Pitti Immagine has revealed the special guest for the next edition of the men's fashion show, scheduled for June 16 to 19: JiyongKim, the brand bearing the name of South Korean designer Jiyong Kim, already acclaimed by international critics after standing out among the top talents at the 2024 LVMH Prize. During Pitti Uomo, JiyongKim will present his vision through a project-event concept conceived exclusively for Florence and staged in his distinctive style at the Fortezza da Basso. The special event is supported by the Fondazione Pitti Discovery and the Korea Creative Content Agency.
"Being invited as a special guest at Pitti Uomo this coming June is both an honor and a meaningful moment for us," said Jiyong Kim. "At JiyongKim, we do not see clothing as a fixed result, but as something that evolves through time and exposure. Our “Sun-Bleach” process allows natural forces to shape each piece, leaving behind marks that cannot be controlled or replicated.
For this project, rather than presenting a single moment, we are interested in creating an exhibition where garments, space, and time can unfold together. Moving away from a traditional runway format, we aim to offer a more immersive and layered experience. Through this exhibition, we hope to present work that continues to respond to its surroundings and remains open to change over time."
JiyongKim is a brand that challenges the conventions of fashion through an experimental and rebellious perspective, exploring an unprecedented aesthetic. Alongside its signature ‘Sun-Bleach’ technique, the brand continues to create one-of-a-kind garments through distinctive pattern work and experimental silhouettes. JiyongKim’s design does not remain at the level of surface expression. It is grounded in an in-depth study of the human body and garment structure, resulting in dimensional pattern work. The experimental silhouettes developed through this process evolve organically with the movement of the wearer, offering a sculptural sensibility while maintaining the practicality inherent to menswear. The signature ‘Sun-Bleach’ process eliminates chemical treatments, relying solely on the forces of nature. Over the course of several months, fabrics are exposed to sunlight, wind, rain, and snow, allowing natural fading and weathering to emerge. These traces of nature create nuanced tones and unique textures. Beyond a technical method, this process overlays the marks of time onto precisely constructed silhouettes, embodying a thoughtful exploration of sustainability shaped by nature and time. This experimental spirit, rooted in Director Jiyong Kim’s long-standing research and archival study of garment, is also reflected in the brand’s mode of communication. JiyongKim has consistently departed from traditional runway formats, instead adopting exhibitions and installations. This approach allows the brand to move beyond presenting garments as finished products, and to communicate its conceptual depth and expansive potential in a more immersive way.
"Our interest in JiyongKim's work began almost as soon as he debuted, but has since consolidated in recent seasons, thanks to the originality of his reflections on fashion and the method he adopts in designing his garments," commented Francesca Tacconi, Pitti Immagine special events coordinator. "His style ranges from technical experimentation to a a refined play of contrasts, from "Sun-Bleach" to sophisticated pattern making. We felt it was important to bring to Pitti Uomo his fresh approach to materials’ second life, in relation to the incessant flow of time: each garment is conceived as a mechansm in a sustainable yet unrepeatable natural cycle, an authorial intervention that transforms vintage fabrics and garments into unique pieces, with signs of transience and subtle references to the climate crisis. Jiyong Kim's is therefore an artistic and slow fashion ideology, which exalts the authenticity of experience and transforms it into beauty."
Pitti Immagine Uomo 110
June 16 - 19, 2026
Fortezza da Basso - Firenze
