This season saw Pitti Uomo return to Florence for its 110th edition. Having first launched in the Tuscan capital in 1972, it has now become the largest menswear fair in the world. Each season sees the fair take on a new theme; in the past, designers have explored the concept of Pitti Time, Pitti Reflections or Pitti Colour, but for SS27, the theme was Pitti Pool.

Comprised around the idea of the modern man lounging poolside against a backdrop akin to some of David Hockney’s most famous works, the theme invites designers to explore notions of reflection and introspection. This year’s programme saw Simone Rocha take the coveted guest designer spot as the London-based brand showed outside of the capital for the first time, and the likes of DSM Kei Ninomiya and Sunflower join the schedule. Below, we round up a few of our favourite things we saw at this year’s edition of Pitti Uomo – scorching temperatures not included.

Simone Rocha was this year’s guest designer
Since 2010, Simone Rocha has been a stalwart name on the London Fashion Week schedule, delivering her romantic take on womenswear. In 2022, the Irish designer began gradually introducing menswear looks into her mainline collections, presenting masculine silhouettes adorned with the same frills, ribbons and whimsy that define her girls. This season, Rocha relocated to Florence, showing her inaugural menswear collection at Pitti Uomo as this edition’s guest designer, joining an illustrious roster of past invitees, including Raf Simons, Dries Van Noten, Craig Green and Martine Rose.

Read the full report here. 

Backstage at the DSM Kei Ninomiya show
DSM Kei Ninomiya’s late-night show fully embodied the spirit of punk. Taking place in an abandoned space in the city’s centre, the avant-garde Japanese designer delivered a series of tartan skirts and distressed leather jackets, deconstructed suiting accented with safety pins and copious amounts of buttons alongside a debut Vans collaboration on foot.

The model’s hair was undoubtedly one of the show’s highlights. Spiked into mohawks or adorned with elaborate floral creations, the vision was brought to life by Horace. The French grooming brand founded by Marc Tertlet was enlisted to oversee hair and skin for the designer’s Pitti debut. Backstage at the show, we caught up with Tertlet, “DSM Kei Ninomiya’s theme for this show is Our Punk. It’s about breaking the rules. Pablo Kuemin, the hairstylist, used our beard products on hair to define and add shine. Vanessa Icareg prepped the skin with our Rich Face Moisturiser before applying a punk makeup look. We’re really grateful to have helped DSM Kei Ninomiya with their first show,” he told us.

Gucci Storia exhibition
Celebrated with a cocktail reception in the Palazzo for Pitti Uomo, Gucci Storia marks the launch of a new era under Demna. Palazzo Gucci was built in the 14th century, and in the early 2000s, it became Gucci’s headquarters, a fitting home for a brand founded in Florence in 1921. This month saw the building reopen with Gucci Storia, an exhibition curated by Demna charting some of the house’s most iconic moments, featuring tapestries, archival garments and a cinema, showing a range of short films from his tenure so far.

JiyongKim’s installation
Another one of this edition’s special guests was JiyongKim, the South Korean fashion designer behind his namesake menswear label. Invited to present an exhibition at this season’s fair, the designer explored the notion of ‘fadeness’, bringing to life the brand’s philosophy of discovering new value in overlooked garments and objects. 

Sunflower’s 20th anniversary
Marking the inaugural partnership between Pitti Uomo and Copenhagen Fashion Week, Danish brand Sunflower headed to the Tuscan capital to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Staging a show on the rooftop terrace of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino as the sun began to set over the city, the collection offered a refined study in minimalism, presenting a series of linen suits and biker-style denim.

Gucci Osteria
Once you’ve finished getting lost in the Gucci Storia exhibition, next door in Palazzo Gucci lies Gucci Osteria, one of Florence’s must-visit eateries. Also entering a new era under Demna’s reign as creative director, with esteemed Japanese chef Takahiko Kondo stepping in to head up the kitchen. His menu boasts a wealth of Italian classics refashioned through a modern lens, with dishes such as Journey to Modena – tortellini stuffed with veal, pork, Parmigiano Reggiano cream – and Non dire cassate – spaghetti, pistachio, bergamot – becoming instant highlights.