Pitti Uomo 2008

On the evening of June 19th, guest star of Pitti Uomo Walter van Beirendonck will present his menswear collection Man & Nature in the Garden of the Stibbert Museum in Florence. “I am delighted to have been invited to Pitti, I have worked closely with the Italian fashion houses for many years and that’s why I speak good Italian”, commented a delightful Van Beirendonck.

The Belgian designer made his debut on the London catwalks among the ‘Antwerp six’ in 1987. Over the past twenty years he has become one of the most innovative designers in contemporary fashion. His style stays away from mainstream and uses new media, mixed with photography, visual arts, graphics, web design, and futuristic music and styling.

“The wealth of Pitti Uomo, today, is also its eye for the different facets of the contemporary: a quest that will take the event of a great name in fashion culture like that of Walter Van Beirendonck, the Men's fashion show of this edition, to Florence in June”, emphasized Raffaello Napoleone, Managing Director of Pitti Immagine.

The new layout of Pitti Uomo is inspired by nature and sustainable mobility. Together with company Carraro, Pitti is launching a limited edition of bicycles. During the 74th edition of Free Cycle, a demonstration event for Free Mobility, 688 companies and 840 brands (276 of which are from abroad) and a number of buyers that will try to exceed the 21 thousand cyclists of 2007.

The brands presenting their previews in the Fortezza da Basso include Puma by Mihara Yasuhiro & Dress for Playstation 3. They will show the world preview of new fashion software developed by Sony. Further more Italy Independent, now headed by Lapo Elkann will launch its new collection; Sundek will showcase a retrospective dedicated to the world of surf, and Adidas will host an event in collaboration with Porsche and Lee.

“The large brands are doing fantastically”, said the Chairman of Pitti Immagine, Gaetano Marzotto, “despite the fact that in the first few months of 2008 we are beginning to suffer the unfavourable economic situation of this period, with the subprime crisis looming above, there is a significant tendency to hold onto luxury products. In addition the strength of the brands coming to Pitti resides in their ability to make luxury more accessible”.

Other participants of Pitti Uomo include Hugo Boss presenting Boss Orange for both men and women, Ballantyne with the opening of a new boutique and a special event set up alongside Pitti Immagine.

Image: Walter van Beirendonck SS08 (men's collection Sexclown)