The Technicolor Agenda of Pitti Uomo 94

If Emilio Pucci brought vibrancy to fashion through the use of color and geometric design, this upcoming edition of Pitti Immagine based on the Technicolor theme of P.O.P. PITTI OPTICAL POWER promises to be one of the most joyous ever.

The semi-annual international event will turn Florence into an international platform for the latest trends and the creativity of the fashion industry thanks to three traditional trade fairs: Pitti Uomo 94 (June 12-15), Pitti Bimbo 87 (June 21-23) and Pitti Filati 83 (June 27-29).

Pitti Uomo, dedicated to menswear and contemporary lifestyles, will be hosting 1240 brands — 561 from outside Italy — all of which will be revealing their collections for Spring/Summer 2019.  In synch with this season’s theme, the Fortezza da Basso, the main set accessible only to buyers and the press, will be decorated in optical colors by lifestyler Sergio Colantuoni.  For the occasion, a special edition of bicycles bearing the P.O.P. PITTI OPTICAL POWER graphics will made available to a number of attendees.

A packed program with shows, pop up stores and digital activities will be displayed in an itinerary through men’s fashion comprised of 13 sections, including I GO OUT in the Sala della Ronda, a new project that interprets the contemporary trend of outdoor style.

AROUND FLORENCE

Many appointments by some of the most celebrated international fashion brands will enliven locations of the city of Florence during Pitti Uomo.

Gucci will inaugurate two new rooms at the Gucci Garden Galleria in the historic Palazzo della Mercanzia (June 12, 7:30 – 9:30 pm).

Roberto Cavalli, Special Guest of Pitti Uomo 94, will premiere his menswear collection designed by Paul Surridge, the new creative director for all the group’s lines, in a breathtaking setting at the Certosa Monastery on a hill above Florence (June 13, 7:30 pm).

At Palazzo Pucci, Emilio Pucci and Bonaveri (one of the Italian leading company in the production of artistic mannequins) come together to exhibit their creative vision in an exhibition that is a journey of color, texture and shape (June 12 – 15, free entry with the Pitti Card).

Birkenstock will organize a special event at the Giardino Torrigiani (Torrigiani Gardens, June 13, 6 – 10 pm). The historic gardens will be also the set for a party that celebrates the return to the newsstand of L’Uomo Vogue with a new editorial formula, marking the 50th anniversary of the historic Condé Nast publication (June 12, from 10 pm).

On the banks of Arno at the Circolo Canottieri, Save the Duck is the sponsor of “The Giant Duck” a maxi installation and a DJ set with guest artist Pau from Italian rock band Negrita (June 13, 7:30 – 10:30 pm).

“Soma” is a special event held at the Istituto degli Innocenti for the launch of a menswear capsule collection by the London-based fashion brand COS. Involving the famous British choreographer Wayne McGregor, it can be seen live streaming on cosstores.com (June 13, 11 am).

There will be also the opening of two boutiques: Giorgio Armani in via de’ Tornabuoni (June 14, 7 – 8:30 pm), and Ermanno Scervino in via degli Strozzi (June 13, 6 – 9 pm). Ermanno Scervino will also present a new project in collaboration with Fondazione Zeffirelli in a talk at the Istituto Marangoni (June 14, 12 noon) featuring 12 costumes for the Shakespeare play “The Taming of the Shrew” created by students.

In Oltrarno, the Renaissance-style Palazzo Frescobaldi will host an installation-event to showcase the debut of the menswear collection SS19 by Tuscan designer Federico Curradi (June 14, 6 pm).

Free for the public is FANATIC FEELINGS – Fashion Plays Football, an exhibition spotlighting the influence of football on fashion, curated by Markus Ebner, founder of fashion magazines Achtung Mode and Sepp Football Fashion, and contemporary art critic Francesco Bonami. With an eye on the World Cup 2018 held in Russia, the show will include Karl Lagerfeld and Hiroshi Tanabe illustrations of famous soccer players and screenings of “Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait,” a documentary by artists Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno (Santa Maria Novella complex, June 12 to July 22; hours 11 am – 7 pm).

AT THE FORTEZZA

As every season, Pitti Uomo will highlight the most interesting names in cutting-edge clothing lines. London-born designer Craig Green is the Menswear Guest Designer for this edition.  Green, who reinvented the Worker Jacket, will showcase his S/S 2019 collection at an exclusive runway show that mixes together workwear influences and futuristic shapes (June 14, 8:30 pm).

On June 12 (3 pm), six of the most innovative Georgian designers will present their collections in the Central Pavilion as the Pitti Guest Nation, promoted by the Fondazione Pitti Immagine Discovery.

From Japan, the innovative styles of Shinpei Yamagishi, the recipient of the prestigious Tokyo Fashion Award in 2016 and founder of the independent label BED j.w. FORD, will be revealed at a Leopolda Station runway show (June 14, 5 pm).  Fumito Ganryu, the fashion designer who worked previously for Garçons line, will unveil his upcoming styles at the Frittelli Contemporary Art gallery (June 13, 10 am).

During the fair, the special project Scandinavian Manifesto will showcase a unique selection of 15 brands from Denmark, Sweden and Norway, such as Johannes Adele, HOPE and Filippa K, in a specially designed venue at the Arena Strozzi.

Follow Pitti Uomo 94 on social media using the hashtags #pittiuomo #pu94 #pittiopticalpower #pop and check the complete program on the website. (celeste giampietro collins)