Pitti Uomo 107: the Return of Margiela and Setchu’s Debut in a Fashion System in Flames
Words DOMENICO COSTANTINI
Florence reignites the debate on the future of menswear with Pitti Uomo 107, taking place from January 14 to 17, 2025. Fire, the central theme, is not a mere metaphor for passion, but a narrative structure that speaks of transformation, the tension between combustion and control, innovation and rootedness. It reflects a fashion system that burns on multiple levels: shifting materials, processes challenging sustainability, and fading boundaries between sportswear and tailoring.
The Essential as a Global Language: Setchu
Satoshi Kuwata and his brand Setchu represent a synthesis that transcends the dichotomy between East and West. As the guest of honor, Setchu makes its debut in Florence with a runway show that reinterprets tailoring through architectural minimalism: precision, modularity, flexibility. Winner of the LVMH Prize, Kuwata challenges the dogmas of trends, positioning his strategic approach in a territory where simplicity is the result of complexity distilled to the essential. Setchu does not define a season; it moves beyond, redefining duration as a cultural value.

Margiela: Repeated Deconstruction
The return of MM6 Maison Margiela is a reflection on the very act of return. In 2006, Margiela transformed the Teatro Puccini into a total white canvas, deconstructing archetypes with a monochromatic language. Today, the brand embraces menswear with a collection designed for Pitti, distilling the essence of deconstruction in a context that rejects nostalgia. Margiela works on reiteration not to subvert, but to reveal the vulnerability of convention: what seems like a fragment becomes the foundation of a new stylistic grammar, while Milan remains the exclusive stage for the runway show.

Sportswear and Market Dynamics
Knees Up Running Space, the novelty of 2025, redefines the relationship between experience and consumption. Not merely a focus on running, but a hybrid retail model: performance, narrative, and interaction converge into a format that transforms the customer into an active part of a growing cultural ecosystem. In a sector where attention is currency, storytelling becomes the dominant medium.
Strategic Collaborations and Education
The dialogue between education and industry is strongly present in this edition. Polimoda addresses the concept of uniformity with AN/ARCHIVE 2, while WP Lavori in Corso and Istituto Marangoni explore the archive as a creative generator, between memory and innovation. Simultaneously, partnerships with Scandinavian Manifesto, China Wave, and J∞QUALITY consolidate a glocal vision that balances cultural heritage and emerging markets.
Pitti Uomo 107 is no longer just an exhibition platform. It is a space of conceptual combustion, where every spark ignites a debate. Between deconstruction and renewal, control and chaos, menswear stands at a crossroads, while Florence continues to burn in silence, letting change become its only sound.