The Pitti Experience

Everyone in menswear knows about Pitti and for decades it was just a sleepy trade show in Florence. Social media changed all of that and amplified Pitti to a worldwide Instagram phenomenon. People come from all over to dress in their finest clothes and stand around to have their photo taken. This collection of attention seekers make the week interesting and bizarre.

I’ve come full circle on Pitti over the years. When I first started going I loved it. The city, the people, the clothes and the newness of it all were exhilarating. Over time it started to feel stagnant and the social media frenzy felt increasingly vapid. Eventually I found a way to do Pitti on my own terms and it’s become one of the most enjoyable weeks of the year again.

I thought it could be interesting to give you a proper blog report of my week and not just share bits and pieces on IG stories or wherever. I also have been thinking that people have to wonder what it is actually like to go to Pitti and how it all works. This is my report from Florence. You’ll notice there’s not much of a clothing report. Many of the same brands were showing much of the same clothing. It’s not about newness per se because Pitti is an exercise in consistency.