Pitti Uomo‘s 108th edition focused on daring fashion experimentation and creative exploration, showcasing inventiveness characterized by eclecticism in addition to a forward-thinking outlook of all things sartorial. Upon arrival, nothing beats a good moment of Pitti People watching Fortezza da Basso, where men were gravitating toward a more sophisticated look without sacrificing the enjoyment and comfort of dressing. Setting the mood of the classic chino, was Tommy Hilfiger returning to Florence with his “Hilfiger Social Club” at the Palazzo Portinari Salviati, a historic downtown mansion. On the other side of the Arno, we visited the Lorenzo Villoresi Perfume Museum, the only perfume museum in the world where we were guided through aromatic materials from all over the world.
Wrapping up Day One the magnificent Stazione Leopolda was the venue of choice for Children of the Discordance. Japanese designer Hideaki Shikama brought his unique, urban aesthetic to Pitti Uomo drawing his visitors into the dark, elegant realm of his street-culture-couture inspired by his youth.
The Body Is A Playground by The Consinee Group
The Consinee Group made an audacious announcement of the new project “The Body Is A Playground” on Wednesday morning. With a revolutionary fashion experiment, they redefined freedom of dress under the direction of Xue Jingli, the group’s president and chairman. Afterward, we took a peek at the upcoming collections from such a diverse group of designers from Herno, American Vintage, Brunello Cucinelli, Robert Talbot, Kiton, Icecream, Phileo, Guess Man, Ellesee to U.S. Polo Assn. who was celebrating their 135th Anniversary, toasting to the past, present, and future of a brand born from the sport of polo that dates back to 1890. Polo and Sailing were two of the macro trends that we explored over five days.
In the evening, we made our way to the breathtaking Villa Medicea della Petraia for Pitti Guest of Honor Homme Plissé. Before the collection was unveiled, we made our way through an installation introducing us to their open studio new project, which sees a new strategy and culture defined at the iconic Japanese pleat house. Inspired by everyday Italian life and colors created on a palette from jambon to the walls of Genoa, which they later expressed through the language of pleated garments.
Thursday morning, we made our way to the highly anticipated show of Niccolò Pasqualetti for his debut menswear collection for Spring/Summer 2026. The end effect was a chic, ultra-modern men’s wardrobe, where the most iconic pieces had been deftly reimagined through numerous subtleties and laborious efforts on garment structure and volume. Later in the afternoon, South Korean brand Post Archive Faction (PAF) made its premiere in Italy. Designer Dongjoon Lim first grabbed our attention when PAF was nominated for the LVMH Prize in 2021 and has continued to evolve since. The collection was made up of moody tech wear along with a play on classical codes, making a cool which appears very much in line with today’s generation that has made Korean-cool transcend pop culture trends.
Meanwhile, a visit to CODE Korea demonstrated the global industrial potential of K-fashion by showcasing cutting-edge technical and digi textiles. The curated project space showcased designers to watch which included Ajobyajo, Finoacinque, Jagoryu, Montsenu, Ordinary People, Okiiolounge, and Valoren.
Check out some photos from this edition below:
Images courtesy of @ Pitti Immagine Uomo 108
