Report: Pitti Uomo 88 (summer 2015), Italian elegance in summer #1

What is Pitti Uomo?

Twice a year, for 4 days, Florence becomes the capital of fashion and style thanks to Pitti Uomo, one of the largest and most famous events dedicated to men's fashion .

If this international trade show was initially known for buyers from all over the world who came to do their shopping, this event has gradually evolved into an unmissable event for men around the world.

In addition to promoting Made in Italy around the world, Pitti is also a space of expression where all styles in all their excesses come together .

For others, it is an opportunity to visit suppliers, establish new relationships, pick up on trends, or even meet young designers.

During the event, fashion enthusiasts invade the city to preview the collections that will be in stores next year. Pitti Uomo is not only an exhibition of objects and trends, it is also a huge event with many unmissable events on the subject of fashion, culture and celebration.

For designer houses, Pitti represents a golden opportunity to promote themselves, without spending colossal sums to appear in a Fashion Week parade!

Pitti Uomo and Florence are linked by a history that goes back more than sixty years , marked by a strong tradition of craftsmanship and Made in Italy .

The Pitti Uomo edition 88

It has become a tradition at BonneGueule: twice a year, we impatiently go to Florence for Pitti Uomo. And as usual, we come back with lots of desires in mind, including wearing a jacket when it's over 30°C (a real sartorial haze).

This time, our file has two parts:

• the first, the one you are about to read, where I talk about what appealed to me the most at Pitti,

• and the second, to be published tomorrow, the long-awaited video report on the show ! And I have good news: we are now on a longer, more in-depth format, lasting more than 10 minutes. Always more jackets with scalpel-cut shoulders, short pants, open double monks, and dizzying ties...

But first, time for Luca’s testimony. It was his baptism of fire, his very first Pitti, which is a significant event in the life of a man who likes to wear a blazer a little. Here is his feeling:

Note from Luca: A great fan (as you know) of the Italian style, I was like a mouse let loose for the first time in a bath of Gruyère cheese, or like Benoît at his first David Guetta concert. In short, I was first of all amazed by these colors, by these men dressed to the nines and surprised by the real rendering (the one in real life, not in photos): when you are in this Piazza Fortezza Da Basso . Nothing changes from what you see on the web or in magazines.

Luca alongside Samir (left), and the founders of Beckett & Robb on the right. Few socks, short white pants, we didn't go to the wrong living room.

I was also very surprised by the number of “posers” at Pitti. These great, world-famous figures pose all day long on the square. Intrigued, I wanted to find out more by asking the stars what they were doing here. You will probably find it strange, but these men bring an energy and an atmosphere without which Pitti would not be what it is today. These people are above all passionate and a source of inspiration for many (come on, for me too I admit it).

Thank you Luca for this testimony.

To go in his direction, it is always amusing to note that certain “superstars” of Pitti do not do much except chat in the central square. They obviously have to have some meetings inside, but most of their time is spent outside, right in the middle of the living room.

This is the kind of behavior that could easily annoy any French person ( "My God! A man who deliberately seeks to have his photo taken! What arrogance!" ), but personally, I find that it contributes a lot to the good atmosphere at Pitti.

No one is fooled, but everything is done in a good-natured and rather joyful spirit. People are very happy to be there, and you can feel it. Luca, who had to conduct numerous interviews outside, can testify: people are much more accessible and relaxed than in any other salon.

They take great pleasure in spontaneously talking about their clothes.

Make no mistake, glasses with a blue mirror effect were much less present than last winter.

This time, I wanted to know if there are really any differences in terms of trends, between summer 2014 and summer 2015. Well, my answer will disappoint you, but not that much. If you could mix up the photos of the two Pitti, I would be unable to recognize which outfit comes from which Pitti.

Moreover, I have even noticed that the outfits seem to have become calmer : fewer flamboyant accessories, fewer bright colors, but more basic colors and a few discreet details.

Indeed, there were a lot of plain blue or beige blazers, without much more artifice. Many of the outfits I saw could have been in Paris without much difficulty.

Even Nick Wooster showed up with more sober outfits than usual.

Only the usual Pitti superstars seem to continue to explore new motifs; like the immense Mr. Raro and his very recognizable approach or the famous Giorgio Giangiulio...

That said, let's look at the trends (or rather the recurring elements that caught my attention this year), despite a sobriety very present in this edition.

1. Hats: long live Panama!

Samir, founder of the Bureza brand, is a key figure in Pitti, with a perfectly worn Panama hat. He always has great taste in his outfits, in addition to being very sympathetic. A very good source of inspiration! With the white pants and double-breasted jacket, he activated his “Pitti mode”.

It didn't escape anyone's attention, it was the star accessory of Pitti. There were so many... It's a very effective summer accessory, but one that is quite easy to miss... Not to mention the panama offering which is often quite cheap! In short, the path to a healthy Panama is paved with pitfalls of all kinds. But if you trust your good taste, the result will be very, very elegant.

Feasibility in France: How many well-dressed men have you recently come across with a well-worn Panama hat? Not much I imagine. This is a trend that may never cross the Alps. If you want to try your hand at it, arrange to have the rest of the outfit absolutely impeccable (a nice shirt, nice shoes, etc.), and then it will be really classy. But with an old polo shirt and cropped pants, it won't work.

2. More sober sunglasses

Luca and Danilo Carnevale (no, they are not from the same family). Note the small tail of the tie which is longer than the large tail, a typically Italian gimmick. However, I am less convinced by having so much white in an outfit.

This is how we dress in summer in Florence, with materials that seem light and airy. Also note the high-waisted pants and the use of suspenders. And yes, a beige suit with a blue shirt is absolute class!

