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When it comes to showcasing menswear, Florence is the perfect stage with its history of tailoring and leather goods, and the home of Gucci.
Firenze was on fire on the second day of the Pitti Immagine Uomo trade show with major events taking place, including the first runway shows of the festival and the announcement of the International Woolmark Prize Menswear winner.
Juun.J
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It was South Korean designer, Juun.J’s first outing at Pitti, staging his Italian debut after successful shows in Paris—and it was immediately apparent why he’s so hot. Working with fabrics and cuts in innovative ways, Juun.J plays with volume and proportion to give an incredible silhouette.
With broad shoulders of almost Klaus Nomi proportions and trousers that ranged from skintight to verging on skirts, it was a collection of contrasts. He showed reinterpretations of the parka, motorcycle jacket and the pinstriped suit with a heavy focus on detail, topstitching and layering.
Juun.J sent sophisticated leathers in black and unnerving flesh tones down the runway, emblazoned with slogans in relief reminiscent of Viktor & Rolf. Long leather gloves in petrol blue were a highlight, as was the tailored black cape with wide double-breasted wingtip lapels and an oversized fabric selvedge incorporated into the seam.
Overall, it was a cohesive and contemplative collection that had the hallmarks of solid South Korean design. Juun.J is definitely one to watch, having already negotiated collaborations with Moleskine and Adidas.
Vittorio Branchizio
Milan-based Vittoria Branchizio is best known for his knitwear and he did little to stray from his reputation. And that’s not a bad thing. The quality of his craft was apparent in his Autumn-Winter presentation with knitwear worked into almost every look shown.
Geometry was key: Baseball jackets in burgundy, rose and musk; felted knitwear in trompe l’oeil tie-dye realised through pullovers and trousers. Turtlenecks featured heavily as did asymmetry through jacket fastenings. Interestingly, Branchizio was the winner of the June 2015 edition of Who is On Next? Uomo, the competition supported by Pitti Immagine, Altaroma and L’Uomo Vogue for Italian fashion.
International Woolmark Prize Menswear Final
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Most notably was the announcement of the 2015/16 International Woolmark Prize for menswear. Whittled down to just six entrants worldwide and judged by some of the most influential fashion luminaries, New Dehli-based designer, SUKETDHIR took the accolade.
Dhir founded his eponymous label in 2009 after training at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in New Delhi. He describes his label as “Indo-centric western menswear,” which is evident in his winning collection. Nehru collars and modern workings of the traditional salwar dominated his presentation, with gradient-striped jackets in blues and browns, and statement wide-cut trousers translating to western sensibility.
SUKETDHIR surpassed other finalists including Netherlands entrant, Jonathan Christopher, Australian tailor, P. Johnson and Brits, Agi & Sam, who showed an earth-toned and design-forward collection at LCM last week.
Click through the slideshow for highlights of Day 2 of Pitti Uomo
RELATED: Pitti Uomo Day 1: Federico Curradi & The Alternative Set