The 104th edition of Pitti Uomo opened on June 13 at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence, presenting 825 brands, 43% of which from abroad, and supporting a special theme, Pitti Games, which marks the intention to relaunch the fashion sector, after the difficult years marked by the coronavirus pandemic. The protagonists of the fair devoted to men's fashion, scheduled until June 16, are the creations of the most interesting designers, emerging brands, and special projects, welcomed by the installation by Eli Russell Linnetz, the Californian designer who transformed the central square of the Fortezza da Basso into the set of the cult movie "The Planet of the Apes".

"It will be a wonderful edition: we have shown that when we get together we can prove to the world that we are number one," said Antonio De Matteis, president of Pitti Immagine. "We have tried to make this edition of Pitti very attractive with many events inside and outside the Fortezza, because it is right that the city can rejoice in this extraordinary moment“. For buyers, added De Matteis, "we expect a great return of Asians, who can finally travel, and therefore we expect many Japanese, Chinese and Koreans".

According to data presented, Italian men's fashion closed the year 2022 with a positive performance, with a turnover of 11.3 billion euros, for a sales increase of 20.3%, surpassing pre-Covid levels pre-Covid. This performance seems to continue in 2023 after the first two months at +21.1% for 1.6 billion for menswear exports, according to the findings of the Confindustria moda study center for Smi-Sistema moda Italia. Matteo Zoppas, president of ICE-Italian Trade Agency said that "fashion is one of the main export and Made in Italy sectors. Entrepreneurs have been able to renew themselves day after day, and this is what makes us not very copyable."

"For the 2023 editions, ICE has further strengthened its collaboration with Pitti through an incoming enhancement plan, which will bring 350 buyers and over 200 journalists, and support for the seventh edition of Young Italian Start Up Around the World. "This year there is an important return of Chinese buyers and those from the Far East, but also to the expansion of the reference markets with operators from Africa and other developing countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia. Nations on which ICE pays great attention since, alongside the classic reference markets such as France, the United States, Switzerland, Germany, they are and will be strategic to allow our companies to carve out their role as protagonists in the world," concluded Zoppas.