I wanted to bring the atmosphere of that venue with me.

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Pitti is undoubtedly a major event in men's clothing. However, despite being one of the world's largest menswear trade fairs, only a handful of people in the fashion industry truly know about it, and I think the vast majority of people don't even know the name Pitti. Every time I visit the venue, I feel overwhelmed by the energy.

This event, which began with the desire to let people in Japan experience the excitement of Pitti Uomo, is now in its 12th year. The content has also become more substantial, with decorations and displays from the venue brought in as they are, and brand directors and owners who are regulars in street style photos coming to Japan to actually serve customers. During the event, you can feel the atmosphere of Florence inside Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building . On September 21st (Sat) and 22nd (Sun), we will be offering complimentary drinks to customers in the sales area, inspired by the catering service at Pitti Uomo. The Italians might even be drinking alcohol while serving customers (laughs).


I suddenly started thinking about what Pitti Uomo really is. I thought it was about experiencing a system where the venue is decorated in an Italian style, Italians give shopping advice at the stalls, and you can eat and drink while you shop. Certainly, that's something you can't experience in Japan, but what I really want to convey about Pitti is that "atmosphere." It's something you can never experience just by shopping in Japan on a regular basis.

At Pitti Uomo, Italians are constantly chatting, always mindful of their posture, how they keep their hands in their pockets, and adjusting their pocket squares, as if they're ready to be photographed at any moment. Even when you visit for a business meeting, you spend a long time chatting about trivial things, and the conversation never really gets to business. Just when you think the serious discussion has finally begun, they often invite you out for lunch. When you return, they'll have their next appointment waiting, but they'll still attend to you diligently, even though they haven't finished our buying yet. In the evening, on the way back to the hotel after leaving the venue, I happened to meet with a certain director who was going in the same direction, and we decided to stop for an espresso at a cafe. There, I spontaneously brought up the idea of a special order project, and a big deal was finalized right then and there. At dinner in the evening, we'll be chatting nonsense the whole time, and then suddenly they'll start sketching a design on the back of a paper napkin, saying they've just had an idea, and that actually becomes the theme for the next season. I still can't quite tell if they're serious or just laid-back.


One thing I can say for sure is that everyone there loves fashion, loves their job, and takes pride in it. Everyone at Pitti Uomo is someone who absolutely won't compromise on that. So, if you're wondering which shirt to wear with this jacket, which tie to choose, what shoes to wear, or what pocket square to get, they'll always give you accurate answers and fresh suggestions.

At PITTI IMAGINE UOMO @ ISETAN MEN'S, we want our customers to come as if they were buyers themselves. If you can have a casual drink with the Italians and chat about fashion, you'll get to experience the same atmosphere I felt at Pitti. It's a rare opportunity to hear directly from the creators, a true DtoC experience. I myself am looking forward to it, as I'm always swamped with a minute-by-minute schedule at Pitti.

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▼ 1. Tomohiro Inaba (Mitsukoshi Isetan Buyer)
▼ 2. Tomoka Takada (Creative Director, "Colony Clothing")
▼ 3. Mika Hirose (Model/Talent)
▼ 4. KING MASA
▼ 5. Hiroshi Ishii (Editor-in-Chief of 'LEON' magazine)

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