prepares for another in-person fair, see here a round up of all the events, fashion shows and happenings taking place in Florence this June.

Gucci Unveils Latest Exhibition at Gucci Garden in Florence

Gucci has unveiled its latest exhibition at the Gucci Garden in Florence.

Called “Gucci Visions,” the exhibit serves as a “living tribute” to its signature designs and iconic emblems, as well as the talents of its creative directors and artisans over the years, the company said.

The exhibition marks a new chapter for Gucci Garden, the brand’s three-story creative and collaborative space housed in a 14th-century palazzo located in Florence’s Piazza Signoria. It begins with an illustrated timeline that reveals itself in parts as visitors make their way up the various flights of stairs, tracing the history of the House through key dates, events, and people. Interspersed throughout the first and second floor are eight individual rooms that can be viewed in any order—each one presenting a different facet of the House’s unique story.

Across eight rooms, visitors can expect to find heritage-inspired Gucci luggage designed for the modern traveler, beautiful gowns created for celebrities across the decades, and will be able to explore the house’s innovative presence in the uncharted reaches of the Metaverse. The curated selection of bags, luggage, and garments also demonstrates how the house’s artistry is forever anchored in a series of time-travelling creative conversations between the original vision of Guccio Gucci, the pioneering work of his sons, and the imaginative power of the house’s more recent creative directors Tom Ford, Frida Giannini, and Alessandro Michele.

Fendi’s Tuscan Factory Receives LEED Platinum Certification

Fendi officially received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification for its new factory in the Tuscan town of Capannuccia (Bagno a Ripoli), close to Florence, on Tuesday night.

Fendi’s factory in Capannuccia is the first leather goods factory in the luxury sector worldwide to receive the LEED Platinum Certification, obtaining the maximum score in each area with a result of 110.

Covering a land surface of eight hectares, Fendi Factory occupies a 30,000-square-meter area formerly housing the Fornace Brunelleschi kiln. The initial concept has been developed by Milan-based architecture firm Piuarch and has then been advanced, developed and coordinated by Fendi’s architecture department.

“We embrace the opportunity to invest in the Made in Italy and to sublimate the core values of craftsmanship, artisanal savoir-faire and the power of handcrafting,” Serge Brunschwig, Fendi chairman and CEO, said in a statement. “Expertise and experimentation are all elements that support our marketing and company culture and at Fendi we believe that keeping and transmitting this level of tradition is fundamental for the coming generations. We are very proud of our roots, of this new chapter in Bagno a Ripoli, offering our teams a sustainable and caring working environment, while also contributing to the reconversion of a dismissed site.”

This certification officially arrives before the Fendi Factory in Capannuccia serves as the backdrop for the Fendi men’s spring/summer 2024 show on June 15.

Rinascente Celebrates Florence Store Renovation

Italian department store Rinascente celebrated the completion of its Florence store renovation at an event on Tuesday, June 13 on the occasion of Pitti Uomo.

The event, titled “Be Florentine,” started with a press conference at the Tosca&Nino terrace on the 4th floor of Rinascente Florence followed by the window unveiling featuring styles from Slowear. Later on Tuesday evening, Palazzo Vecchio opened its doors to Rinascente for a special night starting with an aperitif in the evocative Cortile del Michelozzo and continuing in its magnificent Salone dei 500 with an intimate live private concert followed by an exclusive gala dinner in perfect Florentine style.

On Wednesday, June 14, Rinascente will color Piazza della Repubblica in a distinctive, sparkling purple with an exclusive party with light dinner and explosive DJ set in the spectacular Purple Gallery, a 1,000-square-meter crystal gallery created for the occasion in front of the store. A proper party, with delicious food offerings with Tuscan vibes and the unique and inimitable style of Moët Impérial by Moët & Chandon and Signature Cocktails

Pierluigi Cocchini, CEO of Rinascente, said in a statement that the company’s vision of a department store goes beyond the simple shopping experience. “It is to be in commingling with the territory, engine of modernity and innovation, a place where things you don’t expect, happen,” Cocchini said. “Be Florentine events confirm the philosophy that has always characterized us and that we can sum up with our claim ‘for the city, with the city, in the city’.”

Valentino Opens New Florence Store

The new Valentino store, which extends over 2,160 square feet and two floors, faces directly onto Piazza della Signoria, one of the largest and most storied squares in Florence.

The floors, defined by signature geometric patterns in Botticino and Sahara Noir marble, and the elements in onyx and wood contribute to the sense of warmth, elegance and calibrated luxury, while the details are inspired by Roman buildings.

Valentino has tapped craftsmen to produce furnishings for each space: Massimiliano Pipolo has created handmade ceramic handles, characterized by natural shapes suspended between decorative objects while furniture designer Alexandre Logé has created delicate sculpted plaster chandeliers, suspended white compositions with luminous extensions in the space.

