Florence, June 15 to 18: traffic is jammed; it’s impossible to find a cab, let alone a table in a good restaurant. C’è Pitti! Earlier this month, Pitti Uomo exhibited hundreds of spring/summer 2011 collections, from classic suits to denim, tees and shoes to accessories ranging from sunglasses to satchels.
Most Florentines will tell you they hate the hustle and bustle, but as a person who lives and breathes fashion, I find it heaven on earth! During Pitti, Florence becomes like it was in the 1950s, the centre of international fashion, when Giorgini organized Italy’s first fashion shows in the glittering Sala Bianca of the Pitti Palace.
This year at Pitti Uomo, the trends for men’s clothing reflect the use of innovative materials that are more comfortable and soft yet stylish, responding to the increasingly demanding customer who wants to look great from his first coffee in the office until his last after-dinner drink.
For example, denim is more detailed and distressed, as seen in brands like Reign, a young Made in Italy label. Shirts are brightly colored, jackets fitted and informal, and T-shirts, with some retro glam, come in prints for all tastes. The novelty, however, is the rainbow colors of shoes and the spectrum of scarves to match. Among the latter, the Buongiorno e tante belle cose label dazzled with this year’s ethnic flavor, mixed with ironic ‘Italian’ exclamations, such as ‘Ai lov iù’ and ‘Buongiorno Principessa,’ making them unique pieces that ladies will want steal from their men. Sneakers come in a series of daring shades; loafers are taking on intense purple, green and blue tones; and an endless series of cotton-canvas summer shoes are appearing in fresh pastel tones. The debuted collections on display, whether for the biker, businessman or artist, were all about the details for men in fashion’s near future.
For the second time, Pitti Uomo also hosted a special women’s section with a very interesting selection of edgy brands that deserve mention. Tuscan designer Daniela del Cima, whom I met many years ago during my first job as an assistant designer, displayed a lovely all-white collection with innovative finishings and highly feminine, modern silhouettes. Pierre Nancy, a young couture brand based in Milan blew me away with its complex constructions and high-quality materials.
Of course, competing with Pitti Uomo this year was a parallel world of men’s fashions: the FIFA World Cup and its (often questionable) shirt/short/sock uniform combos. At the top of my list for good looks are South Africa, Germany and Italy. The worst uniforms are undoubtedly those of Slovenia, Portugal and Paraguay (those red and white striped socks are just too much!). In terms of elegance, the pure white of England and New Zealand is very chic, but I wouldn’t include them among the best because they look more appropriate for a tennis match than a soccer pitch! The United States sported a beautiful combo of blue and white, but the diagonal stripe is reminiscent of polo, and I wonder where they left their horses.
Fun FIFA fact: top active sportswear brands, Adidas and Puma were founded respectively by brothers Adolf (Adi) and Rudolf Dassler (who first called his brand Ruda and later changed it to Puma). The brothers and their companies have been competing since World War II for the top spot in the sports industry.
FIFA-INSPIRED FASHION
Ladies, want to support your favorite team with style? See the illustration above. For day games, make a dress: buy an oversized soccer shirt, cut the sleeves shorter and cut a slit over the shoulder to create cap sleeves. Cut out a wide, boat neck that will gently fall to one side, then shape the figure by wrapping a long ribbon or belt around the waist. For night games, make an evening dress: get a big soccer shirt and cut the sleeves out, diagonal from the collar and then straight in the back, cut a vertical slit down the back and tie ends together, creating a nice hole to show off your back. Wear leggings if the dress is too short or transparent.
