Pitti Principles
The Sartorial State of Play
In the immediate aftermath of Pitti you may feel conflicting emotions while walking wounded through the sartorial clown show in one of the world’s beautiful cities. On one hand you have Liverano & Liverano, the great Florence tailors who stand for enduring artfulness. On the other, you have the disposable impulses of social media self-regard, destined for the digital trash.
It’s a lot to unravel, but like a loose string on a shirt: you don’t pull it, you cut it clean. When you take away the outliers—the prancers, the poseurs, the performance artistes—admittedly a large task, there are clear themes of the state of play. Here’s what remains in the mind after you sober up and the Instagram reels vanish from your feed.
-Uncertainty Reigns. We already knew this, but it’s still the case that there’s no clear view of how men should dress—this is not a confident industry. Tailoring is reluctantly shown and it’s usually sharply contrasted with white jeans or army jackets, rather than in a unified way.
-Tariffs are Hurting. Small European firms are struggling from unstable economic terrain. Americans don’t know what to expect when they order from abroad which is reducing demand. It’s a sad development that these companies are caught in the wake of larger trade adventurism.
-Replaying the Hits. The same ways movie studios are clinging with dear life to tentpole franchises, some icons (Barbour and Baracuta jackets, Austrian pea coats, anything Steve McQueen ever wore) remain popular. It can be hard to abandon the picturesque past.
-Masterful Tonal Dressing. I’ve praised tonal dressing before, but watching Italian maestros in action is always impressive. Imagine a grey-haired main with a distinguished face, possibly holding a cigarette. He wears a soft, roasted almond-colored jacket (ahem), off-white shirt with a soft collar, tailored khaki cords, suede shoes, a printed scarf. Repeat in olive or even a rarefied rusty tweed. When you’ve mastered materials, cut and color then you look very much at ease (not in a suit, not necessarily a tie) while still standing apart from traditional navy or grey.
-Bold Buffalo Plaid. You’re probably seeing this already, but get ready for more red and black in cities far from wherever they shoot Filson campaigns. This appeals for its graphic power and connection to traditional sporting outerwear.
-Simplify Black Tie. Yes a velvet dinner jacket is a welcome diversion. But a straightforward tuxedo is your trusted confidante in times of formal need. Like a good martini, don’t overlook the simplest equation that flatters all men.
