Pitti announces guest designers

Pitti Immagine has announced Kenzo and Maison Kitsuné as Pitti Uomo and Pitti W’s next guest designers in January. Kenzo will take part in the menswear trade show, while French label Maison Kitsuné will showcase its first womenswear

presentation as part of Pitti W.

"Kenzo is one of the most interesting phenomena of recent seasons and, to be frank, one of the most amusing,” said Pitti Immagine communications and events director Lapo Cianchi. "The advent of Humberto Leon and Carol Lim has produced a radical turnaround in just one year. The founder's legacy is the inspiring essence rather than a model to reproduce.

“These two designers know their customers, they know how to create immediate and special things and how to build a world around their work. It is a democratic, attractive world.”

No plans have been revealed for what the fashion brand's creative directors Leon and Lim, who have achieved success with Opening Ceremony in New York, will do, but last season Carven's Guillaume Henry held his presentations on a football field, complete with a marching band.

Kenzo follows in the footsteps of Jil Sander, Undercover, and Band of Outsiders who have previous been chosen as guest designers.

For the women’s trade show, Paris-based Gildas Loaec and Masaya Kuroki, founders and designers of Maison Kitsuné, known for its pared-down timeless elegance and focus on menswear tailoring will premiere their women’s collection.

Cianchi added: “During the first conversation with Gildas Loaëc and Masaya Kuroki a couple of weeks ago, we ended up talking almost exclusively about the kind of atmosphere they would like to create in Florence for the premiere showing of their women’s collection.

“ It will be a powerful event: for Maison Kitsuné fashion and music express a single, eclectic and highly rhythmic creative project. We didn’t ask them anything about the collection, but we are well acquainted with what they have done up to now: fresh clothes in fine fabrics, with expert tailoring and details, a cool and modern luxe and we are certain that also this collection will be as always chic and contemporary.”

Pitti Uomo and Pitti W take place in Florence from January 8 until January 11.

Image: Kenzo’s Humberto Leon and Carol Lim