Pitti Uomo announces an effervescent, citrusy 106th edition

“We called our summer session Pitti Lemon, a vitamin-packed, energetic theme that led us to imagine a sunny, joyful, fresh, free, vital and above all surprising edition.” According to Agostino Poletto, managing director of trade fair organiser Pitti Immagine, this is how the next Pitti Uomo, to be held in Florence from June 11 to 14, is expected to look. “We’ve also tried to adopt as international an approach as possible,” points out the event’s boss, Raffaello Napoleone.

As they unveiled the programme for the 106th Pitti Uomo, dedicated to the spring-summer 2025 collections, at a conference in Milan on Tuesday, the organisers of this benchmark show for men emphasised the importance of this international opening, not only in terms of exhibitors but also, and above all, visitors. Even if “China continues to suffer”, Asian buyers will still be present. “We had 310 Chinese buyers in June 2019. After the drop due to the pandemic, they came back and were 173 last January. Over the same period, Korean buyers have dropped from 197 to 126-130,” says Raffaello Napoleone. Also expected in large numbers are “American buyers, many of them small retailers, who are back.”
 
Nearly 800 exhibitors (790) are registered, 43% of whom (around 340) are from abroad, compared with 832 in January and 825 in June 2023. All areas of the Basso Fortress, which hosts the event, are occupied, including the Sala della Scherma, which is usually reserved for conferences, according to the organisers. As always, the show will be organised around its five main sections: “Fantastic Classic”, focusing on the evolution of the classic man; the contemporary menswear offering with “Futuro Maschile”; “Dynamic Attitude”, dedicated to the major sportswear and streetwear brands; “Superstyling”, devoted to avant-garde and niche brands; and “I Go Out”, which highlights more contemporary outdoor wear.  

Tested in June 2023, the Vintage Hub Circular Fashion section, designed to promote upcycling and the second-hand market, is back for the third time with a dozen brands. This 106th edition also marks the return of the “S Style” project, suspended in January, which showcases cutting-edge, eco-responsible young international labels. In this 8th episode, supported by Kering and its Material Innovation Lab (MIL), the initiative presents ten labels: Buzigahill from Uganda, Caoimhe Dowling from Denmark and Ireland, Denzilpatrick from the UK, Guido Vera from Chile, Permu from China, Unsung Weavers from Greece and the four Italian brands Domenico Orefice, Florania, Via Piave 33 and Tolo.
 
The focus remains as international as ever, like the programme of special events shows. With the exception of Italy’s Carolina Castiglioni, who is launching the first men’s collection of her Plan C brand at Pitti Uomo, the guests of honour at this 106th edition all hail from beyond the Alps. French designers Marine Serre and Pierre-Louis Mascia will be on show on June 12 and 13 respectively, while Britain’s Paul Smith will be presenting a special project on June 11.

 
At the same time, there is a focus on collectives from the four corners of the globe. The 9th edition of Scandinavian Manifesto, organised in collaboration with the Danish trade fair Ciff in Copenhagen, will take place. As will the J Quality Factory Brand Project, launched in January 2022, which brings together the best of Japanese craftsmanship with four certified Japanese factories presented in tandem with four brands.

There will also be a continuing partnership with Promas, the French men’s clothing promotion agency, which, with DEFI, will be presenting no fewer than 33 French brands in Florence. Heavyweights such as Blanco, Hartford and Eden Park are leaving, making way for a new generation of labels, arriving at Pitti Uomo for the first time, or returning for the second time. These include Arthur Robert’s Ouest Paris and Pierre-François Valette’s Valette Studio, once again invited by the Florentine show.
 
There’s also a new project. Following on from the German “new wave” presented last January, Pitti Uomo is launching “China Wave”, showcasing “the best of contemporary Chinese menswear.” The initiative is organised in conjunction with the China National Garment Association and features seven to eight brands selected by CHIC (China International Fashion Fair). These are Valleyouth, KB Hong by K-Boxing, Raxxy, JDV, Fenggy, Blackhead and Keyone by Hattershub.
 
The Florentine show is also confirming its propensity to expand into new horizons, particularly in the lifestyle sector, with not only clothing collections but also an expanded range of accessories for boutiques, including eyewear, perfumes, technology, objects for the home and pet accessories. The famous Italian bicycle brand Colnago will be present at Pitti Uomo for the first time in June. It’s a way of linking up with Be Cycle, the new show that Pitti Immagine is launching on June 28 to focus on the world of cycling, as we announced in March.
 
“More than ten years ago, we realised that we had to open up to other sectors of Made in Italy outside fashion and textiles. We were the first to diversify in this way,” recalls Raffello Napoleone. Since then, the fair organiser has developed a lifestyle sector alongside fashion, with a host of new, highly specialised fairs: Fragranze for perfumes, gastronomy with Taste, books with Testo, dance with Danza in Fiera, and the latest Be Cycle.