In sweltering heat, Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos last night presented their pre-collection vision for S/S13. Choosing one of Florence's most extravagant ancient palaces, the Palazzo Borghese, the design duo didn't so much stage a catwalk show as present a human installation. The massive doors to the ball room openeed up at 10pm sharp, unveiling two podiums with a handful of models. In the Palazzo, dating back to the 15th century, the contrast between the designer's futuristic prints and the location's classic beauty was strong and powerful.
In Borghese's equally glamorous Drawing and Mirror rooms, a thick Peter Pilotto carpet was laid out, featuring a pattern especially commissioned for the Pitti Immagine event incollaboration with art director Jonathan Lu. The brand's signature sculptural fit and their love of loud prints didn't just prevail throughout the 30 minute-long event, but lived on in the graphically oversized short films that were screened in the gallery. Cocktail dresses, loose silk trousers and cropped jackets featured throughout, all in clashing colours and prints, and some with stitched on embroideries. The event, on the same evening as Valentino's elegant menswear collection, brought a bit of London energy to Pitti, a trade show with a glamour flavour. Having had the likes of Gareth Pugh showing here, the organisers have a fondness of mixing traditional Italian craftmanship with edgy designers from New York and London, ensuring Pitti's popularity amongst buyers as well as press. And Peter Pilotto's show last night was a prime example of just that.
