Love is in the Air at Pitti Filati FW 14-15

And talking about how Italians put their heart on what they do, Pitti Filati FW14-15 doesn't seem to be the exception; being LOVE the central topic around the exhibition: "sensual love, sexual love, brotherly love, love for animals, love for your neighbor. Love and that's all”.

The communication for this theme is much more than just showing the heart of the best Italian design combining new silhouettes, rich patterns and a well balanced color explosion utilizing great yarns and intricate knits. Pitti is also a proof that far from being superficial, fashion has a strong place as a communication and mind-changing tool in society; by making a strong, accepting, and non-judgmental social statement showing a multi-media installation portraying love in every single possible combination of human relationships. (man and woman, mother and son, gay couples, multi-ethnic couples)

MADE IN LOVE aims to provide the warmth, coziness and comfort that are so much needed in today's society without any social filtering. Love in all its nature is the answer to any problem around us. "This new attitude of love will pervade everything and provide the sole key to interpret progress. Without limits or prejudges."

FW14-15 promises to be a very innovative season not only in fabrication but in knitting techniques.

One can just not love the newness in yarn content with wool/silk blends to enhance hand-feel and subtle shine as well as the viscose/rayon blends with paper fibers. (more at www.eisakunoro.com).

Getting close to holidays, yarns are spinned with Lurex or overprinted knits with a hint of foil that works extremely well on "plissé" fabrics emphasizing the wearer's movements with a mate-shiny contrast.

For the knit direction, we can expect a lot of rich over sized traditional patterns, timeless regal jacquards and different sorts of mesh, drop-needle and transparencies to enhance peek-a-boo silhouettes. (more at www.filipucci.it)

As seen on “Feel the Yarn”, Chun San Chin brought traditional jersey to a very artistic/dramatic edge with the emboss effect casted with resin. Puntoart is also creating this emboss effect in a more commercial, cost effective way by using felt lining on either bonding or DTM embroidery as a way to revamp regular jersey with designs that can go from fake cables and geos to whimsical motifs. (more at www.ricamipuntoart.it)

No matter what your preferences are, Pitti Filati FW14-15 is a show to fall in love with.
_____

Roger ARTiga

Luxury, Fashion and Passion. Visit to Gucci and Ferragamo Museums in Florence.

Luxury, Fashion and Passion,... definitely Florence has it all!!!  I have to admit that I am not a big museum lover, my way to travel and to get to know a city has normally been doing what the locals do on their day to day life; that been said, I wasn’t that thrilled with the idea of visiting the Gucci and Ferragamo Museum in Florence, but... there are few things in life that I enjoy more than being proven wrong!  Yes, it is a must do when in Florence: the exhibitions are breathtaking!!!

Gucci Museum shows a permanent exhibition featuring the beginnings of the brand up to date as well as a Modern Art exhibition constantly being updated.  The Ferragamo museum in the other hand has a themed exhibition that blends with the permanent pieces of the Ferragamo history.  Currently the exhibition goes around the key and magical role of shoes in fairy tales called ““The Amazing Shoemaker — Fairy Tales and Legends about Shoes and Shoemakers,”

During this journey full of inspiration, fairy tales, and luxury, the most important factor for me is not the shoes, nor the materials, nor the craftsmanship, but the passion.  Both Gucci and Ferragamo are the stories of visionary men whose history and creations are inspiring from a business and a design standpoint.  These men were following their dreams and working on them with their brains and hearts.  Is that the secret of the “Italian way”? 

I have to say that listening to an Italian talking about any subject regarding Italy is full of pride and passion.  Our visit to de museums was not the exception; while walking through the exhibits at Gucci you would perceive the museum employees looking at you with a smirk like thinking “yes, I know you are astonished”.  But far from being an arrogant look it is more of a passionate pride inviting you to discover more.

The look of our Cultural Aspects  teacher talking about the history of the brands (and yes, she is Italian) was somehow very familiar; I had seen it also on the technicians explaining their job and the textile processes during the factory visits; same situation at the gelato store when the owner is enticing you to try a new flavor with a smile full of satisfaction of his creation.

Italians might not be very punctual for meetings; the whole working methodology might look very organic; we see them at the bars having coffee, relaxing and looking at women walking down the street without any discretion and just enjoying life but... they definitely put their heart on what they do.

Both exhibitions are a sample of this passion for creation, for beauty, limitless ideas, and attention to details. So the journey at the museums was full of fairy magic realizing that dreams do come true as long as you put your heart on it.

Trying to capture the magic of the moment, on our way to the museums we did stop at “Il Porcellino”, a bronze boar fountain at Mercato Nuovo where visitors will put a coin and rub the boar’s nose in order to make a wish and come back to Florence one day. 

I hope mine will be granted soon.

_________
Roger Artiga