“People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish… but that’s only if it’s done properly.” Banksy, Wall and Piece
The just finished Pitti Edition, the 94th, will be remembered – at least by me – for two elements: the bucket hats and the worthier polished, wanted connection of street, fashion and art.
It’s in the very trickle down & trickle up process we have often spoken about that the interpretation keys for this characterization stays. The streets contaminate fashion that contaminates art. In its turn, art contaminates fashion that contaminates the street by filling the empty spaces, the ones notoriously dedicated to the contents and giving them new emphasis.
This results in a new aristocratic street at the service of a democratic art, and fashion – queen of the parties – is glorified in the Galleries and the Palaces in Florence.
THE SHOWS
BAND OF OUTSIDERS
Following AW18’s depiction of a winter-sport holiday, Band of Outsiders’ key inspiration for Spring Summer 2019 is a college trip to Italy. The collection brings together a complete everyday-wardrobe, playfully embracing this season’s theme, with varsity-inspired jersey, ‘dropped collar’ tensile shirting, and ultra-lightweight unstructured tailoring.
The accessory offer this season includes bum bags, bucket hats and visors stamped with the brand’s updated B logo.
Boxy printed camp collar shirts are worn as twin sets or paired with straight trousers, just as workwear becomes a modern suit version highlighting the nonchalant tailoring options. A mix ‘n’ match of formal and leisurely is seen throughout: Band of Outsiders pairs a tailored shirt with vintage inspired tracksuit, or double breasted suiting options with ‘pop over’ rain oversized jackets.
This season also sees a number of highly anticipated collaborations, including the Italian sportswear cult label Sergio Tacchini and the quintessentially British eyewear brand Kirk Originals.
The prints have been designed by the Brooklyn-based artist Amit Greenberg who is well known for his projects in collaboration with Colette. The artist’s drawings were inspired by memories of excursions to ancient roman ruins across Italy, playing on the Italian school trip theme explored across the collection.
MCM
This season the German-born label, founded in Munich 1976, has expanded on its heritage in travel accessories to become an all-encompassing lifestyle brand. A full men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collection sits alongside the signature backpacks, leather goods, eyewear and footwear.
Designed for the 21st-Century Global Nomad, the multi-functional, modular and genderless collection allows the wearer to move and travel freely 24/7, whether that is cross-city or country-to-country.
The SS19 collection is a vibrant, youthful and utilitarian offer, designed with both statement and functionality in mind and presented via a powerful and immersive show. Inspired by air-based sports such as skydiving, both key to the collection itself, guests experienced a multi-sensory runway that took them on a journey through the clouds.
An atmospheric, tropical storm opened the show, leading into an audio/visual immersive presentation that referenced the collection’s concept. Freedom of movement and spontaneous travel were visualized through storms, clouds and blue skies. The presentation was highlighted by the landing of a skydiver across the show space.
THE EXHIBITIONS
FANATIC FEELINGS – Fashion Plays Football is an exhibition curated by Markus Ebner, founder of the German fashion magazines Achtung Mode and Sepp Football Fashion and the contemporary art critic Francesco Bonami.
Through a broad multimedia presentation, FANATIC FEELINGS highlights the pioneering impact football has had on the world of men’s fashion by igniting the fusion of tailoring and sportswear early on. With the World Cup 2018 held in Russia and Eastern European aesthetics currently dominating the contemporary fashion, FANATIC FEELINGS is ultra timely.
Designers create football team uniforms or entire collections inspired by sport, footballers take front row seats at fashion shows or even star as models in campaigns. The show includes Karl Lagerfeld and Hiroshi Tanabe illustrations of famous soccer players and an extensive look into the rich Sepp Football Fashion archives from 2002 to 2018 as selected by Francesco Bonami featuring players such as Kaka, Edinson Cavani, Jérôme Boateng or Mesut Özil. The show includes screenings of Zidane: A 21st century portrait, the documentary by artists Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno.
There are also new exclusively commissioned photography and design projects. The exhibition also traces the lives of soccer icons and fashion enthusiasts such as George Best, Eric Cantona or Gigi Meroni, who helped launch the close ties between football and costume. And a special Street Style section highlights fashion plates like David Beckham, Neymar and Franck Ribéry on what they wear after training or game.
BONAVERI, A FAN OF PUCCI
Kicking off at Pitti Uomo — June 12th to 15th 2018 — Emilio Pucci comes forth with another innovative approach to addressing fashion: “Bonaveri – A Fan of Pucci”, is a visual journey created in partnership with mannequin pioneer Bonaveri, which explores the brands’ historic codes through their innate artistic touch, creative souls, savoir-faire and irony. Palazzo Pucci in Florence is the backdrop to this spectacular exhibition of mannequins and bust forms all dressed in garments from the Pucci archive.
Conceived by the creative director Emma Davidge, the exhibition is a showcase for the Italian craft, style and creativity.
