If I wanted to go to Pitti Uomo so much, it was to meet this famous Italian style that we see everywhere on Tumblrs .
It's a very different show from the Tranoï or the Capsule (and even more so from the Who's Next show), because sartorial art is represented there with much more honor , although there are a multitude of small creators present.
The big brands also have a good representation: for example, I was very surprised to see that Zanotti had a huge stand, although I thought that the flashy side of the brand was the opposite of the show.
I will explain in a future article what exactly this show is and the brands I discovered there. But today, I'm going to focus on the looks of the buyers and exhibitors present, because that's what's worth the detour.
Indeed, most of the photos of stylish men you come across on tumblr, the ones with crazy jackets and shirts, are usually taken at Pitti Uomo. This is what makes it an unmissable event for masculine elegance.
The kind of bets you see everywhere at Pitti.
I'm talking about elegance, because the outfits present have nothing to do with certain fashion oddities that we come across at Colette during fashion week. There are certainly clearly visible trends, but everything is masculine and in good taste (you won't find a Spartan cap at Pitti for example).
So you can imagine my curiosity on the morning of the first day, when Nicolas and I walked with a firm step towards the famous fortezza di Basso , the emblematic place where the Pitti is held.
The 16th century fortress which dominates Florence. It served as much to protect the city as the ruling families during popular uprisings.
Pitti Uomo outfits
This is how we arrived. And as the visitors returned, it was clear that we were in the place where there was the highest concentration of stylish characters... in the World!
Do some gentlemen deliberately strut into the center of the living room? Yes, there is no doubt about it. And it's funny to notice that some are on the phone all the time, while others take a falsely relaxed attitude by moving slowly, with a constant smile on their face.
Some pretend to ignore the photographers, but position themselves clearly in the aisles, while their comrades happily join in the game and strike poses. We could find an artificial side to it, but personally, I would find it a shame to see this event only from this angle.
Even the photographers have their own style at Pitti!
On the contrary, we feel that people are happy to be there, and want to try outfits that they would never have the opportunity to wear elsewhere (go wear a white suit to go to work, you'll see ).
There is a good mood and a palpable creative buzz . We never feel looked down on, and we appreciate this spectacle side (it is quite disconcerting to notice that the photographers are outside the event, and do not take any photos of the brands present).
It is therefore with a very keen eye that I analyzed the Italian style, and that I drew up its main characteristics with their feasibility in France. Have you always dreamed of looking like an Italian working in fashion? The 10 points below concern you!
And all the photos that follow are from BonneGueule.
1. Italian style and the use of color
Feasibility in France: you will have to get started.
As Luca says, Italians are very comfortable with clothing. I have the feeling that there, knowing how to dress is a valued masculine quality, unlike in France.
Italian men are therefore encouraged to distinguish themselves. Being noticed is something that doesn't seem to impress them, unlike some French people who do everything to wear ordinary outfits, and especially not to be conspicuous.
After a France traumatized by years of " bling bling ", we easily understand why the French demand sartorial discretion. What is most striking is the use of color . Black is almost absent (normal for a summer period), and (very) light shades are widely used.
Not wearing a color “because it’s too light” seems to be something implausible in Italy. White pants seem to be an essential piece of the Italian summer wardrobe , because at Pitti they were systematically assembled with a jacket and a shirt.
Another point we would do well to take inspiration from: the color of the jackets . If in France (and even in summer), the two main colors for jackets are blue and gray, the shades of these gentlemen's blazers are much richer and joyful, and range from khaki to lagoon blue.
The white suit is totally encouraged at Pitti.
Lemon yellow is not the color I would recommend for a first costume. Nor for a second... In any case, note in this photo the presence of two very short pants (one of which is white) worn with moccasins. A very heavy trend for this Pitti Uomo summer 2014.
The G. Inglese house offers incredible jackets, very light and very colorful. Complicated to wear, but I assure you that the construction of the jacket is very well done.
Some outfits convinced me much less...
I'll let you guess which ones...
2. The use of color... on the Pitti Uomo shirts
Feasibility in France: we already do it, but less rich in textures and materials.
It is quite surprising to see that the colors of shirts are always very sober and serve as a neutral basis to construct the outfits , like a whiteboard that only awaits colored brushstrokes.
There is almost only white and blue in shirts, but available in infinite textures, materials and shades : chambray, linen, cotton voile, poplin, etc.
But just because the shirts are white doesn't mean they blend in with everyone 's shirts. To add uniqueness, the finishes are impeccable: most men have shirt buttons mounted in zampa di gallina (this way of sewing buttons is also called fleur de Lys or crow's feet), fine English seams and refined, and this famous very flared Italian collar which fits so well under the lapels of the jacket with or without a tie.
Last detail that surprised me on the shirts seen at Pitti Uomo: the rigidity of the collars. It seems that having a relatively soft collar (a bit like what G. Inglese can do) is a sign of tasteful Italian casualness . I have seen so many collars of this type worn well that it has definitely reconciled me with soft collars, which I previously associated with cheap quality shirts.
