Pitti Uomo is one of the world’s most important platforms for menswear and accessories. The exhibition is held two times a year in Florence, at the Fortezza da Basso. The first edition of Pitti Uomo was held in September 1972 with an objective to promote Italian designers and brands. Today the exibition is internationally reconigsed showcasing more than 1,200 menswear brands from all around the world.
I went to visit the exhibition for the first time to soak in inspiration, network with industry people and meet with current and future business partners. When I first entered the exhibition space I was instantly overwhelmed by the size of the space and the number of people attending, but at the same time very impressed by the many well tailored suits and amount of effort put into every attendee’s outfit.
I first went to visit the booth of the Swedish brand Eton Shirts. I have been wearing their shirts for about 6 months now and I was excited to finally meet the people behind the brand. I had the kind Karin from their PR and events team helping me going through their coming spring summer 19 collection and I also had the pleasure of meeting their Italian design manager Nicoletta Grazioli.
After finishing my visit at Eton Shirts I walked past the booth of one my favourite sunglasses brands, The Bespoke Dudes Eyewear. The brand is fairly recent and is founded by the Italian menswear blogger and digital influencer, Fabio Attanasio. I took the opportunity to try on the different models and noted down my favourites as I always find it hard to order sunglasses online without trying them on.
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My final visit was to the booth of the Spanish shoe brand, Carmina Shoemaker. Carmina is a family run business on 6th generation founded in Majorca in 1866 and their name is highly respected by every footwear enthusiasts I’ve ever met. Their shoes are absolutely stunning and of an extraordinary softness and comfort with sturdy welts and shapely lasts.
I had the honour of meeting two of the Carmina family members who told me more about the brand’s history and gave me a detailed tour through their various models and made-to-order service.
My outfit on the 1st day of Pitti Uomo 94:
On the first day of the exhibition I wore a green jacket made in a wool, linen & silk Solbiati cloth by Tailor Made London. I paired the the jacket with a white high collar shirt by Eton Shirts, a navy/grey silk tie by Cosetore and a light brown pair of linen & cotton trousers. I finished off the outfit with a brown pair of suede penny loafers by Carmina Shoemaker.
My outfit on th 2nd day of Pitti Uomo 94:
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For my 2nd day’s outfit I went with a slightly more bold brown check jacket in a cotton, linen & silk cloth by Solbiati. I paired it with a white Eton shirt, a navy paisley tie from Sera Fine Silk and a light brown pair of linen & cotton trousers. For footwear I wore a brown pair of calf skin tassel loafers by Carmina Shoemaker and on this particularly warm day a panama hat was ideal.
Visiting Pitti Uomo for the first time was a truly amazing experience. I had the pleasure of connecting with many likeminded menswear enthusiasts as well as talented artisans and designers from all over the world. I am already excited to be back in Florence for Pitti Uomo 95 in January 2019.