Pitti Uomo: A showcase for the merchandise mix of denim, sneakers, and some womenswear offerings

Pitti Uomo's 107th edition opened its doors yesterday in Florence. On display are the Fall/Winter 2025-26 collections from 770 brands, 45 percent of which are international. Inside the Fortezza da Basso, first-day attendance appears respectable; official numbers will be released on Friday, January 17th, the closing day of the event, but it seems that curiosity about the collections and the desire for networking are strong. What immediately catches the eye is that Pitti Uomo is increasingly a showcase where brands, especially those with healthy finances and solid foundations, focus on large, impressive booths where they can chat with clients, press, and friends. Brunello Cucinelli's enormous booth in the Central Pavilion is among the most popular. Indeed, just a few days ago, the brand announced a strong order book for 2025.

A large booth was also present for the Florentine menswear brand Stefano Ricci, which recently designed a 3,200 sq ft (300 sq m) suite at the Castelfalfi resort, situated between Florence, Pisa, and Siena. The label is tailoring its offerings to stay close to its clientele with a luxury proposition, not only in clothing but also in hospitality. Currently, there are no plans to launch a womenswear line, although, at the request of some loyal customers, more than one women's garment has been produced. The theme of travel, specifically the exploration of Peru, characterizes the Fall/Winter 2025-26 collection. The garments are inspired by colors like cochineal red, the gray of the Colca Canyon, and deep blue, in honor of the heights reached by condors. Jackets in "royal" vicuña wool (a fabric once reserved only for Inca royalty), so rare that only 250 grams of fleece can be collected every two years, effectively convey the exclusivity of the sixty-seven-look collection.

Pitti Uomo Brings Together Diverse Styles and Moods in This Edition

From the impalpable and lightweight garments of Stefano Ricci to sneakers, Pitti Uomo brings together diverse styles and moods in this edition. Valsport, a sneaker brand born in 1920 from an idea by Antonio Valle, an eighteen-year-old from Padua, who started a company producing footwear and sports equipment. In a few years, the company became one of the leading national producers of sports shoes and now focuses heavily on the women's segment. The women's collections, present at the fair, not only at the Valsport booth but also at other brands, confirm the trend of many menswear brands to focus on this market segment, as well as on accessories. The Valsport women's line is distinguished by a modern personality, with refined details and a balance between innovative and eco-sustainable materials. These models blend suede and brushed leather, which characterize the Davis Shadow model, and metallic finishes. Soft textures and animal print details add flair, while the commitment to sustainability is evident in the use of faux fur, as seen in the Tournament Cortina model, the recycled mesh of the Magic Run model, and vegetable-tanned leather, for an environmentally conscious approach.

The color palette of the women's line stands out through timeless neutral colors, warm and enveloping shades of beige, plum, forest green, and nuances of antique rose and purple, up to cool tones like slate gray and sky blue, for a color mix that balances femininity and character. In 2016, the Valsport brand was acquired by the Padua-based company Rewind Srl, already active in footwear production. Rewind involved Guido Valle, son of Valsport's founder, Antonio Valle, in the operation and decided to start again with historical models like the Tournament (the great Valsport classic), the Olimpia, and the Davis (the classic tennis shoe). "We are closing the year in line with last year, with a turnover of €5 million," Siro Toniolo, President of Rewind, tells FashionUnited.

In addition to the women's collection, the brand has plans to open a large store in Padua in the second half of 2025 and expand internationally. Foreign markets currently represent 35 percent of sales. "E-commerce has seen significant growth, especially abroad," says Toniolo, adding that shop-in-shops in clothing stores and department stores are also planned.

The Trendy Brand Flower Mountain

Sneakers are increasingly filling the booths at Pitti Uomo, which also features the trendy Japanese brand Flower Mountain. "Fashion is undergoing a complex transition phase, which we at Pitti Immagine cannot simply observe: we must interpret it, translate it into market choices and communication content, even at the risk of taking chances. For example, we have pushed more than in the past on the merchandise mix, boldly shuffling the cards between fashion and lifestyle. We then decided to dedicate special attention to the culture of running as a phenomenon of horizontal integration of an ideal community, not just of consumption," emphasizes Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine.