I was not excpecting that at all. Indeed, last winter (in January 2015), everyone wore sunglasses with blue mirror lenses, and I didn't think that this trend would be so quickly forgotten this summer. We are therefore back on simpler glasses, with small lenses, and an overwhelming majority of "tortoiseshell" effect temples.

Feasibility in France: you are already doing it! The least we can say is that the French are not the most exuberant when it comes to sunglasses. For those who have not yet taken the step of purchasing a nice pair of sunglasses, you can start slowly with a pair of Jimmy Fairly or Persol.

3. The three-piece suit in summer

Even in summer, under the blazing sun, many people walked around in three-piece suits. I admit that it's not the most practical in summer, but if you want the doors of Pitti to open to you, you'll have to bring a three-piece in your suitcase.

Feasibility in France: unthinkable. Three-piece suits are very rare on the street in France, so in summer... It is in your best interest to choose very breathable materials, such as light wool and/or linen.

Even at over 30°C, Alessandro Squarzi is in three pieces, but without a tie and pocket square.

Another stylistic gimmick that can only be found at Pitti: the pants and the vest are matched, but the jacket is in a different material, in order to bring a little variety to the outfit (and to avoid having a visual overload of patterns). On the other hand, you have to have a lot of flair to find THE color jacket that matches perfectly with pants and a vest. Here, Samir de Bureza hit the nail on the head!

4. The shirt without a tie

Frank Galluci sets the example here.

Mariano Di Vaio, famous model, and his legendary white teeth. I'm less of a fan of the wide stripes though.

Luca Rubinacci doesn't have a tie either, or a collar for that matter! You will see his video interview shortly.

I didn't remember seeing so few ties last summer, and even less last January. But here, it is clear that many men had impeccable outfits from start to finish (pocket, bracelets, perfectly polished shoes, etc.), but without a tie! This is what reinforced my idea that this Pitti was more simple and relaxed than last summer.

VERY important point: in the outfits, there are two buttons, which are systematically opened. It's the one on the collar (which is in contact with the tie knot, if you wear one) and the one just below. Above all, above all: remember to do the same. If you only leave your collar button open, the result is frankly a failure and brings to mind a man who does not dare to indulge in a tiny touch of spontaneity (or it looks like a salaryman who leaves the office, and who takes off his tie to buy himself a little coolness). So shirt worn without tie = two buttons open. And it’s MANDATORY! No excuses like: we're going to see my body hair, I'm showing too much skin, etc.

Feasibility in France: you already do it well normally!

Lino Ieluzzi without a tie! Photo credit: Laurent Le Cam of Milanese Special Selection . He also appears on our video report!

Even Lino, accustomed to his usual flowing ties adorned with the number 7 , treats himself to a little day with an open shirt and a double-breasted jacket: it works perfectly! A true inspirational model if you're his age...

5. Linen everywhere (and blends)

No tie, but a collar that dips perfectly under the lapels...

Now, I'm sure there weren't as many linen jackets last summer. These are probably different linen/wool blends, because I found that it creased quite little (or maybe it's very high-end linen). To counter the "soft" side of linen, the jacket must be perfectly cut, otherwise it quickly fails. But when it's done right, you experience the ultimate summer elegance, the real thing, the one where you feel invincible in a beachfront restaurant, in charming company.

Feasibility in France: finding a beautiful linen jacket in France is complicated; so it's not necessarily the piece that you absolutely must have in my opinion. Otherwise, I think you will find what you are looking for at Boggi and obviously SuitSupply. If you want the best of the best, Husbands has some really nice linen suits.

The Pitti classics that never move

• The double-breasted jacket

Impossible to go to Pitti without a double-breasted blazer jacket, even in summer! The shoulder paddings are, however, very light, which gives a more natural silhouette, and more appreciable for such a structuring and geometric piece.

Lino is a huge fan of double-breasted jackets (and accessories), which he always chooses very light. It's an elegant and summer outfit, very difficult to wear without the look and relaxation that goes with it.

• Short pants

The length of the pants is often debated at Pitti, because some are still very short. But it's a completely Italian way of doing things, they love to air their ankles. A totally incomprehensible trend for us French people.

Yes, braided moccasins are making a comeback ...

• Moccasins

Precisely, because the pants are short and it's hot, it's difficult to wear Richelieus or derbies (some do it to have a more "fashionable" side), so the shoe that reigns supreme at Pitti is the moccasin. They are thin and tapered, and obviously worn without socks.

Giorgio Giangiulio's Loafers, who I've never seen wearing anything other than patterns and checks.

Please note: in English, we distinguish between moccasins and loafers; so if I was writing this article in English, I would have talked about loafers instead.

• The white pants

Along with the double-breasted jacket, it's the other essential Pitti piece, even in winter! White pants are systematically worn in a very elegant way: with blazer, shirt and tie, in order to contrast well with its “vacation” connotation. Unquestionably, it is a piece that I would like to see more often in France.

As usual at Pitti, the Japanese have perfectly adapted Western sartorial codes (much better than some French people).

• The denim shirt

As I have repeated several times, the majority of Pitti shirts are white or blue (with all possible variations of stripes and materials). To add variety, some have a shirt in very light denim (at least as much as poplin), which fades over time. With a cutaway collar and a knitted tie, the result is magnificent. Or how to mix relaxation and elegance with great precision.

As Sonya from PG points out , many men wore pants with a clearly defined high waist.

• The bracelets

I admit that the Pitti gave me the bracelet bug, and made me completely uninhibited by wearing six or seven on the same wrist (even if France has a concept of discreet elegance, which should not make waves). At Pitti, bracelets seem to be a must when you wear a suit, always with the aim of bringing a touch of the unexpected and a touch of madness to an outfit.

We find a lot of turquoise on the bracelets.

And it’s not Lino who will say the opposite:

See you tomorrow for our long-awaited video report from Pitti 😉