Lino Ieluzzi, superstar of Italian elegance. Everything is there: the short pants, the double buckles with an open buckle, the double-breasted blazer that he loves, and the unexpected accessory that is the chain on his pants. And yet, her outfit features cleverly used sober colors.
3. Cascading style contrasts
Feasibility in France: a big YES.
This is the main characteristic of Italian style. They are very good at mixing elegant and casual perfectly . There's always something unexpected in their outfit. They can wear a crisp suit...with a fancy pocket square.
The Japanese were extremely well dressed, but with less flamboyance. From what I have seen, they know and recite their sartorial art ranges perfectly . No crazy risk-taking, but a mastery of the codes of absolutely perfect elegance, coated with a typically Japanese perfectionism .
They are men of great class, and their outfits are impeccable. Period.
When I tell you that the Japanese at Pitti Uomo are impeccable... This is how to wear a light suit with a lot of class thanks to a tastefully chosen pattern.
A double-breasted suit with scalpel-cut shoulders, a knitted tie ready to burst out of the jacket and an immaculate white shirt... No doubt, this Japanese guy is at Pitti Uomo! Note the discreet use of the cover.
White pants, double-breasted suits, pockets without handles: again and again the same trends from this edition.
4. The total supremacy of tailoring pieces in Italian style
Feasibility in France: totally encouraged, since we've been telling you that a well-cut jacket is an essential part of a men's wardrobe!
It struck me: tailored pieces (suits, blazers, jackets) reign supreme at Pitti Uomo . It can be over 30°, I have the impression that a stylish Italian will never go out without his jacket.
This has actually been confirmed to me several times: heatwave or not, everyone is in costume . The cuts are systematically impeccable and the jackets perfectly fitted. And of course, most proudly display a Milanese buttonhole on the lapel of the jacket...
A well-worn beige suit, reminiscent of what we can see at Husbands. However, the three-piece was rarer during this summer period. Once again, the glasses, the shoes, and especially the hat, make this a unique outfit.
Very often, it is the supple shoulders, called Neapolitan , which dominate. This results in a more natural and comfortable silhouette, as the shoulder follows the wearer's movements.
This helps to attenuate the overly strict and structured side of a classic suit . You might even think that it is THE type of shoulder intended for the casual jacket.
This is what a natural shoulder is: it has a “roundness” very appreciated by Italians.
An example of unconscious mimicry at Pitti Uomo: these two men each wear rolled-up beige pants and loafers with pompoms in brown tones. Pockets (folded in the same way on each of them!) are a must... Finally, the jacket is the central piece of each outfit.
An outfit considered "simple" at Pitti, although I think few of us would risk wearing such short white pants with Gucci loafers...
You won't see many simple gray suits at Pitti. On the other hand, it is very pleasant to see how patterns or khaki are elegantly worn. And once again, the pair of double monks... You might think that these double buckle shoes are typically Italian.
This is how to skillfully play with more original colors. And for once, the pants don't reveal the ankle!
5. The case of the double-breasted jacket
Feasibility in France: we are getting there little by little.
Another illustration of this famous mix of formal and casual that the Italians master perfectly: a double-breasted blazer with gold buttons, but well fitted, with fitted, cropped pants, worn with a denim shirt to relax the whole look. And of course, we accessorize with a Filson clutch and bag! I have more trouble with shoes though...
Forget your grandfather's double-breasted blazers with gold buttons, the truth is elsewhere.
Indeed, the Italians have wonderfully appropriated this garment which suffers from a dusty image in France. But not among our transalpine friends, where the double-breasted jackets are short and perfectly fitted. It must be admitted that this gives a real presence to an outfit , and it is not Hugo Jacomet who would say the opposite .
In fact, the two rows of buttons subtly outline a very masculine V-shaped shoulder . And quite frankly, it was while trying on a double-breasted jacket from Ly Adams for next summer that I had a little click.
The double-breasted jacket from Ly Adams that could help me take the plunge. BGMD chinos and Catherine Michiels bracelets.
On the other hand, a double-breasted jacket cannot be worn just any way : it takes a little imagination to place it well in an outfit.
But one unknown remains: what do all these double-breasted jackets look like when they are open? This is what slows me down a little with this type of jacket, which can quickly become too hot in summer: you still have two layers of fabric at stomach level.
But here too, Hugo has his say on double-breasted jackets in summer .
A well-worn white striped double-breasted jacket... At Pitti, the impossible becomes possible.
Chocolate, double-breasted and checked three-piece suit: we've never seen it simpler!
Finally a double-breasted jacket worn open! And with a t-shirt too! Another great Italian specificity is the suit worn with vintage sneakers (and short pants, as usual).
The designer of the fabulous Norwegian Rain brand is wearing a very pretty two-button double-breasted jacket. Perfect bending.
The two Filippos, from the blog The Threef , are fans of the double-breasted suit with very wide lapels. And that suits them very well.
I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I do. We will see the last five points in the next article!