Present in the Sala delle Nazioni, a section where the booths are less representational and more dedicated to niche, fresh, and lesser-known brands, Flower Mountain, founded in 2015 through a collaboration between Keisuke Ota of Tokyo and Yang Chao of Beijing, embodies a passion for mountain exploration, camping, and footwear. The fusion of the brand's Japanese heritage is evident in the color palette, the use of Japanese fabrics, and the craftsmanship, all infused with an urban touch. Among the new items for the Fall/Winter 2025-26 season is the Yamano 3 model with a renewed look, combining new colors, textures, and materials like suede, technical fabrics, and faux fur inserts. The model, available in unisex sizes from 35 to 46 (EU sizing), maintains the typical Flower Mountain trekking aesthetic. The Fami model, on the other hand, features a bold new design with a robust shell sole and an ultralight structure. Another interesting brand present in the Sala delle Nazioni section is Alpe Piano, which, inspired by the heritage of the Dolomites and the mountains, creates Tyrolean jackets, also with lining, or in Casentino cloth instead of the traditional boiled wool.

Superga Celebrates 100 Years and Sebago Introduces Apparel

Returning to footwear, a very prominent accessory at the 107th edition of Pitti Uomo, Superga, another historic Italian brand, captivated the attention of press and buyers to present the Superga 1925 Made in Italy: this shoe revives the original icon, the 2750 created in 1925 and which became the first tennis shoe in the world with a vulcanized natural rubber sole, as well as a symbol of lifestyle. "We've been working for over a year to bring production back to Italy to celebrate the centenary of this model," explains Lorenzo Boglione, Executive Vice President of BasicNet and current co-CEO of K-Way, along with his brother Alessandro, to FashionUnited. Other new developments presented at Pitti Uomo include the launch of the Sebago apparel collection, another brand in the portfolio of the Turin-based company BasicNet.

Known for its iconic penny loafer, Sebago wanted to broaden its vision by establishing itself not only in footwear but also in apparel. A proposal where tradition and experimentation coexist, where the concept of layering becomes the common thread, and unisex finds space in garments designed to embrace women in menswear. The Fall/Winter 2025 collection is a celebration of the classicism and quality that define the brand's DNA. Among the labels, for example, The Blazer celebrates the art of the jacket, and Classic Chino offers a proposal ranging from chino trousers to smart casual.

The Denim Offerings

Pitti Uomo's denim offerings are extensive, thanks to the merchandise mix that is increasingly present at the Florentine fair, once more dedicated to classic and less lifestyle collections. Among the brands present, Gas chose the Pitti Uomo stage to present its new store concept and the Fall/Winter 2025 collection, a moment that marks the beginning of a new chapter in the brand's journey, characterized by a mix of innovation and tradition.

"This project reflects our desire to evolve and innovate while maintaining the authenticity that has always distinguished us," said Rino Castiglione, CEO of Gas.

The retail strategy for 2025 is not limited to opening new single-brand spaces but aims to consolidate the brand's presence in multi-brand spaces through dedicated corners and shop-in-shops. The plan involves the installation of around 25 corners between Italy and international markets, including Europe and India, thanks to the partnership with Reliance, which already manages 35 stores for the brand. This approach aims to test and optimize the new concept to make it scalable globally. Also presented was the Raw Heritage capsule, an authentic celebration of the brand's roots, reinterpreted in a contemporary key through archival designs, innovative fabrics, and meticulous details. This capsule is aimed at customers seeking distinctive products with sophisticated design and premium pricing. Key pieces in the capsule include the men's and women's Raw Denim overalls, made of 12-ounce unwashed denim inspired by Japanese workwear, and the rinse-wash denim jacket with a comfort fit, enriched with workwear details like metal rivets and mustard-colored interiors.

Isko and the Danish brand Gabba, meanwhile, presented a collection that combines iconic and timeless style with the needs of everyday life. The line enhances the simplicity of raw denim and increases its performance.

