Pitti Uomo 101 returns to Florence for physical edition

Iconic menswear fashion trade fair Pitti Uomo kicked off its first day on Tuesday with the fashion industry descending on Florence for the return of the in-person event.

Brands attending this edition include Italian fashion house Lardini, which will present a special edition capsule collection for FW22/23 realized especially for the occasion, as well as a winter garden installation.

Other guests include Ecoalf, Paul and Shark, Ten C, Filson, Save The Duck, Marc O'Polo, Premiata, Connolly, Holden, Aldomariacamillo and Christopher Raeburn.

Around 600 new FW22 collections will be showcased at the event, with the iconic Fortezza da Basso split into three macro-areas: ‘Fantastic Classic’, which highlights the evolution of classic menswear in its most innovative and contemporary versions; Dynamic Attitude, which focuses on the outdoors and meeting point between sport and streetwear; and Superstyling, an area dedicated to new stylistic canons that anticipate trends.

The event will run from January 11 to 13, with the theme this season ‘Reflections’, which sees the Fortezza da Basso decorated in an array of mirrors and other reflective surfaces.

Covid safety measures

The event comes at a difficult time, with the Omicron variant spreading quickly through Europe and many countries tightening restrictions over the Christmas period.

Belgian brand Anne Demeulemeester, which in November was announced as Pitti’s special guest for this edition, said earlier this month it would be skipping the show due to the pandemic.

Similarly, Italian labels Brunello Cucinelli and Giorgio Armani said they would be bowing out of the event for the same reason.

The Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, Italy’s governing fashion body, was eager to run Pitti in a physical form as it did its most recent edition in June, which was the first to take place in person after several digital iterations due to the pandemic.

Proof of vaccination and the wearing of FFP2 masks is mandatory for entry at Pitti this season, and a number of other measures including social distancing are in place.