In the fortress of Fortezza da Basso, where Pitti Uomo takes place, hundreds of brands from all over the world presented their new collections. Visitors to the exhibition have long been accustomed to the fact that classic suits are here side by side with clothes made of high-tech materials, and hand-aged boots - with artistically paint-splattered T-shirts, but this time the future got as close as possible to the fortress.
Fashion continues to focus on sustainability and tries to promote conscious consumption: at times it seemed that brands that create things from recycled plastic, polyester and other waste were the most represented at the exhibition. And in this variety there were many interesting brands that attract attention not only with a new approach to production, but also with an original design.
For example, the French brand Bourrienne Paris X brought a collection of shirts made of vintage linen with details borrowed from the 19th century: ruffles on the sleeves, bibs, special collars, and an elongated shoulder line. Each shirt is numbered with a Roman numeral, embroidered on the seamy side of the cuff, and these items cost € 180-440.
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The London brand 1X1 Studio, specializing in jumpers and other knitted things, looked very convincing. Designers are actively experimenting with 3D printing and recycled products, while creating very distinctive things. In addition to plastic, which is woven into things so delicately and skillfully that you do not immediately guess the nature of the material, there are also eco-friendly fabrics that are selected by designers in Japan, Great Britain and Italy.
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The Ksenia Schnaider brand, which has long become famous outside its native Ukraine, also complements the list of worthy sustainable brands. This time, the designer's collection included not only recognizable jeans of a fancy cut, but also things redesigned in a new way that the brand's team found in second-hand and stock stores.
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An interesting composition of participants was in the pavilion "Scandinavian Manifesto". There are several excellent brands from Denmark, Sweden and Norway, among which Sneum is a brand based in Copenhagen. Designer Christian Sneum has worked at Valentino for over 12 years and, having become proficient in the commercial field, launched his own brand of menswear. He is especially good at things created in the style of a western: pique and hewn shirts with pointed and elongated corners of the collar, as well as sturdy Cossacks and Chelsea boots. In addition, Sneum offers seemingly vintage leather jackets and army jackets with large pockets.
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The Make Pavilion, The New Makers, is home to contemporary craft masters who, among other things, are interesting for their stories. For example, the designers of the footwear brand Casablanca 1942 were inspired by the cult film of the same name with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. They offer various models of loafers, oxfords and moccasins, made either entirely from raffia (a natural fiber sourced from palm leaves), or with partial use. Each model is weightless, hand-painted and, according to the creators of the brand, perfectly reflects the style of the main character of "Casablanca" Rick Blaine.
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Brand neighbor - Hong Kong Craftsman & Co. - I also found inspiration in films and put the main emphasis on jackets. Among the models are James Dean's bomber jacket from Rebel Without a Cause and Elvis Presley's trucker from Stay Away Joe (although, unlike the cinematic Levi's jeans, the new model is released in suede). A jacket inspired by the one worn by Travis Bickle, played by Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver, looks especially good. In the interpretation of Hong Kong designers, it is made of deep emerald suede.
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On the Craftsman & Co. Walk of Fame there was a place not only for Paul Newman, Cary Grant and Steve McQueen, but also for Ernest Hemingway with his fitted safari jacket. Each model can be found in a different design: leather, suede and textile. On top of that, the brand offers bespoke and made-to-measure services.
Perhaps the most remarkable story is behind the P. Le Moult brand. Each season, the brand reproduces items from the wardrobe of Eugene Le Multa, a naturalist and entomologist who once collected the largest collection of butterflies. Le Mult, among other things, met with Vladimir Nabokov, and in 1956 he even published the comic strip "The Adventures of Tintin".
The collections are created by Le Multa's great-granddaughter, Praline. For a long time, she collected stories about her legendary ancestor, which are reflected in her clothes. The brand offers clothes in pajama style, of which I would like to highlight cardigans, where the most interesting is hidden inside: the inside is made of soft brushed cotton. Today Praline Le Moult lives in Vienna, where the P. Le Moult store is located, which the authoritative guide The Monocle has listed as a must-see.
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There were especially many brands specializing in shirts at the exhibition. One of the most curious is Roi du Lac, whose name translates as “king of the lake”. The creators of the brand made a frog with their logo, and the shirts themselves are bright and definitely memorable. Only silk is used as a material, the production is located near Lake Garda (in fact, hence the name). The brand's designers, Antea Brunioni Aliata and Marco Kinlok, create prints based on their travels. For example, in the autumn-winter season, they were inspired by Japan: shirts are decorated with large chrysanthemums, sakura branches and various scenes from the everyday life of the Japanese.
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Such things are rather intended for men traveling, keenly interested in everything that happens and striving to bring something new to their usual wardrobe. But connoisseurs of classics, but special classics, going beyond the usual perception, should take a closer look at the Knitbrary brand, which combines knitting and library in the name. Intelligent, calm, created at the intersection of modern trends and retro motives - in Russia you will not find such brands in the afternoon with fire. Sweaters are made from cashmere or the softest wool; often a baby alpaca and silk or linen and Peruvian cotton are combined in one garment.
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Denim brand Peppino Peppino should be included in the category of "classics for ages". Based in Amsterdam, it offers designs reminiscent of specialized Japanese brand jeans: straight, high-waisted, wide-leg, and a bit of hooliganism like a double belt. The key difference from Japan is the material used.
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At Peppino Peppino jeans are made from a softer, more pliable fabric that has been specially treated. Designers are inspired by work and military uniforms and sew exclusively from Italian fabrics. Time is running out only for the benefit of such things: even after 10 years, these jeans will look relevant, and small scuffs will only make them better.>