Pitti Immagine Uomo transforms Florence into its artful canvas with a host of fashion events

The Florentine trade fair
Emilio Pucci was amongst those staging elaborate displays at the Florentine trade fair, turning the Baptistery of San Giovanni into a striking beacon of colour
(Image credit: press)

After last season's scheduling clash, which saw Florence's Pitti Immagine Uomo square off against the London Collections: Men, the Italians were no doubt keen to reassert their credentials. While London may win column inches for its fresh, young talent and enthralling subculture, they might have argued that Italy combines history with commercial might.

The timing of the 86th Pitti instead coincided with the 60th anniversary of the Centro di Firenze per la Moda Italiana. It was the perfect excuse for the city-wide style takeover dubbed 'Firenze Hometown of Fashion', involving some of Florence's most illustrious venues.

Four Florentine powerhouses - Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Emilio Pucci and Ermanno Scervino - were invited to stage events. First up was Pucci, which turned the Baptistery of San Giovanni into a beacon of colour (and an apt monument to the brand, with its penchant for joyful excess) by dressing it in the label's 'Battistero' print, designed by its namesake founde in 1957.

Gucci and Ferragamo opted for something a little more intimate. The former hosted a small gathering to celebrate the reopening of the historic Kering-owned Richard Ginori flagship on Via de' Rondinelli. The boutique also launched an exhibition of three original porcelain works by Gio Ponti, artistic director of the house from 1923 to 1930. Meanwhile, Museo Salvatore Ferragamo unveiled an engaging new exhibition, 'Equilibrium', which explores balance, movement and posture through art and ephemera and shows off gems from the house's extensive footwear archive.

While the other events celebrated the aesthetic and ethos of Italian fashion, Ermanno Scervino instead hammered home the financial clout of the Italian industry. The label threw an opulent dinner for hundreds of guests at the majestic Forte Belvedere, made famous recently for the wedding of musician (and former Wallpaper* Design Awards judge) Kanye West, who was present at the event.

Elsewhere, at Teatrino Lorenese, G-Star Raw showcased its commitment to clearing the oceans of plastic pollution with its first Raw for the Oceans collection, made from retrieved ocean plastic innovated into denim. Pharrell Williams (another of our illustrious Design Awards judges) added his own star power to the project, by curating the theatre in a blue-washed scheme.

Given the prominence of the participants, it was apt that this season's menswear guest design brand was Z Zegna, which returned to Florence newly conceptualised. Zegna Sport and Z Zegna have merged into one label, and designers Murray Scallon and Paul Surridge are working together to merge the two cornerstones of menswear - sportswear and tailoring. They hope to draw a busy yet moneyed urban shopper, whom Surridge dubs 'a new kind of traveller'. 'We're all so mobile today with business trips and commuting,' he says. 'Most people don't live five minutes from work, so they're travelling or cycling.'

The pair responded to this new reality with hard-working fabrications normally only found in sportswear. Suits came thermo-regulated in water-resistant Techmerino, while outerwear in resistant stretch fabric was constructed without seams, using thermo glue. Given the focus on function, fashion almost took a back seat. Designs were understated, clean and minimal.

The focus on practicality at Zegna couldn't have contrasted more with the unapologetic celebration of excess at La Perla's menswear presentation. The showy fabrications - borrowed from women's lingerie - and quirky flying oyster print may have looked outlandish, but then Pitti wouldn't be Pitti without a bit of peacocking. 

Monumental Pucci

Entitled 'Monumental Pucci' the octagonal monument was dressed in the label's 'Battistero' print, designed by Emilio Pucci in 1957

(Image credit: press)

The house

The house also hosted a celebratory cocktail in honour of the presentation of archival designs, on show at Palazzo Pucci

(Image credit: press)

Heritage prints

Heritage prints were displayed alongside archival imagery

(Image credit: press)

Monumental Pucci

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Watch 'Monumental Pucci' come to life

(Image credit: press)

Gucci hosted a small gathering

Elsewhere, Gucci hosted a small gathering to celebrate the reopening of the historic Kering-owned Richard Ginori flagship on Via de' Rondinelli

(Image credit: press)

The Museo Salvatore Ferragamo

Outside the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo in Santa Trinita Square, guests admired Cecil Balmond's 'H_edge' installation comprising suspended metallic pieces

(Image credit: press)

The brand's Equilibrium exhibition

The brand's 'Equilibrium' exhibition focused on the anatomy of the foot, studied extensively by Salvatore Ferragamo

(Image credit: press)

The house's extensive footwear

Exploring balance, movement and posture through art and ephemera, gems from the house's extensive footwear archive were put in the spotlight

(Image credit: press)

The show

Running until April 2015, the show features work by artists from Rodin, Calder and Matisse to Albrecht Dürer and Giulio Paolini. Pictured are 'Untitled' (centred), Mario Ceroli, 2002 and 'Domain LXVIII' (right), by Antony Gormley, 2009.

(Image credit: Arrigo Coppitz)

Archival images

There is a focus on ballet, with archival images of Nijinsky, Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham and Trisha Brown

(Image credit: press)

The Italian fashion industry

Ermanno Scervino hammered home the financial clout of the Italian fashion industry, throwing an opulent dinner for hundreds of guests at the majestic Forte Belvedere

(Image credit: press)

A model

A model wearing Ermanno Scervino takes in views over Florence

(Image credit: press)

Guest menswear

This season's guest menswear designer was Z Zegna, newly merged with Zegna Sport. Designers Murray Scallon and Paul Surridge married the two cornerstones of menswear: sportswear and tailoring

(Image credit: press)

The pair

The pair responded with hard-working fabrications normally only found in sportswear

(Image credit: press)

Outerwear in resistant stretch fabric

Outerwear in resistant stretch fabric was constructed without seams, using thermo glue

(Image credit: press)

Suits

Suits came thermo-regulated in water-resistant Techmerino

(Image credit: press)

The focus on function

Given the focus on function, fashion took a back seat. Designs were understated, clean and minimal

(Image credit: press)

New loungewear category

Meanwhile, La Perla's debut menswear presentation celebrated excess with its new loungewear category...

(Image credit: press)

A host of fashion events

...along with showy fabrications borrowed from its women's lingerie legacy

(Image credit: press)