Less Image, More Product: The New Direction Of Menswear

The direction of menswear is first revealed in the numbers, and only then in the garments. In 2025, Italian exports in the men’s sector recorded a 1.7% decline, settling at €9.4 billion, while imports grew by 2% to €6.6 billion. Behind this snapshot lies more than a slowdown: it signals a shift in geography, taste and priorities.

Europe is holding up better, with exports to EU markets growing by 3%, while non-EU markets fell by 5.7%. France remains the leading market for Italian menswear, followed by the United States and Germany. China is slowing down, Switzerland continues to lose weight, while Poland, Japan, the UAE and Turkey show positive signals.

The product itself also reflects this direction. Outerwear remains stable, leather apparel grows by 9.1%, while knitwear and shirting decline. It is an important signal for the entire supply chain: garments that win are those with substance, construction, function and craftsmanship. Men seem to be looking for items capable of lasting, moving across different contexts, and carrying a recognizable production story.

In this scenario, Pitti Uomo 110, scheduled from 16 to 19 June 2026 at the Fortezza da Basso, maintains a central role. Over 720 brands, 44% from abroad and more than 30 countries represented, form a clear map of contemporary menswear: classic tailoring, research, outdoor, streetwear, craftsmanship and lifestyle.

The theme of the edition, The Pool, almost acts as a metaphor for the moment. The surface is desire, reflection and image. Beneath it, however, lie infrastructures, work and connections. The guests confirm the direction. Simone Rocha brings to Florence her first fully menswear show, within an imaginary that blends intimacy, décor, memory and gender fluidity. DSM Kei Ninomiya adds a conceptual and structural vision. JiyongKim strengthens the Asian research axis. Sunflower, in dialogue with Copenhagen Fashion Week, represents a cleaner, more concrete, Nordic masculinity, built on denim, tailoring, leather, knitwear and everyday wear.

Format innovations also matter. OUTOPIA, curated with Vanish, explores outdoor wear as an established part of the urban wardrobe. Hi Beauty confirms concept stores’ interest in niche fragrance. Hyperscout introduces data-driven matchmaking, while the GOOS Index brings to Pitti a global mapping of sustainability, with over 1,000 organizations and 3,000 decision-makers from more than 70 countries.

Menswear is therefore moving toward a quieter, more legible luxury: less logo as shortcut, more quality as language. Pitti remains relevant because it captures this transition before it becomes systemic. It anticipates what we will wear and, above all, how we will produce, sell and narrate menswear in the coming years.