Show Canceled
Pitti Immagine said on Tuesday it canceled the “Evolution — Involution — Revolution. Three decades of men’s fashion as seen by Stefano Pilati” exhibition, which was supposed to be inaugurated during the 94th edition of Pitti Uomo, opening in Florence on June 12.
In a statement, the trade show organizer said that exhibition was canceled due to “curator Stefano Pilati’s binding commitments.” No further details were provided.
After he left the Ermenegildo Zegna Group in February 2016, Pilati took to Instagram Stories in June and January to showcase images of its personal project, called Random Identities, which hasn’t been officially launched yet.
Pitti Immagine said that instead of Pilati’s exhibition, the Pitti Discovery Foundation will present “Fanatic Feelings – Fashion Plays Football,” an exhibit curated by magazines Achtung Mode and Sepp Football Fashion’s founder Markus Ebner and Italian art curator Francesco Bonami.
Promoted by the Florentine Center for Italian fashion and
Pitti Immagine and supported by The Italian Ministry of Economic Development and Italian trade agency ICE, the exhibition, opening on June 12 at the Santa Maria Novella complex, will put the accent on the tight relationship between soccer and fashion and how the legendary sport influenced the development of men’s collective imagination.
“Pitti Discovery has always ex- plored the relationships between fashion and the contemporary social phenomena and sport, soccer in particular, recurred several time in our discussions,” said Pitti Immagine Discovery Foundation general secretary Lapo Cianchi. “Now, with the world soccer championship in Russia opening during Pitti Uomo, we have the right occasion to develop a project which aims to be cultured, pop and glamour at the same time.”
The exhibition, which represents the third chapter of the collaboration between Pitti Immagine Discovery Foundation and Palazzo Pitti’s Museum of Fashion and Costume, will include drawings by Karl Lagerfeld and Japanese fashion illustrator Hiroshi Tanabe, Sepp Football Fashion’s archival images selected by Bonami and portraying iconic soccer players, as well as a Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno’s documentary-movie on Zinédine Zidane.
In addition, Ebner and Bonami will commission exclusive photo and design projects, as well as putting the focus on legendary stylish soccer players, including George Best, Eric Cantona and Gigi Meroni. The exhibition will also include a special section dedicated to street style featuring images of David Beckham, Neymar and Franck Ribéry.
A soccer-themed “Fanatic bar” will be installed in the exhibition’s venue and it will serve drinks prepared by German bartender Charles Schumann.
“Men’s fashion is strongly influenced by a mix and match of tailoring, sport, active and street wear. The idea of a Football Fashion as an expression of personal style will become bigger and bugger in the future,” Ebner said. “Why don’t wear the jersey of our favorite soccer team with a sartorial suit? The exhibition will actually be about this.”
“Fanatic Feelings — Fashion Plays Football” will be open until July 22. — ALESSANDRA TURRA