Give or take the passing parade of peacocking, pocket-squared dandies, the Pitti Uomo trade fair that takes over Florence every January and June is host to a slew of note-worthy cultural events – with last week's edition proving once again that springtime's optimism (and its Tuscan sunsets) paint Pitti in its most charming light. With invited guest exhibitors and Italian powerhouses battling for one's evening attentions, the season's calendar rivalled that of any fashion capital – so kudos to those who strategised the geographical planning that saw a seamless transition from events whose purpose and aesthetic were at times far from the madding sartorial crowd.
Thomas Tait for one, chose to fulfil his position as the guest womenswear designer not with a resort show (as past invitees have done), but with an intriguing exhibition in the Boboli gardens, juxtaposing seven archive pieces from his London runway shows with brand new iterations custom-made in the best Italian factories. Setting each inside a mirrored cubicle by Craftwork Studio's Mehrnoosh Khadivi, Tait prompted one to slow down and examine the evolution of craft through the eyes of a young designer.
Nino Cerruti is certainly no young designer, but he too was looking back (albeit over a larger, decade-spanning oeuvre) for the exhibition 'Il Signor Nino' curated by Angelo Flaccavento and held inside the remarkable Museo Marino Marini. The influence that Cerruti's work has had on modern menswear is undoubted, becoming strikingly evident when interspersed amongst Marini's sculptures and drawings, creating quiet moments of earthy texture and colour framed within neon scaffolding.
A little less reverent was MSGM designer Massimo Giorgetti's Emilio Pucci debut – a resort and men's collection he called 'The Pilot Episode' that he showed in presentation format framed by a fluorescent light install by Milanese architect Massimiliano Locatelli in the grounds of a Florentine art school. Turning the work of his predecessor Peter Dundas on its head, Giorgetti opted for a daywear focus by twisting Pucci scarf prints into asymmetric shirting, boyish suits, and flirty shift dresses (replete with feather belts).
Another strong design statement came from Savile Row tailor Kilgour, whose creative director Carlo Brandelli proposed a labyrinthine platform named 'Reflective 3' inside the Palazzo Medici in order to preview tailoring from his S/S 2016 collection. Constructed in mirror and tinted glass panels, the structure refracted sunlight in myriad, layered hues; 'from spring's first shoots to a pink August sunset', said Brandelli, whose palette came echoed partly in the pastel suiting that hung alongside his imposing modern piece, surrounded by a sunny, classical courtyard.
Closing the festivities, Jeremy Scott plastered the Palazzo Corsini with 'faux-fresco' lino floors (to match the genuine ceilings), for his first Moschino men's show in Italy since he took over the house last year. Never one to shy away from spectacle, Scott ran riot with a mash-up of references from a sporty, motocross streak to the lavish golden ruffles of a Venetian masked ball replete with powder-wigged, red-lipped models – reminiscent of peacocking males of an entirely different era.
Tait juxtaposed seven archive pieces from his London runway shows with brand new iterations custom-made in the best Italian factories
Nino Cerruti is certainly no young designer, but here he was looking back on his decade-spanning oeuvre for the exhibition 'Il Signor Nino' curated by Angelo Flaccavento and held inside the remarkable Museo Marino Marini
The influence that Cerruti's work has had on modern menswear is undoubted, becoming strikingly evident when interspersed amongst Marini's sculptures and drawings, creating quite moments of earthy texture and colour framed within neon scaffolding
MSGM designer Massimo Giorgetti made his Emilio Pucci debut at Pitti - a resort and men's collection he called 'The Pilot Episode' that he showed in presentation format framed by a fluorescent light install by Milanese architect Massimiliano Locatelli in the grounds of a Florentine art school.
Turning the work of his predecessor Peter Dundas on its head, Giorgetti opted for a daywear focus by twisting Pucci scarf prints into asymmetric shirting, boyish suits, and flirty shift dresses for the girls.
Another strong design statement came from Kilgour creative director Carlo Brandelli who proposed a labyrinthine platform named 'Reflective 3' inside the Palazzo Medici.
