Pitti Picks: Dispatch From Pitti Uomo 109
Peacocking aside, there's an awful lot to see at Pitti Uomo — and even more in Florence itself. Firenze's narrow cobbled streets burst with colour and creativity, and a steady pace is advised if you're to take it all in and make it through the week.
Steady is not, of course, the pace I tend to move at — there's simply too much to see and do — but I remain in quiet awe of those who saunter about the place. The Pitti Uomo trade fair, set within the towering walls of the historic Fortezza de Basso, is no exception. Italian buyers and sellers drift unhurried through the aisles of cavernous sheds, while peacocks parade up and down and occasionally perch to be photographed — by whom and for what I couldn't say, but it is nothing if not a spectacle.
Pitti is, of course, an Aladdin's cave of sartorial attire, streetwear, and accessories. But it also presents Brown in Town with an invaluable opportunity to meet our makers — the ateliers, sartorias, and workshops with whom we collaborate to create our handcrafted suits, shirts, shoes, and outerwear, each made from scratch for every commission. Most, if not all, had new designs to showcase, and while not everything is to our tastes, it's always a pleasure to see their creativity shining through. A few pieces that caught our eye:
A Chore Jacket from our Dutch atelier, featuring a notch lapel that converts to a Nehru collar — worn up or down depending on personal preference and the weather. And an Ulster Coat from our Italian atelier, arriving with all the trimmings: martingale belt, gauntlet cuffs, ruched back, and button vent — alongside a new range of womenswear encompassing suits, shirts, silk blouses, and overcoats.
On the accessories front, we came away with Argyle Socks in a wool blend that carries the unmistakable look and hand of those Pringle sweaters that made the pattern famous in the 1980s, and a couple of wool mélange beanies found their way into the basket too. From the incomparable Petronius — celebrating their centenary in 2026 — large paisley and atomised polka dot pochettes, and from Bigi Cravatte, beautifully classic contemporary pochettes and neckerchiefs, complete with an alternative method for tying them around the neck.
Midweek, the British cloth merchants host off-site salons to showcase their new collections — and, if you're fortunate, to press a handsome tote bag into your hands. We joined Dugdale Bros for breakfast, where they unveiled their new London Shrunk flannel: a cloth pre-shrunk using a traditional method and offered in some wonderfully contemporary colourways, alongside a fresh linen bunch. We also made the journey south of the river to visit our friends at Fox Brothers, whose salon at the British Institute of Florence is reason enough to cross the Arno — where some of the finest restaurants and bars in the city await. The occasion was doubly special for the launch of the third edition of The Accessible Magazine, which I believe is the best yet. The generous supply of Campari and Aperol may have curried a little favour.
And no Pitti would be complete without the infamous Huddersfield Fine Worsted party — which clashes awfully with the WM Brown party. Having missed it last year, I made a concerted effort to be there with bells on this time, for the launch of a new Harris Tweed bunch among other worsted gems.
But what truly caught our eye was the Airesco by Holland & Sherry — a Fresco by any other name — woven in three weights and available in some extraordinarily fetching colours and patterns. Whether it was the cloth, the opulent surroundings of Hotel Rosso 23, or the Prosecco, I couldn't entirely say.
I have also become something of a devotee of ready-to-wear brand L'Impermeabile. Their cool advertising, vibrant palette, and modern take on classic designs — Duffel Coats in green Casentino wool, Raglan Sleeve Raincoats for the autumn ahead — make them hard to resist. I am particularly excited to have secured a handful of their Tweed Raglan Overcoats in a green, navy, and burgundy dogtooth check from Abraham Moon & Sons, which we showcased at our Pitti Déjeuner this week.
Those who know me will be well aware of my long-standing obsession with the Raglan Sleeve Overcoat — sparked, perhaps a decade ago, by a photograph of David Coggins wearing a Drake's tweed coat that I've never quite been able to shake. Since then I've searched in vain for an atelier able to provide a bespoke option. Then, no sooner do we chance upon L'Impermeabile as a promising alternative, than our Italian sartoria reveals plans to produce a Raglan Overcoat of their own. We wait with considerable anticipation.
F. Marino Ties
It is always a great pleasure to spend time with Patrick Marino of F. Marino ties. I used to visit Naples regularly after wedding season to hand-select the silks and wools destined for our seasonal tie collection, but since the pandemic brought an end to direct flights from Bristol, Pitti has become our reunion. We met at my new favourite spot, La Boite, sank a couple of beers, put the world to rights, and then got down to the serious business of hand-selecting some of the finest tie silks in existence. And honestly, if that were all I did at Pitti, I'd return home happy every time.
Photo courtesy of @lorenzo_sodi