Pitti Uomo 83: To Dress Like a Man

Before the main fashion weeks, last January it was Pitti Uomo to open the dances of the F/W ’13 glamour. For its 83^rd edition, the Florence-based show attracted 30,000 visitors to the charming Renaissance building Fortezza da Basso. A sweet score for the Made in Italy, given the country’s economic troubles: the event saw an increase in visits from foreign buyers, and especially from non-EU markets such as Japan, Turkey, China, Russia and the US. In Europe the main forces in the market seem to be the UK, Germany and Northern European countries. The shift of the driving force behind the fashion economy is significant, as it has no longer been centered in Europe for a while now. Nevertheless, the craft: remains: in the Belle Arti capital, an exhibition of not only beautiful, cutting edge collections, but also a workshop of textiles and tailoring at its best.

Vestirsi da Uomo

The Vestirsi da Uomo exhibition made a particular impact on the press: one man, the fashion journalist Angelo Flaccavento; one question: “What should gentlemen wear?” With something that can be seen almost as a practical editorial, Flaccavento reproduced the page of a magazine in a room where 21 items were selected to create the ideal men’s wardrobe. A booklet, Thinker, Dreamer, Consumer was given to the guests as a “how to” guide for mixing and matching the garments to achieve variety and a personal touch.  “Playfulness gets rational because it’s how men dress today” Flaccavento explained, “mixing instinct, the urge to represent themselves, a will to play and a certain calculation.” Also, fitting in the fast fashion era, the items were all available to be bought live on thecorner.com website.

 Read More