Pitti Immagine Uomo AW16

What I have enjoyed at Pitti Uomo this year is the texture and colour mix introduced to the product range. This trend is a ‘Pitti style’ but it seemed more dominant this time round.

Jackets, coats and waistcoats have lapels, collars, or actual part of the garment made in a different cloth and colour to complement a check sometimes introducing a completely different texture. The same thing is also used in shoes especially Wingtip Brogue with part the front tips or heals made in a separate material often using tweed fabric.

There was an increasing number of capes, some of which had interesting features: several pockets, oversized shapes and in some cases giants hoods. In the fashion shows of Andrea Incontri (also Tods creative director), the capes were made in ultra lightweight and technical material (as shown in the catwalk picture). The colur palette includes royal blue, black, military green, rusty reds and sandy beige.

I have noticed several checked trousers and quite a few double-breasted jackets also featured in some of the ladieswear.

There was a playful aspect in some of the designs where the use a classic garment like a leather jacket was made in jersey or rubber and casual tops were turned into pinstripe suits. Also along the same line you had accessories or ‘fake’ garments that have been introduced as a feature for example braises attached to the outside of a jacket or a 2 inch nylon puffer waistcoat sewn into the inner layer of a jacket.

I have learned about a material called Casentino which has returned to fashion a few years ago. The fabric has a very interesting texture, it is made of flannel worked until it develops piles. Gucci has introduced a small rage of garments made in this fabric, I am sure other Italian brands have followed too.