The Pitti Uomo guest designer programming is strong this season, led by Simone Rocha, who will present her first-ever dedicated menswear show on Friday evening. “The debut all-menswear show from Simone Rocha will be the undisputed highlight, runway-wise,” says Vogue’s chief international correspondent, Luke Leitch, who thinks it may feature more of the Adidas collaboration the designer debuted at her co-ed London show in February.
“I am excited to share the length and breadth of my menswear proposition, especially with the backdrop of beautiful Florence,” Rocha said in a statement. “I look forward to a new chapter in my work and world, playing with tradition and exploring new ground. I approach it with authenticity and vulnerability, seriousness and playfulness.”
Alongside Rocha, Dover Street Market brand DSM Kei Ninomiya, from designer Noir Kei Ninomiya, will take the second guest designer slot, hosting a late-night show concept at 10pm on June 17. Known for his highly creative and conceptual collections shown during Paris women’s, the designer will present his first ready-to-wear outing.
Elsewhere, South Korean designer Jiyong Kim will present his unique, sun-bleached garments as the third guest designer, showing at midday on June 17. “I hope to see Jiyong Kim a little more extensively than I was able to when we spoke during his presentation for the 2024 LVMH Prize,” Leitch says. “His process of incorporating sun-bleaching as a natural weathering effect in his clothes is an interestingly anti-technological gesture that produces some attractive clothes.”
“There is a great roster of guest designers at Pitti this edition,” says Bruce Pask, AVP, men’s fashion office, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. “I’m excited to attend the first-ever menswear runway show from Simone Rocha, and am also looking forward to seeing Kei Ninomiya’s debut show for his new DSM collection. Hot Danish brand Sunflower will present a new collection as part of a partnership between Pitti Uomo and Copenhagen Fashion Week, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Polimoda will present its senior collections on the runway on Monday, which is always inspiring to see. And the Fortezza will certainly be filled with compelling new spring collections from an array of brands including Brunello Cucinelli, Stefano Ricci and more.”
Milan Fashion Week Men’s
Milan Fashion Week Men’s has a healthy dose of newness for SS27, with visiting names and fresh brands joining the lineup. The week will feature 16 runway shows and 44 presentations, along with a scattering of appointments and events across the city.
New York designer Thom Browne will make his Milan menswear debut on June 22. The designer most recently staged his FW26 show in San Francisco during Super Bowl weekend, and has previously shown in Paris, New York, and Florence, during Pitti Uomo. But this is his first turn in Milan, where he’s set to bring a little theatricality to the more refined Italian fashion capital.
Plus, as promised by CEO Patrice Louvet, last season’s well-received Ralph Lauren menswear show wasn’t a one-off. The brand will return to Milan for SS27 with a menswear show combining its Purple Label and Polo lines.