The heart of the Gabba x Isko collection is Selfdry, a denim finish that reduces drying times while maintaining the raw and authentic texture of the fabric. The look is inspired by Japanese craftsmanship. Gabba used this innovative denim fabric to create 9 different models, including jeans, denim jackets, kimonos, and bags.

Menswear Data

Will the brand mix, collaborations, and formal and sportswear offerings on display at Pitti be able to revive the fortunes of menswear? Interestingly, Matteo Zoppas, President of ICE, the Agency for the promotion abroad and the internationalization of Italian companies, spoke on this subject yesterday at the opening of Pitti Uomo. "The difficulties and the general critical slowdown in orders are not currently reflected in the same critical issues in export results: the latest estimates indicate a closing of 2024 at €90 billion in fashion exports and low single-digit growth of 2 percent. There is increasing teamwork. While the Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, has set up a working group to address the difficulties of the sector, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, has continued to work to promote the value of exports, ICE has also played its part by positioning itself as the promotional and export development infrastructure for the sector. Pitti represents an important business matching opportunity for companies in the sector, and 2025 will be the record year for incoming visitors organized by the Agency, which will bring 850 selected operators to the fair."

Looking at 2024, however, lower consumer purchasing propensity, sharp cost increases, the slowdown of many important economies, and geopolitical tensions linked to both the various conflicts underway and a series of key political elections, such as the European elections last June and the more recent American ones, have influenced the performance of Italian men's fashion. According to estimates prepared by Confindustria Moda's Economic Studies Office, based on internal sample surveys and the economic trend of the macroeconomic framework, Italian men's fashion (in a sense that includes clothing, knitwear, shirts, ties, and leather apparel) is expected to close 2024, after three years of continuous growth, with a -3.6 percent drop in turnover compared to the previous year. In 2024, the turnover of Italian menswear would therefore amount to €11.4 billion, covering 18.9 percent of the Italian textile-clothing supply chain. With reference to the individual micro-sectors examined here, in 2024, they are all affected by negative dynamics, with the exception of leather clothing.

In 2024, the value of production shows a decrease, estimated at -4.0 percent compared to 2023.

Trade Outlets

With reference to trade outlets, both EU and non-EU areas proved favorable for the sector, growing by +0.9 percent and +1.2 percent, respectively. The EU market covers 46.2 percent of the sector's total exports, while non-EU countries are the largest "buyer," absorbing 53.8 percent. Conversely, in the case of imports, there is a negative change of -4.4 percent for the EU market and -9.6 percent for the non-EU area. 47.8 percent of men's fashion entering our country comes from the EU, while non-EU countries provide 52.2 percent.

Regarding the main destinations, during the period under review, France confirmed its position as the leading outlet market for Made in Italy menswear, experiencing positive growth of +7.5 percent and securing 12.8 percent of total exports. Germany, with 10.1 percent of men's exports, remains in second position despite a -2.9 percent decline. The United States follows in third place, up +0.6 percent, absorbing 9.3 percent of men's fashion exports. Thanks to strong growth of +30.1 percent, China rises to fourth position. Remaining in Asia, South Korea, in eighth place, recorded a double-digit decline (-10.2 percent), followed by Japan and Hong Kong, which, conversely, showed double-digit increases of +12.5 percent and +20.6 percent, respectively.

China Remains the Top Supplier of the Sector with a Share of 12.5 Percent

Regarding procurement markets in the first nine months of 2024, China remains the top supplier of the sector with a share of 12.5 percent, despite showing a -9.8 percent decline compared to the same period in 2023. Bangladesh, in second position, shows a double-digit decline (-12.3 percent), as does France, in third place, which falls by -10.4 percent. Spain and the Netherlands (a traditional entry point for goods of Asian origin) follow, both recording a positive performance of +23.8 percent and +6.2 percent, respectively.

Among the remaining suppliers in the top 15, only Portugal, in fifteenth position, with a limited share of 1.8 percent, shows an increase of +26.4 percent, while all the other main sourcing countries show negative dynamics, ranging from -1.5 percent for Germany, in seventh position, to -21.8 percent for Turkey, in tenth.