The latest Pitti Uomo provided a variety of solutions to the problem of staying cool and comfortable, chief of which was the light summer jacket, often unlined, including pure Merino versions as well as blends with other natural fibres.

If there was ever a time for Cool Wool to be put through its paces as an elegant solution to the problem of keeping calm and  collected in a hot climate, it was this where temperatures soared to a humid 36 degrees.

Trends were clear and stylish. Bright blocked colour for trousers and jackets was a feature of collections, together with dense prints for shirts. There were few examples of conventional suits, rather cleverly matched two pieces.

However, tailored shorts were a particularly strong look, with cuffs, front pleats and belts, made in top-quality fabric, to be worn with formal shirts, ties and jackets.  The look was new and slightly eccentric, taken up widely by the young fashionistas.

Colour was artfully used, shoes in particular picking up bright blue, green or orange from the checks and weaves in light tightly-fitted jackets.  Lightweight jackets were often minimally constructed, and unlined. They were a focal point, with gingham checks or solid colours, green, blue, peach and navy.

The new silhouette is skinny and tightly sculpted, in two or three single breasted button styles such as Luciano Barbera’s unlined worsted jackets, worn with lean pants. Cantarelli’s knitted versions or Richard James’ bright but elegant lightweights were good examples. The highlighted Kolor show,  by  this season’s  Pitti Uomo featured designer Junichi Abe, included skinny jacket shapes offset by billowing light coats, and details such as ruching and tucking, which gathered praise from the fashionable audience.

The Wool Lab goes from strength to strength, enabling buyers to source wool fabric specifics by means of targeted and high-quality information.  Many were returning customers from major designer names and prestigious fashion retailers from the USA, Europe and Japan, with growing interest by designers in developing markets.

Wool’s credentials for summer were further reinforced by the new project of Lanificio Fratelli Cerruti and Italdesign Giugiaro in collaboration with The Woolmark Company. Luxury car jackets designed for Natural Born Elegance by Julian Cerruti were flanked by a luxury prototype Parcour car with Merino wool upholstery.

It echoed the theme of ‘Vroom Vroom’ established by Pitti Immagine interpreted in many collections. Techno-type zip jackets, light biker tops with trendy asymmetric details in lightweight Merino wool, showed yet another facet of the wide range of applications of wool for the new season

Woolmark