Described as the world’s most important platform for men’s clothing and accessory collections, Pitti Uomo draws thousands of fashion industry professionals to Florence. Benjamin Fitzgerald reports back from the famed trade fair’s latest, bicycle-themed edition
The hotly anticipated 108th edition of Pitti Uomo took place in Florence in June, kicking off the spring/summer 2026 men’s fashion month before it skipped across to the fashion capitals of Milan and Paris. One of the strongest since Covid, the latest Pitti unfolded at Fortezza da Basso and hosted over 730 brands, nearly 45 percent of which were international. Attendees included more than 15,000 fashion industry professionals with 11,400 international buyers, up a steady 3 percent on last year.
The central theme? Pitti Bikes or “Bikestar”, which celebrated movement, sustainability and urban freedom. It was fitting, given the strong uptake of Lime bikes across major cities this summer as the go-to mode of transport, even stylish urban gents. “Bicycles are no longer just a mode of transport, they represent a conscious lifestyle choice,” explains Agostino Poletto, general manager of organiser Pitti Immagine. “They symbolise how fashion can move, adapt and connect.”
Under the overarching bikes theme, the world’s most important menswear fair was structured into five segments: Fantastic Classic, which highlighted elegant tailoring and timeless menswear; Futuro Maschile, spotlighting contemporary and forward-thinking men’s fashion; Dynamic Attitude, a section of sporty, urban and activewear influences; Superstyling, showcasing experimental, gender-fluid, avant-garde design; and I Go Out, which showcased more lifestyle and outdoor fashion.
However, the jewel in the fashion crown of Pitti Uomo 108 was this season’s guest of honour, Homme Plissé Issey Miyake (previous guest designers have included Raf Simons, Grace Wales Bonner and Martine Rose) which showcased its spring 2026 collection and a textile innovation exhibition at Villa Medicea della Petraia, the formal French garden of the villa once owned by the Medici family.
Set against a Renaissance pink sky, the Japanese design stalwart sent out a collection inspired by the colours and textures of Italy. The Tokyo label, known for its heat-pressed knife pleats, found colour inspiration from travels across Tuscany and the Adriatic coast, seen in this collection’s Cinque Terre Yellow and Zucchini Flower Orange splayed over painter’s vests, with deliberately positioned paintbrushes poking out of pockets. There was even a series of degradé prints inspired by photos of paint-laden paint brushes, and printed swirls suggesting the stroke of these brushes on a canvas.
Elsewhere, Issey Miyake’s calling card – dramatic tailoring – saw short and long suits styled with organza ruffled shirts and ribbed thigh-high stockings, an artistic and romantic portrayal of an Italian ragazzo by the Japanese icon in Florence.
Making its Italian debut at Pitti, Post Archive Faction from South Korea delivered a conceptual and structural design showcase that mixed techy urban wear with unconventional tailoring that felt very dark and moody. “The brand’s name comes from the fact that our generation is very lucky in that we can access all these beautiful archives from art, fashion or cinema, or any movement anywhere, thanks to the Internet. So, we can drift around those archives, exploring and making our own new one,” explained co-founder Dongjoon Lim, who launched the Seoul-based brand in 2018, in a preview.
Entitled Drifters, the travel-inspired collection featured all-black tailoring reworked in innovative fabrics – think synthetics and soft boucle-like fabrics, alongside draped T-shirts and sculptural ribbed flight jackets – all a little deconstructed thanks to frayed hems and shoulder cutouts. But the footwear stole the show: sprayed Chelsea boots, brogue-clog hybrids and saddle-stitch lace-ups – turning quintessential men’s shoes into works of art worthy of any cool-kid club.
One of the most anticipated shows for Pitti was the return of Japanese label Children of the Discordance, which held a runway event at Stazione Leopolda, five years after its first appearance at the event. Founder Hideaki Shikama, who launched the brand in 2011, described his SS26 Enfant Terrible collection as the “Hideaki Shikama man reconnecting both in name and spirit with vibrant chaos”.
That looked like a mix of archival punkish clothing and new rebellious ideas, with Shikama inspired by a recent trip to Vietnam. A key takeaway from the showwas the reimagined suit, but with shorts (a major trend for men in spring 2026) as a new take on summer tailoring. The designer also relished in collage-like fabrics and contrasting panels sewn together, seen across blazers, at times washed out and bejewelled; varsity bombers with Americana motifs; and even contrasting legged trackpants that fell baggy to the floor. Statement prints including paisley, graffiti and bandana patterns added texture alongside the softness of embroidery by Southeast Asian locals to a largely neutral and darker colour palette.
Niccolò Pasqualetti, the Tuscan-born Paris-based designer, was the second guest designer at Pitti, presenting a debut menswear collection blending tailoring, femininity and material innovation. Held inside the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the 2024 LVMH Prize finalist combined classic menswear – military uniforms, workwear and tailoring – with gender- fluid silhouettes and feminine fabrics, such as sheer dress shirts over tank tops, swimwear peaking out from trousers and suiting draped or with splits.
Hybrid pieces were also Pasqualetti’s forte and at times it was hard to decipher specific garments, as he sent out scarves as capes and trousers that morphed into skirts. The neutral-hued collection was also complemented by modular accessories and jewelry, which were more than just decoration but formed functional components of the designer’s garments. “Pitti has always represented rigour and the meaning of clothing for me,” says Pasqualetti. “I’m eager to evolve menswear codes without losing their essence.”
Also notable was the relaunch of Italian sportswear brand Ellesse. The spring 2026 collection, titled Ritorno alle origini (Return to the Roots), marked Ellesse’s return to its Italian heritage – blending sportswear with sartorial elegance. Meanwhile, Icecream, founded by Pharrell Williams and Nigo, also made its debut at Pitti. The brand’s spring 2026 collection was showcased in an immersive space within the Cortile del Teatrino, and brought to Florence its graphic storytelling, playful nostalgia and streetwear innovation, including new iterations of its Running Dog denim and signature tracksuits.
Speaking of ice cream, other standout installations at Pitti included a whimsical Margaret Howell gelato stand where guests could cool off, after taking a peek at Guess Jeans’ skate-culture pavilion.
Lastly, the final big moment was from American style stalwart Tommy Hilfiger, who unveiled his new brand Tommy Hilfiger New York with a preppy, Ivy League–inspired presentation. For the debut, the Palazzo Portinari Salviati in Florence was transformed into “The Hilfiger Social Club”, with a red, white and blue takeover of the Salotto Bar. Inside, guests perused the 19-piece collection, described by Hilfiger as “elevated menswear, suit separates and preppy tailoring”, marked by a new navy penny crest label to separate it from the regular Tommy Hilfiger line.
A twist on the New York brand’s tailoring staples, hero pieces included the club blazer reworked in rich breathable wools and textured linens; and the classic polo elevated with knitted silk blends and finished in the brand’s archival Breton stripes.
“The art of dressing up is back. All of the most inspiring icons in culture today are embracing an elevated look and it’s brought this great energy back to tailored traditions and the timelessness of Savile Row. When I started my brand 40 years ago, I set out to give those traditional codes a fun American twist. That’s what we’re doing again today introducing a new chapter in our menswear story,” Hilfiger said while attending the Pitti launch sporting a dapper navy suit with white chalk stripes from his new line.
And with that, another edition of Pitti Uomo came to a close, waiting for the next set of designers to write their own story.
Also see: Fashion trends for Spring/Summer 2026 – State of play
