Our design team visited the Pitti Uomo design fair in Florence this month, focusing on men’s style and fashion. We asked designer Kayleigh how they got on.
Did you enjoy it?
Loved it! The streetstyle was like nothing I have ever seen. They dress up every day and are very pose-y, they are just waiting for people to take their photos. You see things you wouldn’t see anywhere else but at Pitti. The shows cover every product you can think of for menswear so it gives you a really good overview of what is available. The whole of Florence turns into part of the show and gets involved, there are different events all-round the city. The streetstyle was my favourite part though, nowhere else do men dress up like this, everyone looked so dapper.
What was the purpose of your visit?
We wanted to visit a show with a focus on menswear as most shows are for women. With menswear it is the little details that make a big difference, so we wanted to get some inspirations. We also wanted to see what retailers are doing as Pitti attracts retailers both big and small. Italy is the home of fashion, so we knew we’d get some great ideas. It was great to get to look at the European market as well, as in ways it is completely different to the British market.
Did you learn or see anything new?
Finland were the Guest Nation this year so it was interesting to see their take on fashion, as it’s not somewhere we’d looked at for inspiration before. There were some really ‘out there’ pieces but even these have features that could inspire our designs. We saw big brand retailers but also smaller boutiques that can be a lot more picky about who wears their clothes. We saw something new in every category, right down to the small details so it really got us thinking about how we could include these. There are so many eye-opening things and it’s exciting to think what we will be doing going forward.
Favourite style you saw
It is so difficult to pick just one, everyone looked so amazing. There was this one gentleman who really owned his style, he looked majestic all in purple. From his hat to his suit and coat it was all different shades of purple and in several patterns. Purple is such an iconic colour and he really pulled it off.
How does Pitti compare to other shows you’ve visited?
Pitti is considered the best menswear show in the world and people from every country come and visit it to get inspiration. You can’t compare Pitti as it’s so different, it was really inspiring to see so much fully focused on menswear. This was the first time we had visited Pitti, and it did not disappoint.
