"Pitti Uomo is the main men’s fair in the world, so, it makes perfect sense for us to be here”. The statement is from Pedro Lopes, commercial manager at Ambitious. The brand from Guimarães participates for the third time in Pitti Uomo, and the outcome could not be better. "The participation in this fair has been one of the goals of the brand. It is one of the main men’s fairs of the season, and it is important to get feedback on the collection quite early. It is also a way of reaching new markets, since Pitti Uomo has always welcomed visitors from all over the world”.

Some of the biggest players in the menswear industry gathered for four days at Fortezza de Basso. Overall, more than 600 exhibiting companies introduced their proposals for the next Summer season. Portugal attended through a delegation of six companies from different business areas: footwear, clothing, accessories, and even… cosmetics.

It is also Vandoma’s third time participating at the Florence fair. The tie brand from Porto, which celebrates 40 years of activity this year, believes that Pitti Uomo is one of the best showcases to present the new collection and learn about trends. "It is a great merit to be at Pitti. Being a Portuguese brand of tie production, it makes perfect sense to be here”, says Ana Sousa. In charge of Vandoma, she argues that "it is one of the oldest fairs, the one with the most glamour and that brings together not only the largest number of brands but also the largest number of visitors from all over the world”. For the fair, the brand chooses more alternative patterns and fabrics.

Gonçalo Henriques participates for the second time at Fortezza de Basso. "Pitti is the biggest fashion fair in the world. Despite being a unisex brand, socks always end up being more perceived as a masculine accessory, so, it turns out to be the highlight of the year”. Gonçalo's project features socks inspired by passions, divided into distinct sub-brands: Heel Treade inspired by cars and planes, Curator which makes socks inspired by art, sculpture and painting, and Stereo Socks which makes socks inspired by music. "Basically, we want people to take their passion with them, even when they have to wear more traditional uniforms. I'd say socks are the new ties. That is how the idea of creating the brand came about. I realized that many CEOs no longer wear a tie, but bet on colourful and patterned socks”.

Expectations for this edition of the men's fair were high, but were met. The 102nd edition received 11 000 visitors, 37.5% more than the last edition.
"For us, it was very important to attend the last two editions because the fair itself took the difficult decision of continuing with open doors”, says Pedro Lopes. "And to continue, I needed the support of the exhibitors. It was our positive signal to the market: the opportunity to be here. All the customers here were looking for new brands”. An opinion shared by Ana Sousa. "It was a difficult phase, with fewer companies participating, but it was also a window of opportunity”.

Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, Spain, Turkey, France, Switzerland, Belgium, and Austria were the countries with the highest number of visitors.

Whoever visits Pitti Uomo cannot remain indifferent to the number of visitors staying in the central square, excelling in elegance and eccentricity. With them, dozens of photographers try to capture the best look, the best combination of colours, and that special suit that will fill the Instagram pages in the following days. But this is not a recent phenomenon. It all started many years ago when those responsible for the brands left the fair's pavilions to smoke. Their clothes and style attracted the attention of photographers, who began to take pictures of them. But today, the dozens of people who remain on the patio are waiting for the moment to be photographed.

There are also Portuguese in this group. It is the case of Rui Martins, co-founder of the Portuguese Dandys group, who is dedicated to the execution of Made to Measure (MTM) tailoring. "I have been working in the clothing industry for 18 years and launched my own Made to Measure project in 2015. Coming to Pitti Uomo is the ex-libris of men's clothing. Anyone who likes clothes and appreciates elegance cannot miss it. It is a sea of emotions, knowledge, and learning”.

Farid and Soraia Hassanali, founders of the Sartorial 55 tailoring project, travelled with him. "Piti Uomo is an image fair; it is important to stress this point. It ends up bringing us personal benefits, serving as inspiration for our work”, says Farid.

The businessman and member of the Portuguese Dandys admits that tailoring is undergoing structural changes. "My passion for clothing comes from a very early age. I studied this area a lot and specialized in tailoring and MTM (which I consider to be the future). I do not wish to abandon the beauty of tailoring, but we are already in an era that demands speed and service. Factories can already make unique details and pieces”. For this reason, Sartorial 55 has been increasingly betting on digitalization. "Nowadays, I can already do tests at a distance and deliver made-to-measure virtually.”

But what makes a good suit? "A good suit for me may not mean the same for another tailor. Each has its identity, brand, and expression. For example, I value the comfort and lightness of a suit, like a second skin. I identify with Neapolitan cuts. But in London, most tailors prefer more structured cuts and heavier fabrics”.

And women… can they wear suits? "Not only can, but must”, says Soraia, for whom the suit was, just a few years ago, an unthinkable piece in the wardrobe. "I had a very casual style and did not identify with the most classic and traditional look. When this project started, I began rethinking my style, attempting to create a more casual suit model. And the result was great. It is a fundamental piece in my wardrobe.”

And Farid helped in the process. "We tried to make the coat more oversized and unstructured as if it were a second shirt. The pants are higher and wider, and enable you to wear sneakers or high heels. In this style that I created for Soraia, it is possible to combine it with a t-shirt or shirt, which allows her to be more comfortable”.