the FASHION forum PITTI PARTY
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wice a year, the Tuscan city of Florence, Italy welcomes 1,050 exhibitors and more than 30,000 national and international fashion industry insiders to Pitti Uomo, a trade show like no other. Staged in a 16th-century fortress, Pitti is a place to see and be seen: a promenade affectionately known as Peacock Avenue is packed with men dressed to the nines, fervently followed by an equally impressive number of photographers from magazines and websites worldwide. Espresso is sipped in equal measure to bottles of Italian beer and the quintessential cocktail, an Aperol Spritz. At the most recent Pitti showcasing spring ’15 fashion, the world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli kicked the show off with an exclusive one-night performance with the Cameristi del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino that included an emotive rendition of Schubert’s Ave Maria. The next morning the Prime Minister of Italy officially opened the show, followed by a whirlwind of fashion shows and festas. These included a Gucci museum cocktail party, a Z Zegna performance replete with acrobats and models, an Eton garden party at the Grand Hotel Villa Medici, a Brunello Cucinelli dinner at Il Giardino Torrigiani and an Ermanno Scervino presentation at the Forte Belvedere (where Kim Kardashian and Kanye West held their nuptials) with guests including... Kanye West! Should you ever find yourself in Florence during this celebration of style, soak it all in. It’s one of the sartorial wonders of the — William Buckley world.
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LOOKING GOOD What do women want? To answer the age-old question, we surveyed 100 women and asked them to prioritize what they notice first in terms of male appearance. Not surprisingly, trumped only by good grooming and a great smile, women pay attention to what guys wear. Clearly, good clothes speak volumes about a man, followed closely by (in order of priority) his eyes, his shoes and his watch. To the question “I would immediately fall in love with a guy wearing ___ because ___,” we got some terrific responses. A lot of women mentioned “nice shoes” because “they indicate good taste.” “A gorgeous sportcoat” because “it exudes confidence, charm and casual sophistication…” “A cashmere sweater” because “it shows he’s able to care for something delicate and valuable: today a sweater, tomorrow a woman…” “Great smelling aftershave or cologne...” “Upscale casual clothes” because “it shows he’s relaxed and comfortable with himself…” And perhaps our favorite: “Anything that looks like he put some thought into it!” Because “dressing well is an indicator of self-confidence and a display of respect for colleagues and friends. If he puts thought into his appearance, one can assume he’ll put thought into his work and his relationships…” Time to go shopping! — Nora McCarten
