I will never forget my very first steps into the Fortezza da Basso. Of course, I knew a few things about Pitti. I knew who I was going to find there, what the atmosphere would be, and which brands would be represented. Yet, there is one experience you can not foresee, and which is the exact opposite of the vanity people often mention : that is to say the feeling of being part of a family.
I belong to a generation which has learnt – and still learns - the principles of elegance by staring at the Pitti photos. When it comes to sartorialism, Pitti brings us the best and the worst, and I'm sure you will agree that you learn by observing. But when you shake hands with MM Liverano or Ieluzzo something happens. Their names might be legendary, but the simplicity and kindness of these men is astonishing. I am not saying that showing your best outfit and waiting for photos at the best spots of the Fortezza isn’t a pleasure ; of course it is. But Pitti is also made of exquisite discussions that you have (half in English, half in Italian) with famous houses and brands like Petronius, Calabrese or Saint Gregory. Each one of these Pitti main figures I had the chance to discuss with told me the same thing : this fair is not only about making photos for social media, it is also and even before all a huge meeting of passionate and friendly people, where you can spend time with brands you are in love with or close friends whose work inspires you. And even the regular visitors can't get enough of it.
This 104th edition was the perfect time to discover the event and enter the melee. Although the number of visitors has not yet returned to pre-Covid levels, it continues to increase. The second day was particularly intense and some private parties we attended were of an exquisite taste. Unfortunately, we must add that people still tend to leave the fair earlier in order to join Milan’s Fashion week ; as a consequence the event looks almost finished on the beginning of day 3. We noticed really interesting clothing experiments, and we haven’t been disappointed at all by the colour panel – some really impressive yellows, a lot of greens and off-white, and rose. As you might know, the summer edition is more complicated than the other one : less layering, less choice in fabrics, less heavy accessories. Yet triumphing over the warmth can be really satisfying, and seeing all these linen or seersucker outfits was delightful. It is sometimes because of constraints that we show our best creativity. The picture would have been incomplete without scarves, safari jackets and opened double breasted jackets.
We wear suits because we want to celebrate the moment. For a long time now Parisian Gentleman has been showing that every moment in life is a reason to look your best, and Pitti is a symbol of that belief. As a mirror of the sartorial movement, Pitti contains fertile contradictions and brilliant personalities, which can be caricatured and depicted as shallow. But our mission is to draw attention to the real strength of what happens in the Fortress twice a year, that is to say the gathering around common values, the belief in the future of classic menstyle, and before all the joy of honouring the famous brands that give life to elegance. Pitti is not an isolated moment in our lives. It is the climax of a life dedicated to elegance and the objectives linked with it : the pleasure of wearing beautiful suits, the desire for creativity, the will to give inspiration. It is in this mindset that PG will continue to approach the next editions.
Cover by @raulvillanuevaa & Sastreria Firenze
