I will not even start by telling you how late I am with this recap. We better get straight into the topic, do not waste any more time and enjoy.

Because the last edition of Pitti Bimbo, back in January, and listed as the 88th was beautiful.

The Fortezza da Basso was turned into a junior fashion playground once again and one could pick up on the latest ideas for next season in a very inspiring way. A true start of the season, and a great opportunity to discover the key trends.

564 brands, intercepting all the latest trends and the future evolutions. And we need to note that the balanced mixture of luxury, chic, street and casual, of big names and newcomers is a must by now. Florence welcomes more and more independent, new and contemporary brands and it is a real win for everyone. And the people behind Pitti Bimbo have noticed this too and are looking into ways on how to accommodate the demand and tendency.

The research into styles that are modern and functional in terms of the new ecological and social sensitivities. The commitment to maintaining both quality and price and the ability to move around an international market that is interminably changing and transforming itself. This is the best possible response to a climate that, particularly in recent months, has grown darker, with a series of downward forecasts regarding growth, consumption and trade.

Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine

The theme for this edition: Pitti Box

Not in the box but thinking outside of it. Pitti wants to surprise, with its creativity, and its technical innovations. Therefore we were welcomed with different boxes. “The Infinity Box” is a video journey, “The Park Box” is food, “The Show Box” for filming and interviews, “Out of the Box” , the “Recharge Box” and “Silence Box”, to recharge batteries. In a whole – Pitti is a real surprise box!

Lifestyle section:

The lifestyle section was home to two very inspiring and beautiful installations that included some of my favourite brands. Personally, I think a show needs to offer a good lifestyle section because shops (on- as well as offline) are turning more and more into concept stores than fashion alone. The lifestyle brands that exhibited however, were a little disappointing. And cannot be compared with the selection of fashion brands. But they should be, because a shop is known for its selection. And a good buyer will also select the best of toys, gifts and decor.

Newcomers:

161 brands out of the 664 were new to the show. Nununu for example showed for the first time. Or Theophile and Patachou from Belgium or Hape Toys. Apocalypto showed in The Nest as well as Hannah & Tiff. And many more…

The Shows:

Il Gufo made a comeback at Pitti and produced a wonderful show at Stazione Leopolda, an old train station. Il Gufo works with traditional and authentic techniques in their factories in Italy and we can look forward to a comforting and very chic winter!

My favourite, again, was the show from the Apartment section that included Piccola Ludo, Le Mu, Velveteen, Raspberry Plum and Pero. A magical show that had a reconstructed building on the ground, which became visible thanks to a wall of giant mirrors. (please see the first image of this article!) Crazy good!

Kids Fashion Trends for Autumn/Winter 2019/20:

Little rock divas

Romantic meets urban contemporary chic meets sporty. Unexpected mix and match of sporty and glamour and something I can really get the hang of. It is interesting, fun and adaptable. Sweaters with strass appliqués, a bold and bright colour palette, fur vests, and velvet jackets. Added some oversized pieces and knitwear. Yay! For the little stylists out there…

Active wear meets elegance

Following the trends of adult fashion we are seeing a focus on athleisure fabrics. Definitely very comfortable and with today’s technique they can easily be adapted to an urban function and style. Down jackets, sweatshirts in all shapes, colours and textures you can imagine. The key item! Next to sneakers, which are also seeing more and more glam accents.

Chic dresses

Craft workmanship, original designs, timeless clothes, elegance have never been away. But they are getting more attention again. You can find more and more retro inspired dresses, finely pleated skirts, sweet collars and balloon sleeves. Together with appliqués, sequins, and embroideries for the extra details.

Sustainability

Not the first time that I have this on the trend lost but it still needs to be mentioned. Parents are looking for sustainable fashion, gifts and everything. Brands are reacting and we do not need to sacrifice on style when looking for an ethical brand!
A green mindset is increasingly present in the collections and brands invest in the health and future of our children.

Trending Colours:

Pink continues to be a favourite.

Purple. Ultra Violet is the colour of the year and has probably influenced this colour choice. Seen a fair bit of pink/purple mixes.

Green is staying as well. It was already trending this past A/W. Also represents the active market, I mentioned above.

Warm yellow – a great colour for Autumn if you ask me. I have seen some lovely jackets in that shade and I love them.

Trending fabrics and prints:

Fleece is THE trend of the season. After fake fur, fleece jackets, jumpers and more are everywhere.

Checks – maybe my move to London changed my sight but overall I could sense some strong English influences in the collections. And then especially checks. Heritage plaids, tartans and lots of checks.

Slogans are back!

90’s influences with track fabrics, blocked colours and straps.

Velvet, especially for the chic collections and occasionwear but also adapted into the more sporty collections. Very interesting!

Girl Power:

Starting with Barbie turning 60 this season and their slogan: “You Can Be Anything” to fight against stereotypes.

Image credits:
Il Gufo: @indigitalimages
Raspberry Plum / Show finale / Pero: Giovanni Giannoni
Pero backstage: Eeva Suutari

Pitti Bimbo 89, from 20-22 June 2019