THE SCHOOLS
ISTITUTO MARANGONI | Menswear Graduate Show – Imagery
The first appointment in Firenze is at Dogana on June 11th where and when the ten best menswear designers from Istituto Marangoni present their collections.
In this occasion, the 2018’s best menswear designer is elected. It hasn’t been an easy competition, but rather an engaging performance exhibiting the works of these young designers in a new form. Under The Light, is the whole new concept that explores the theme of contamination between fashion and art.
Moreover, the designer Armando Costa, alumnus from the Istituto Marangoni, presents “Maneki neko”, his Spring/Summer 2019 collection created in partnership with 8IGB.
POLIMODA FASHION SHOW – SEPARATE COLLECTION
Titled Separate Collection, the event emerges as a play on words joining fashion, sustainability and fashion upcycling, while inviting the young designers to express their identity to the fullest, as overconsumption is generated by the lack of identity. Linked to the concept of conscious design, this common thread traverses the collections, guiding the selection of recycled and refurbished materials, the messages behind the individual collections and the event’s creative direction, led by Polimoda Director Danilo Venturi and inspired by the concept of re-evaluating subjects previously deemed worthless. From the unclad yet monumental Manifattura Tabacchi to the casting of models bearing the ruthless and unconventional beauty of Pasolini’s characters, every detail is curated with maniacal care, shaping the olfactory notes diffused in the hangar and the show’s musical tartar built around Röyksopp’s “Monuments.”
THE EVENTS
7 MONCLER FRAGMENT HIROSHI FUJIWARA
Quite apart from the Moncler Genius Building presentation held in Milan on February 20th 2018 and introducing a new creative and communication chapter for the brand, Moncler unveils the first launch of the project: 7 MONCLER FRAGMENT HIROSHI FUJIWARA.
Through the mosaic of Fragment, Fujiwara has revisited the Moncler classics in keeping with his own eclectic parameters and imagination.
7 MONCLER FRAGMENT HIROSHI FUJIWARA has been launched in Florence with an event at Museo del Bargello. Inspired by the musical culture and conveying an atmosphere of concert, it reflects the designer’s world able to combine streetwear and culture consistently.
BIRKENSTOCK
Birkenstock showcases the Spring/Summer 19 collection in the historic Torrigiani Gardens. With a spectacular setting in the Europe`s largest private garden, a heritage in footwear meets a remarkable landscape design. Showing the latest collection of BIRKENSTOCK, it further enhances the renewed focus on the newness of the brand.
Inviting international guests to a spectacular picnic, over 670 guests enjoy the soundscape of Michel Gaubert to a show styled by the invited designer. The beautiful landscape design set the tone to a runway show, attended by industry influencers including Suzy Menkes, Cathy Horyn, Michele Lamy, Sterling Ruby, Andreas Murkudis, Kostas Murkudis and Christopher Raeburn.
Birkenstock is developing into a comfort brand, also showing the sleeping systems, the Natural Skincare and the latest Spring/Summer 19 footwear collection.
SPECIAL LAUNCH OF THE COS MENSWEAR CAPSULE COLLECTION
At Istituto degli Innocenti, the London-based fashion brand COS presents “Soma,” a capsule collection of essential menswear garments characterized by comfort and high-level design. A special event is held for the launch of the collection in a stunning location in the city involving the participation of the famous British choreographer Wayne McGregor.
THE STANDS
K-WAY
Innovation is a business expertise and KWAY knows it well how important is to meet the needs of the modern consumers. The Première collection presented during Pitti displayed some new features in terms of materials, forms and dedicated accessories. The famous model Le vrai, breathable and waterproof, was celebrated with 14 shades of colour in this edition.
INVICTA
Password: Urban Passport. When you speak about mobility you are used to thinking about the best means to go around in the city. Our life is a continuous flow, work has changed our habits, our needs are always increasing and because of this it’s fundamental to get at hand anything we can need during the day. The new backpacks by Invicta are the answers to these needs.
The ICON have always represented the brand heritage. It’s a range of historic knapsacks famous for having climbed the highest mountains in the world and been the real protagonists in the city daily life: one for all, the Jolly.
The Jolly maintains in its DNA the whole story. Original belts and buckles, a stonewashing and that style that has made it unique and identifiable in the years. Jolly reinvent itself: inside, a new pocket for the PC and a lot of space to live the urban adventures. To adapt to all the outfits, it’s available in different versions, colours and fabrics.
Z ZEGNA
The Zegna family’s never-ending passion for tennis is the key inspiration for a multifaceted summer wardrobe rooted in the stylish versatility that characterizes the tennis universe. To celebrate the theme of the season Z ZEGNA has decided to appoint for the first time an official face for the brand: Alexander Zverev, the youngest tennis player in the ATP top 20 and currently ranked number 3 in the world.
Z ZEGNA combines performance-backed tailoring with sportswear to reinterpret the very courts that have made tennis history. Spectators are invited to take their seats, creating a collage of pastel shades and graphics, enhanced and contrasted with vivid saturated tones. Ultra-fine stretch nylon and maxi mesh play with layered transparency.
