A short novel of Men's Fashion

On the occasion of Pitti Uomo n.96 (Florence, 11-14 June 2019), the Fondazione Pitti Immagine Discovery presents ROMANZO BREVE DI MODA MASCHILE – A SHORT NOVEL ON MEN’S FASHION, an exhibit showcasing thirty years of menswear from 1989 to the present as seen through the eyes of Pitti Uomo.

Passing through the halls of the Palazzo Pitti Museum of Costume and Fashion one by one, Olivier Saillard will recount the history and evolution of menswear, the intersection of Made in Italy with guest designers, and the fashion talents from the international contemporary scene together with the experiences of leading menswear entrepreneurs.The project is dedicated to the memory of Marco Rivetti, President of Pitti Immagine from 1987 to 1995.

Photo Credits: Vivienne Westwood - SS 1991

ROMANZO BREVE – A SHORT NOVEL will be an exhibition, permanent collection, book/catalog to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Pitti Immagine.

“Many of the men, but also the women, who transformed men’s clothing into creative works have passed through Florence,” says curator Olivier Saillard. “In constantly changing settings, classic or bold, and hand-in-hand with the city of Florence and its prestigious locations, these creators of fashion were able to conceive the most over-the-top fashion shows to best serve their collections.”

The exhibition will display the clothes of stylists who breathed life into special events at Pitti Uomo between 1989 and 2018, with a look at the collections presented in Florence. There will be garments from thirty carefully selected fashion brands that have represented key turning points at the fair during this period. In total, some 150 brands will be present.

The most important chapter represented by A SHORT NOVEL ON MEN’S FASHION will lead to the creation of a permanent menswear collection: the Men’s Fashion Collection of the Fondazione Discovery, which will be donated to the Museo della Moda e del Costume of Palazzo Pitti.

Photo Credits: Romeo Gigli - 1989

EXHIBIT DESIGN Each room in the museum exhibit features pages of an oversized book that presents poetically its contents. Page after page, the exhibition traces unpretentiously in a pop-up format the different currents present in men’s fashion thanks to the presentations of numerous Pitti Uomo special guests. In a whimsical and fictional style, the book examines men’s fashion and its protagonists, sometimes in relation to the historical collections of the Museo della Moda and the men’s portraits present at Galleria d'Arte Moderna at Palazzo Pitti.

A BOOK/CATALOG
Published and distributed worldwide by Marsilio Editore and designed by Studio Lanthal, the book will feature pieces by Angelo Flaccavento, Antonio Mancinelli, Fr?d?ric Martin-Bernard, Suzy Menkes, Serena Tibaldi and Olivier Saillard. With commentary by Giorgia Cantarini and photography by Astra Marina Cabras.

Photo Credits: Fumito Ganryu - SS 2019

Designers involved in the project include:
032C, Haider Ackermann, Alanui, JW Anderson, Giorgio Armani, Arrivo / Camo, Alberto Aspesi,Baracuta, Barbour, Neil Barrett, Bed JW Ford, Boss, Vittorio Branchizio, Carlo Brandelli, Veronique Branquinho, Thom Browne, Brooks Brothers, Marcelo Burlon, Pierre Cardin, Roberto Cavalli, Nino Cerruti, Tim Coppens, Corneliani, Costume National, Cottweiler, Brunello Cucinelli, Federico Curradi, Diesel, Diesel Black Gold, Dolce and Gabbana, Eastpak, Salvatore Ferragamo, Gianfranco Ferr?, Fumito Ganryu, Jean Paul Gautier, Romeo Gigli, Gosha Rubchinskyi, Craig Green, Herno, Andrea Incontri, Juun J, K-Way, Kenzo, Adam Kimmel, Kiton, Kolor, Yoshio Kubo, Lardini, M1992, Magliano, Maison Kitsun?, Martin Margiela, Marni, Antonio Marras, Missoni, Moncler, Moschino, MSGM, Napapijri, Orlebar Brown, Rick Owens, Andrea Pompilio, Fausto Puglisi, Fabio Quaranta, Stefano Ricci, Jil Sander, Sansovino, Ermanno Scervino, Scott Sternberg, Raf Simons, Paul Smith, Stone Island, Sulvam, TakahiroMiyashitaTheSoloist, Trussardi, Undercover, Valentino, Dries Van Noten, Lucio Vanotti, Vans, Versace, Visvim, Carlo Volpi, Vivienne Westwood, White Mountaneering, Woolrich, Yohji Yamamoto, Zegna.