Brunello Cucinelli always opens the week with an inaugural dinner and this year, the house invited 500 guests to the Santa Maria Novella Basilica – including everyone from Italian cashmere specialists to brand staff. The collection itself resembled French Riviera-chic, with Cuban collar shirts and woven leather sandals adding to the holiday vibe. While sticking to its signature neutral colour palette, there were also a few surprise additions – think splashes of soft pink. 

Buyers and designers flock to Pitti to find out more about the trends and colours that will dominate the upcoming seasons. Similar to previous seasons, it didn’t take long for white, brown, cream and khaki to emerge as the fashion crowd’s shades of choice – with the street style also following suit. 

Eli Russell Linnetz – the founder and creative director behind ERL label – put on his first show at this year’s event. Having started out as a screenwriter, the designer has since worked with celebrities like A$AP Rocky, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber and for his SS24 collection, he continued to mix art with fashion and luxury sportswear. The result? Bold pieces and casual cuts. 

Stylish men and influencers put a modern twist on shorts by opting for oversized cuts and longer lengths – often paired with matching shirts, tees and blazers. While plenty of these outfits veered away from classic and more towards edgy, there were still plenty of neutral tones and classic shoes to ground the overall feel.

Classic Italian tailoring is always a fixture at Pitti. But on the streets, we were excited to see a more unique and summer-centric take on the trend emerging. The main takeaway? Straight fit trousers are here to stay – just pair them with a more oversized shirt to bring the look up to date.

The Gucci Garden is used as a multifunctional space by the brand and is currently playing host to the Gucci Visions exhibition. Recalling the 102-year history of the label, the three-storey space pays tribute to the work of the brand’s most notable creative directors – from Tom Ford to Frida Giannini and of course Alessandro Michele.

J∞QUALITY made a highly anticipated return to Pitti this year with "New Chapter of Italy X Japan” – an exclusive collaboration between Japanese manufacturers and Italian designer Aldo Maria Camillo. It was presented at a dedicated space within ‘Futuro Maschile’ – a section of Pitti Uomo on the top floor of the central pavilion.

Danish brand Rains – known for its outdoor and travel-style clothing – showcased its new range as part of a 3D installation. Made using the brand’s signature waterproof fabric, the capsule included pieces like weekend bags, macs and suitcases, while the installation itself featured a rock-like aesthetic using large 3D printed modules acting as pedestals to present the brand’s hero pieces.

Debuting its new and colourful SS24 collection, Kiton embraced a more vibrant palette of yellow, pink and turquoise throughout its KNT range, which tends to focus on unconventional tailoring. It felt like a refreshing take among the other, more classic collections.  

This book launch took place in a fitting setting – the historic Laurentian Library, a culturally significant architectural masterpiece by Michelangelo. The book itself tells the story of the Ricci family, the brand’s success and the two’s 50-year history. The label has also published a limited-edition copy of the book, available only to valued customers and friends of the brand.

Kering’s Material Innovation Lab (MIL) and the Fondazione Pitti Immagine Discovery came together in support of sustainability and emerging designers at this year’s showcase. Pledging to support ten rising menswear brands – the two helped present the designers’ low-impact solutions across a global pool of talent. This included Cavia and Dalpaos from Italy; designer Dhruv Kapoor from India; Isnurh from Denmark; Jeanne Friot and Steven Passaro from France; Ksenia Schnaider from Ukraine; Olooh from the Côte d’Ivoire; Permu from the UK and Young n Sang from South Korea. 

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