Linen Yarn is the special project and exhibition put together by some of the most promising students from the three schools. Each school has been able to translate their universe and take on the linen yarn into a small collection shown in a common space during Pitti Uomo 84: menswear design with a dedication to linen, to promote a new and creative attitude to the fabric. The students from CSM brought the Englishness to Florence and presented a deconstructed and casual male silhouette inspired by the British heritage while the IUAV students present linen as an elegant option, playing with the codes of men’s evening wear. Polimoda – who more than being present at la Fortezza has also been busy with its own fashion week over at Villa Favard – showed linen inspired by the various ethnicities of Europe: volumes and forms were accompanied by prints and decorations.

Pitti Immagine has since 1972 been an important platform for men’s clothing and accessories as well as the fair and events around it are famous for being the place where many new menswear projects have been launched: for many young designers, Pitti is a starting point to something larger – a springboard, or stepping stone, to the world outside the atelier.

Last night was the end to luxury e-commerce giant Luisa Via Roma’s fashion bloggers party, Firenze 4 Ever: a beautiful dinner around the Fontana dell’Isola followed by an all-night outdoor party in the Boboli gardens of Florence. It might have been only a few tired souls who woke up early this morning, but for the ones of us who just arrived last night for this week’s main event, Pitti Uomo and Pitti W, last night’s party was a great welcome to the sizzling city.

Pitti Uomo is the annual starting point (well, this year beaten to the punch by London Collections ) to an entire month dedicated to the world of menswear. With nearly 1050 brands present (not counting the female fashion brands also exhibiting) and the before-mentioned 30 000 visitors, Pitti is one of the largest buyers’ fairs for male fashion. Even with the purpose of buying in focus, Pitti is an occasion for us visitors to take part in amazing events, discover new brands, meet new people and finally meet the people we only met ‘digitally’ before. For the nearly 18 000 people coming from abroad, it’s also the occasion to get their annual dosage of Italian summer and Tuscan flavors.

New for the season is that the ladies moved in with the lads: instead of being split in two different locations, Pitti W has been moved to la Fortezza, conveniently marking its land with a sky full of pink umbrellas. The main court at Fortezza da Basso is though reserved for what this year is called Vroom Pitti Vroom – the theme for Pitti Uomo 84. The fair is dedicated to the passion for two wheels and a rider’s feeling of freedom. The motorcycle and biker lifestyle will be spoken about through styles, clothing and accessories during special events planned throughout the week. Talking about events, the Pitti calendar leaves no one disappointed: the special presentations of kolor and Damir Doma, the Onitsuka Tiger show for Andrea Pompilio and all the temporary events included in the Alternative Set calendar, to mention a few. Outside or inside the Fortezza, the Pitti people’s calendars sure are full and the week has just merely commenced – vroom is probably the right word for the week!