Pitti Uomo as a symbol of the Italian economic reform

If we have to sum up the Italian miracle in two words, able, with its 60 million or so (we have fewer and fewer children) people, Use global soft power unique in the world, we should talk about “innovation and knowledge”. History tells us so. Think of spectacles: their invention probably dates back to the Greeks, the Pythagoreans, or perhaps the Middle Ages; Certainly in 1700 the first sunglasses produced in Murano and called “gondola glass” began to be seen in Venice.

After a strong discontinuity like Covid, which has also created major crises, it is conceivable that once again the Italian system will respond by focusing on innovation and knowledge. Pitti Imagine will be an important step for UMO in terms of fashion, but not only, The shock of going from 1,300 brands on display to zero (due to the pandemic) is a mighty one. This year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan made it clear that we learned Winston Churchill’s lesson (“A good crisis is never wasted”) in our field.

A similar atmosphere can be experienced during a conversation with Pitti’s Managing Director Raffaello Napoleone: “Our goal? It’s simple: become indispensable», In fact, it already seems to be with 55 percent of the market, 45 percent of international participants and an event that is hyperselective and inclusive at the same time. Able to combine historical brands such as Brunello Cucinelli and Herno with the best sportswear brands.

Florence helps. And Pitti reciprocates, being perhaps the largest employer in the Tuscan capital. The landscapes that the city offers are unique. The thing that pushed Eli Russell Linetz, author of some of the AP’s most famous photos of Lady GagaPresent your ERL label with a fashion show and a unique project for the occasion, In a difficult situation, it would be short-sighted not to take into account the difficulties of small and medium-sized distribution companies, but it also shows how fundamental quality, selection and knowledge are.

Even one of the leading centers in the region such as Kering has chosen Florence for the partnership between its “Materials Innovation Laboratory” and Foundation to support young designers committed to sustainability

, And all this at the start of an edition in January 2023, which saw 13,500 buyers representing 6,500 sales and distribution companies, of which nine thousand were foreign and 4,500 Italian. Not just the numbers, but the results of that combination of innovation and knowledge that is unique in the world.