The 89th Pitti Immagine Uomo, a comprehensive exhibition for men's fashion for Fall/Winter 2016-17, opened in Florence, Italy, on January 12th. Despite concerns about the impact of terrorism, the event was held. Although rain on the third day dampened the Pitti's signature snap-shooting spirit, each booth remained as lively as ever.

Due to the increasingly heated snap-shooting atmosphere, groups dressed in classic styles were prominent. Reflecting the current social climate, vivid colors were largely absent compared to previous years, with grayish outfits taking center stage. Military-inspired outfits were also toned down.

The overall theme for this year's edition was "Pitti Generations." Over the past few seasons, the exhibition has struggled to organize its global exhibitors around a single theme, with themes like "ping pong," "walking," and "color." However, it presented an interesting concept: "Current fashion and style are determined not so much by a person's birth date—that is, by their generation—but by the mental state of each individual, as they coexist across different generations." The exhibition proposes a new trend in men's fashion, "an era in which the boundaries between generations are disappearing, with older generations dressed in rock trends and younger generations enthusiastic about Victorian beards and vintage looks."

As news of David Bowie's death spread around the world the day before the exhibition opened, David Bowie was unexpectedly used as an eternal fashion icon in the visual presentation space and on the VP of a denim brand. "This time (in keeping with the theme of Generations), we first considered expressing ourselves through a movie, and created a short film as our advertisement. This was done in order to adopt a digital, viral marketing approach, shared by word of mouth. David Bowie and Jim Morrison were also featured in wall collages within the venue, and while they would normally be nearly 70 years old, they are now supported as fashion icons by young people in their 20s, and the generation that embraced them as idols at the time also supports them, taking into account the historical context. Fashion can no longer be categorized by age or generation as it once was," says Lapo Cianchi, Communications Director at Pitti Immagine Uomo.

A pop-up store within the venue will also be selling "SELETTI WEARS TOILETPAPER," a collaboration between Seletti and Toilet Paper Magazine, highlighting collaborations that transcend genres and generations.

Text: Tatsuya Noda