Florence, Italy–Pitti strives to shine a spotlight on more young designers like never before. In an era where fashion is calling for fresh ideas, BACO profiles some of the youngest designers at Pitti:
Alberto Premi, 22, designer Alberto Premi
Premi grew up above his father’s shoe workshop. His glow in the dark skater meets ski boot hi-tops mirror his own personal skater, motorcross style played out with a European sense of panache. Despite their futuristic appearance, all the shoe are hand made in Italy.
Marco Kinloch Herbertson, 28, designer Kinloch
His love for painting is splashed all over his fine silk scarves (ties and pajamas) made on Italy’s lake Como. In his second season, Herbertson depicted his love for Venice in vibrant detail. Despite his easy, dressed-down attitude, Herbertson’s refined military school upbringing and his castle trotting lifestyle enhances the brand’s upscale appeal.
Johane Collet, 27, designer Jour Ferie’
Paris-based footwear designer Collet started out as a understudy to his partner 48-year-old Natalie Elharrar. Together the two are taking the oxford, loafer craze to a new level, with wild prints, colors and textures. The shoes are hand made in made in Portugal. “The shoes are unisex and add a touch of color in the grey of Paris,” Collet said.
Niyi Okuboyejo, 31, President of Post Imperial
Nigerian-born designer moved to the US when he was only 14 years old. If scarves were poetry, his would sing a song of love, sorrow and passion. Despite his power broker, suited appearance and American accent, Okuboyejo is a native of the Yoruba tribe and employs their traditional Adire dye process on his foulards, ties and pocket squares. “A lot of traditional symbols have meaning,” he said. His scarves are crafted with silks from England and cotton from Japan and Nigeria and tinted in the rustic open of the Nigerian terrain. If you think that Post Imperial has something to do with Nigeria’s political past, it doesn’t. The name is all about living in the now. “Too much of fashion is nostalgic. We think the 20’s and the 30’s were the good old days. My designs are inspired by what we are doing now.
Vittorio Branchizio, 30, designer Vittorio Branchizio
Born into a culturally diverse family absorbing Javanese influences from his mother and Greek-Italian from his father. Vittorio Brachizio, age 30, mixes his technical know-how and creative knitting processes to create gorgeous knitwear for men.
Gianni Cerutti, 27, designer Passaggio Cravatte
At his studio in Robbio, Italy. Gianni Cerutti designs seven and four fold ties made out of vintage textiles typically from the 1930’s and 1970’s. Cerutti’s designs were shown at a private exhibition at Florence’s Rivalta Caffe, in an event organized by international photographer Silio Danti.
