PITTI CONNECT IS THE FAIR’S NEW ONLINE FACE, BUT WITH ITS TRADITIONAL SPIRIT. AMONG GREAT SURPRISES, THE SUSTAINABLE STYLE IS OUR FAVORITE ONE…
Text by Fiammetta Cesana
From Villa Torrigiani at the very beginnings with Giovanni Battista Giorgini in the 50s, to the Grand Hotel of Firenze to the Sala Bianca of Palazzo Pitti which gave its name, up to the Fortezza da Basso that has hosted the event from the 80s until today, with 2020 the world-famous Pitti Uomo 98 fashion fair finds its fifth historic venue: the digital.
After the successful streaming events of Digital Fashion Weeks, the news that from July 16th even the Florentine fashion appointment has moved to online does not surprise us that much. But the program of the new Pitti Connect, hosting the virtual version of the summer salons and which will accompany us until October 30th, is rich of unexpected contents, events and collaborations…
“Until October 30th there will be special fairs, with the summer collections of the brands and exhibiting companies, already around 400 of Pitti Uomo, Bimbo and Filati – including names of reference on the international fashion and lifestyle scene – and with a program of digital projects to discover new points of view, deepen and be inspired. We were looking for emergency solutions, but we also found opportunities for tomorrow: Pitti Connect has given a strong technological acceleration to our salons and represents the element of continuity that will bring us towards January 2021, when the physical and virtual fair will integrate the with each other.” – says Agostino Poletto, general manager of Pitti Immagine
Among indeed exciting new partnerships, dedicated places of marketplace and networking for brands, and the launch of the new online magazine “The Billboard” including the schedule of all the events in program until October, the special project that most impressed us, in terms both of innovation, style research and fundamental ethical and social pledge, is the one called The Sustainable Style.
Inaugurated on July 16th at the same time as the whole Pitti Connect’s platform, The Sustainable Style will continue until October 9th offering online visitors a special showcase of 13 designers + 1 (a special guest) who are committed to creating conscious and eco-friendly men collections.
The project has the big objective of combining the necessary industry’s changes towards an ethical and sustainable fashion together with concrete business opportunities and the constant defense of the aesthetics and quality of the products. Taking place during these months through various web appointments, it is directed by the journalist and independent scouter Giorgia Cantarini, who besides having selected the participating brands will guide us through talks and interviews with leading exponents of the fashion and culture field, through documentaries – such as the one directed by Conor Gorman and the one made in collaboration with Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, photography director for the film “Call me by your name” by Guadagnino – and many other multimedia contents…
The in September the Reda x Sustainable Style prize will be awarded: the international wool company will select the winning brand to collaborate in the creation of a mini-capsule for Rewoolution, the company’s first B-Corp certified sportswear brand, namely focused on responsibility towards people and the environment.
Below are the brands that join The Sustainable Style together with the special guest, Glenn Martens, designer of the French brand Y/Project who will present his award-winning collection 100% sustainable “Evergreen”.
Flavia La Rocca, Ksenia Schnaider, Kidsofbrokenfuture, Myar, Nanushka, Nous Etudions, Philip Huang, Phipps, Raeburn, Uniforme, Viròn, Vitelli and Youngnsang.
To find out more about Pitti Connect, The Sustainable Style project and its joining brands, and all the other scheduled appointments and new partnerships, go to visit the brand-new website pittimmagine.com
Cover image: Flavia La Rocca’s collection for The Sustainable Style
