This is one of the many amazing events that I was invited to attend, being a student at Polimoda in Italy. Pitti Immagine hosts many shows in Firenze. I attended Pitti Filati which shows yarn collections for knitwear. There was so much to see, here are some photos from my visit in 2006.

The entrance was full of knit covered mannequins and long panels of fabric.

I took so many pictures! It was just so amazing I couldn’t help myself.

Here are some more garments that were displayed.

Here are a couple of boards that venders had in their booths. Displaying fabrics and inspiration.

Here is a short history of Pitti Immagine

There was no real ready to wear garment industry in Italy before the end of the 'Forties: 90% of all clothing was custom made by tailors and seamstresses. The bare windows of notions shops looked onto the streets of the big cities and small towns that still bore the marks of war. These little stores would later be replaced by the first boutiques.

There were about 25,000 people working for companies that produced ready-made clothing and the propensity to export - along with the identity of Italian fashion - was quite different from what we see today. Only 10% of Italian made goods went to export.

In Florence and the surrounding area there was a lively core of artisan and craft businesses, but above all - because of its artistic, historic and environmental heritage - the city played host to a large and wealthy colony of travelers, students and English and American merchants, and this gave rise to the first Italian buying offices as the outposts of the overseas department stores.

You can read more about the history by clicking the link above.

Oh Italia, how I miss you....until we meet again...Ciao Ciao...

Pitti Immagine Filati