The Valentino Unboxing collection, Valentino Garavani accessories and the Valentino eyewear and beauty lines are presented through a setup with unexpected design details.

Fratelli Rossetti Opens Florence Store

The brand is celebrating 70 years in business in 2023, and, marking this milestone, it has opened a store in Florence, on Via Roma. The interiors of the new boutique were designed by the Architude architectural studio, which developed a new concept starting from the brand’s craftsmanship and quality and from the skillful combination of different materials.

The store employs sustainable local marble and stone, such as green serpentine marble. LED walls play a key role, alternating with more traditional elements, creating a dynamic atmosphere and lending the room a slight extravagance.

The furnishings, which are transparent and light, highlight the products and the flooring, which features a woven motif on the sides, a striking reference to one of the brand’s signature processing techniques. The space is decorated with warm-colored velvet seats resting on silk and wool carpets.

CB Made in Italy Opens Store in Florence

CB Made in Italy, the luxury footwear label led by founder Cecilia Bringheli and Sibilla de Vuono, entrepreneur and creative director, has opened its first store in Florence.

The city has a special meaning for the two women, as the headquarters of the brand stand in Milan while de Vuono’s farm and retreat is located in the Chianti hills in Florence.

The store is at 38R, Via Santo Spirito in the beating heart of Florence’s trendiest neighborhood, which is always vibrant and which is filled with art studios, antique stores, artisans and craftsmen.

It covers 432 square feet and is tinged with natural colors, reflecting the brand’s image and its core values: love for natural and organic materials, texture, Italian design and history. Inside the space, featuring an original Florentine vaulted ceiling and a charming soft light, CB’s handcrafted shoes and accessories are displayed on Travertino shelves, while a teal blue velvet sofa designed by Tobia Scarpa welcomes guests.

During Pitti Uomo, CB Made in Italy and Vibram, the premium outsole and performance footwear brand, will present a collaboration aimed to project sustainability, kindness, consciousness, transformation, reuse and playfulness. With the partnership, the brand is putting a new spin on its evergreen range of products, going beyond the concept of seasonal collections or trends.

LuisaViaRoma to Host ‘Runway Icons’ Show With British Vogue

LuisaViaRoma will host a special runway show in Florence on June 14 in partnership with British Vogue and its editor-in-chief Edward Enninful OBE.

Called “Runway Icons,” the event will run parallel to Pitti Uomo’s slate of events on the second night of the men’s trade fair. The Italian retailer said that the show will feature looks from around 50 international brands, both emerging and established names who have created pieces that reflect not only their iconography and heritage, but also their contemporary style DNA. These looks will be modeled by leading industry talents and friends of British Vogue.

According to LuisaViaRoma, the event is an evolution of its inaugural fashion show in 2019 and will feature a unique open-air catwalk event held at the historic Piazzale Michelangelo to an audience of 2,000 people.

The Italian retailer said in a statement that the show will be followed by an exclusive private dinner and party featuring a musical performance. LuisaViaRoma will also celebrate the special event with a series of activations around its home city of Florence.

“This incredible event, that has been conceived to be highly inclusive, since we will open the doors to 2,000 guests, wants to show our most authentic approach to the business: respectful of the past, focused on the present, and projected into the future,” Andrea Panconesi, founder and president of LuisaViaRoma said in a statement. “Florence, where everything started, will play a key role in this event, offering guests an incredible location that will serve as the best setting possible to showcase the pinnacle of luxury and fashion.”

Enninful added in a statement that this event is a “unique opportunity” to bring together a selection of the world’s leading designers in one “show-stopping” moment. “There is an electric sense of creativity and craftsmanship in Florence, so to bring our vision to the runway here, with so many of our favourite collaborators, will be an unmissable event,” Enninful said.

Pitti Reveals ‘Playful’ Theme for June Shows

Pitti Immagine has released the theme for its upcoming June trade fairs.

Dubbed “Pitti Games,” the theme was inspired by checkerboard squares, the backgammon’s elongated triangles, cards and dice. Directed by Leonardo Corallini with the coordination of creative director Angelo Figus, the theme’s corresponding ad campaign shows a playful and optimistic spirit.

Agostino Poletto, general director of Pitti Immagine, said in a statement that the theme “perfectly aligns” with the optimistic climate that surrounds the opening of the upcoming fairs.

“This is why 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 take a few daring moves,” Poletto said. “Reflect, spread out, bluff perhaps, shuffle, mix, put down the cards. In short, games give us a lot of input, in life and in our work.”

Figus added: “I imagined that the upcoming fairs could open as an invitation to the Pitti community to play their own game. A kind of inclusive operation that – from cards to checkers transformed into graphic signs – would tell different strategies and modes. Of course, the reference to textiles is constant: checks, zig zags, and vertical lines are broken down and recomposed in the fair scenario.”

