At Pitti Uomo, exhibitors imagine the craziest stands

Never before has Pitti Uomo displayed so many superb stands and original installations as in this season. Exhibitors did not hesitate to invest in strength to best welcome their customers and pamper them. They competed in inventiveness with sometimes unusual settings, which it was impossible not to notice. Overview.

As always, it was the central pavilion which was packed within the Fortezza da Basso, hosting the Florentine show until January 17, an essential reference for men’s fashion. Luxury brands, particularly the big names in menswear made in Italy, selected in the Fantastic Classic section, attracted the crowd. Notably Brunello Cucinelli, which is on the rise, with a space spanning nearly 200 square meters, three times that of its neighbors.

For the most part, the stands are transformed into precious lounges or chic libraries with their dining area, very popular with buyers. Like the Swedish brand Eton, which occupies the entire bottom of the large central staircases as if it had set up an apartment there, with its different entrances and its very busy bar, brightened up on Wednesday by the presence of a DJ. Enough to ensure a good atmosphere.

With woodwork, faux parquet floors, sofas, armchairs, coffee tables and rugs, the Pitti Uomo exhibitors have been able to recreate atmospheres that are both elegant and warm, conducive to business. They also allow the brand’s identity to be fully expressed. The mountain theme is omnipresent, with snow-capped peaks scrolling on large screens, as well as the sporting theme, ranging from the tennis club style seen here and there, to the pétanque court staged by American Vintage.

It’s who offers the most attractive entertainment like the Tuscan label Impermeabile, which recruited a cigar roller from Manifatture Sigaro Toscano for the occasion! Or the Danish brand Gabba, which welcomes illustrator Kay Van Bellen to its stand, ready to sketch visitors, and some of whose drawings illustrate its t-shirts. Definitely very active, the brand has also created with Isko a bar in the shape of a giant denim bag, where it distributes beers, fries, stickers and other gadgets to its customers.

The most fun finds can be found in the Dynamic Attitude section. The informal clothing brand of the Venetian group Numero 8, which has continued to grow in recent years, literally invites visitors to climb into the carriages of a London underground with its windows and sliding doors colored in a dapper red, while eco-sustainable Italian sportswear label Keeling grew a piece of jungle in the Fortezza, with large green plants completely camouflaging its stand.

The prize for the most spectacular installation goes to the Dutch denim company G-Star, which has planted throughout its space a myriad of jeans reflecting endlessly through a set of mirrors. At the entrance to his stand, a food truck in his colors attracts a good number of visitors…

Two avant-garde stands, present for the first time at Pitti Uomo, evoke the fashion of the future in this 107th edition, arousing keen curiosity. Starting with the large FabriX augmented reality screens in the shape of large white cocoons, behind which hides a technological platform initiated in 2022 by the PMQ creative hub with the support of the Hong Kong Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA, formerly Create HK). In front of each console, the public can try on digital looks virtually created this season by the French brands Mii Collection and Ouest Paris and the Chinese brands Pronounce and Xander Zhou.

Not far from there, the “Beyond Tailoring” project, promoted by the Italian production group Pattern with its D-house laboratory and various partners, reconstitutes what could in the near future be an avant-garde sector for sewing and men’s fashion. the stand thus offers an itinerary through different cutting-edge technologies, such as 3D printing, the ultrasonic sewing machine, heat welding, etc.