Florence puts its best fashion foot forward

As a wave of finely tailored suits, paisley pocket squares and outlandish ensembles descend upon the city of Florence, it can only mean one thing: Pitti Uomo has returned. For four days (16 – 19 June), the Tuscan capital will come alive with high profile events promoting cutting edge style to prominent influencers from around the world.

And whilst the prestigious calendar of events encapsulates the vibrant future of fashion, it also plays homage to its history; most prominently, the very birth of it in Florence in the early 1950s. For Florence is home to far more than the heart of Renaissance culture. It has also been the catalyst for the Italian fashion industry becoming one of the most esteemed in the world.

The Birth of Italian Style

Before the fifties, there was no Italian garment industry to speak of and the fashion world still rested largely in Parisian hands. Whilst Florence in particular sat squarely on the map due to its rich cultural history, innovative style was not a word that was necessarily teamed with the city. That was until Giovanni Battista Giorgini, possessed by a modern outlook, decided to change the world of fashion forever. A man from an ancient and aristocratic family of Lucca, Giovanni spotted the global opportunities represented by Italian craftsmanship. There was a gap in the market, and he knew exactly how to fill it. His first step was to attract the attention of the United States (the largest economy at the time) with an inaugural high fashion show held in Florence in 1951.

 The invite (sent out to the country's key buyers and influencers) read: 

"The aim of the evening is to give emphasis to the value of our fashion. Ladies are keenly invited to wear clothes of purely Italian inspiration."

Little did he know that this women's wear presentation would launch Florence into becoming the original fashion capital of Italy, adding another exciting layer to the city. By the following the year, the show had been given a new home: the esteemed Sala Bianca in Palazzo Pitti. This illustrious relocation (the first held in his own home) marked a distinctive step for the exhibition and for the role of Italian fashion in the global market. It was also regarded as the first time the catwalk style of presentation was introduced, changing the face of fashion in an extreme way overnight.

Palazzo Pitti soon became synonymous with contemporary culture and fashion, and the instant success of the event led the city to rival French hegemony with its own use of imaginative materials and fit, elegant lines. In the years to come, not only would Florence produce some of the most renowned designers in the world (including Gucci, Coveri, Cavalli, Ferragamo and Pucci), but Italy would become home to the global fashion event of the year: Milan Fashion Week.

The Introduction of Pitti Uomo

By 1963, showing at Sala Bianca was a sign of total grandeur. So it was no surprise that the first presentation of men's clothing, at this point, was immediately successful. Whilst the inclusion of men's wear was intrinsically tied in to the exhibitions from this year onwards, it wasn't until 1973 that the first edition of Pitti Uomo was officially launched. Created to promote the best of the Italian men's fashion industry to large scale foreign markets, it achieved international stature in no time at all. And what else would you expect from Pitti Imaggine? The largest trade wear show of its kind, it was largely to thank for the development of modern menswear, once again adding another string to Florence's iconic bow.

Now the exhibition, held twice a year, welcomes around 30,000 members of the men's wear industry every season. In its 88th edition, Pitti Uomo continues to grow and challenge with every new round, keeping the city firmly in the eye of the fashion world at large.

To find out more about this season's events, visit: http://www.pittimmagine.com/en/corporate/fairs/uomo.html