ERL Named Guest Designer

Eli Russell Linnetz, the founder and creative director of ERL, has been named the next guest designer of Pitti Uomo.

The California-based designer will present his label’s spring/summer 2024 collection with a fashion show on Wednesday, June 14 in Florence. According to Pitti Uomo, Linnetz will also work on a “specific project” for the occasion that will “portray his crossover vision among fashion, design, and lifestyle.”

In a statement on Wednesday, Linnetz said he has “great excitement” to be joining the long list of designers that have presented in Florence before him. “To stand on the shoulders of giants — the California waves swelling high into the sky then crash down upon Florence,” the designer said. “The birthplace of renaissance and magic — beauty born from thin air. Peer through the magic spectacles as the journey continues…”

Lapo Cianchi, director of communication and special events at Pitti Immagine, added in the statement, that Linnetz’s often ironic and irreverent reinterpretation of American cliches combined with commercial flair are some of the reasons why he was invited to show in Florence.

“He gracefully and joyfully mixes art and fashion, merging the inevitable street culture with luxury sportswear,” Cianchi said. “All accompanied by a clear media instinct that is also evident in his recent collaborations with global brands and music stars. We are certain that his presence at Pitti Uomo will massively energize the whole fashion community.”

Linnetz launched ERL in 2020 and is currently available at over 220 global retailers, including all Dover Street Market stores. One of ERL’s looks from its fall/winter 2021 menswear collection was featured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” – along with the upcycled ERL quilt and custom tuxedo worn by A$AP Rocky at the 2021 Costume Institute Gala. Linnetz has also received multiple international awards for his designs, including GQ’s Breakthrough Designer of the Year in 2021, and LVMH’s Karl Lagerfeld Prize in 2022. In May 2022, he debuted his collaboration with Dior, guest designing the spring 2023 men’s collection with Kim Jones.

Kering Signs on to Help Spotlight 10 Sustainable Menswear Brands

Kering’s Material Innovation Lab (MIL) and Fondazione Pitti Immagine Discovery are joining forces to support 10 rising menswear brands to showcase their low-impact solutions at this season’s “S|Style” sustainable style section of the Italian trade fair.

Participating brands this season include Cavia (Italy), Dalpaos (Italy), Dhruv Kapoor (India), Isnurh (Denmark), Jeanne Friot (France), Ksenia Schnaider (Ukraine), Olooh (Côte d’Ivoire), Permu (United Kingdom), Steven Passaro (France), Young n Sang (South Korea).

According to Kering, various solutions will be explored by each designer to embed more sustainability criteria into their collections. From the widely adopted practice of upcycling to reducing resource consumption during processing; and from bio-based solutions to implementing international certifications that are aligned with Kering’s existing standards. They will also focus on giving back to the planet and communities, the use of recycled materials, and the promotion of fair ethical work that supports artisans.

Lapo Cianchi, head of communications and special projects for Pitti Immagine and general secretary of the Fondazione Pitti Discovery said in a statement on Monday that the collaboration with Kering’s MIL is an “important recognition” of the work Pitti Immagine is doing to “spread a modern culture of responsibility” in fashion.

Christian Tubito, director of Kering MIL added that this project “sounds like a perfect match” for the Group’s in-house research and innovation hub. “It’s an unusual partnership for supporting young and emerging brands that want to embrace sustainability, adding innovation to their low-impact capsules and giving them the chance to showcase new prototype materials that have been piloted or validated by the MIL and materials that are aligned with our Kering standards,” Tubito said.

Fendi Named Special Guest Designer

Fendi has been named as Pitti Uomo’s special guest designer this season.

The Italian luxury brand will present its men’s spring/summer 2024 collection with a special fashion show scheduled for the late afternoon of June 15 in the recently opened Fendi Factory in nearby Capannuccia (Bagno a Ripoli).

In a statement on Thursday, Fendi added that its move to show in Florence instead of its usual Milan Fashion Week showing was mutually agreed upon by Pitti Immagine and the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana.

The brand will return to showing its collections during Milan Fashion Week Men’s in January 2024 with its fall/winter 2024 collection, Fendi said.

Fendi’s artistic director of accessories and menswear Silvia Venturini Fendi said in a statement upon the announcement that she was “thrilled” the next men’s show will take place in a location she considers personally “special” and the “pulsing heart” of Fendi. “It will be such a unique occasion to see our products take life exactly where our Artisans make them, letting them take centre stage on that day,” said Venturini Fendi.

Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine, added that the Fendi event is a “precious and emblematic” occasion for the city of Florence. “In fact, the factory is a large structure dedicated above all to leather goods, representing one of the best expressions of the manufacturing, industrial and artisanal tradition of our territory and region,” said Napoleone.