Upping the saturation point Jeremy Scott plastered the Palazzo Corsini with 'faux-fresco' lino floors (to match the genuine ceilings), for his first Moschino men's show back in Italy since he took over the house last year
Never one to shy away from spectacle, Scott ran riot with a mash-up of references from a sporty, motocross streak to the lavish golden ruffles of a Venetian masked ball replete with powder-wigged, red-lipped models - reminiscent of peacocking males of an entirely different era
New Iceberg womenswear designer Arthur Arbesser also staged a runway presentation for his eponymous line with gender bending prints in easy sportwear shapes
The Austrian designer once again collaborated with architect Luca Cipelletti on his set design. The runway was littered with classic Memphis pieces by Ettore Sottsass
Ports 1961 designer Milan Vukmirovic's cocktail hour show was a delightfully casual, open air affair within Florence's Piazza d’Ognissanti
Vukmirovic may have chosen to show in one of the Firenze's most famous squares, but there was a Califronian ease to the designs on his sportif cobblestone runway
In celebration of CP Company's 40th anniversary the Made in Italy brand put its Google jacket, a CP star since 1988, under the spotlight with an exhibition/party in its honour
Heritage accessories brand Ghurka also celebrated its 40th birthday with an intimate inner hosted by Waris Ahluwalia at Harry's Bar
Renowned for his stellar presentations, accessory designer Louis Leeman once again delivered with his 'The Bohemian Safari' set space, housed within Palazzo Pandolfini, a historic Florentine mansion
Geometric shapes and animal skins took pride of place for S/S 2016
-
Rachel Feinstein in Miami: the collision of extremes that define her hometownRachel Feinstein's major new exhibition at The Bass Museum of Art, Miami, spans almost three decades of work
-
Gucci’s ‘Blondie’ bag revival sees the enduring 1970s accessory reimagined anewFirst shown at Sabato De Sarno’s Gucci Cruise 2025 show in London, a new iteration of Gucci’s beloved ‘Blondie’ bag fuses 1970s insouciance with a crisp modernity
-
Private museum Simple Design Archive is a ‘poetic sound sanctuary’ in ChinaSimple Design Archive, located in China’s Anhui province, is a private museum by HAS Design and Research, fostering a contemplative environment
-
Watch: Jamie Dornan takes a bath in Le Corbusier’s villa for Loewe PerfumesJamie Dornan stars alongside Sophie Wilde in the new Loewe Perfumes 2024 campaign, shot by David Sims in Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye
-
Trudon ‘Absolu’: an intoxicating orange blossom perfume for the start of autumnTrudon ‘Absolu’, the house’s latest fragrance by Antoine Lie, blends orange blossom absolute with saffron, cardamom, tonka bean and guaiac wood
-
Jonathan Lyndon Chase on creating a ‘complicated and messy’ domestic space for Acne Studios’ latest showA musing on ‘emotions and the body, and how they affect the space around you’: American artist Jonathan Lyndon Chase tells Mahoro Seward the story behind their Acne Studios runway set, which will backdrop the brand’s S/S 2025 show in Paris later today
-
Paris Fashion Week S/S 2025 highlights: Chanel to Louis VuittonWallpaper* fashion features editor Jack Moss selects the best of Paris Fashion Week S/S 2025, from Chanel’s return to the Grand Palais to Nicolas Ghesquière’s ‘soft power’ at Louis Vuitton
-
Augustinus Bader’s Palais-Royal boutique has been transformed by artist Harry NurievAugustinus Bader unveils a pop-up space at its flagship store in Paris by multidisciplinary artist and designer Harry Nuriev
-
First look: how Diptyque used synaesthesia to create its poetic new perfume collectionDiptyque’s new perfume collection, ‘Les Essences de Diptyque’, captures the scent of coral and mother of pearl. Ahead of its launch, the maison’s noses tell Wallpaper* how this was done
-
In time for the Olympics, Onitsuka Tiger opens a Paris ‘hôtel’Hôtel Onitsuka Tiger, on Avenue des Champs-Élysées, promises an immersive journey into the Japanese brand’s 75-year history, featuring some memorable ’residents’
-
First look: Stephen Jones’ extraordinary headwear to be celebrated in Paris exhibition‘Stephen Jones, chapeaux d'artiste’ will span over four decades of the milliner’s ‘transformative and fun’ headwear, with a particular focus on his work in Paris – including a 30-year collaboration with Dior
