The 73rd edition of Pitti Filati concluded in Florence last week. Once again, the closing figures of the AW 14 edition seemed very promising: the number of buyers increased by 2.5% compared to last year, with 2,500 foreign buyers (6% more than last year). The number of Italian buyers remained the same as the previous edition, even though more national companies attended the show.

Concrete recovery anticipated

Just like in the previous edition, a general optimistic atmosphere that economic recovery is on the way characterised the show and the closing figures confirm this. Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine, stated that: “There was a general feeling of satisfaction among the stands: the exhibitors presented some beautiful collections and we saw lots of creativity, experimentation and highly innovative fashion content. Considering that the collections presented at this edition will be in stores for fall-winter 2014, we are confident that we will witness a concrete recovery of both markets and consumption”.

Research area

The Research Area presented a very sophisticated collection inspired by a very simple, yet universal and powerful feeling: love. Whether it is love for a friend, a son or a mother, a spouse or a pet Angelo Figus and Nicola Miller, the designers behind the Research Area, celebrated this creative force and translated it into a very tactile and sensual collection of garments. Heavy and soft pieces harmoniously integrated with light weight, delicate fabrics in deep, warm colours. Chunky, hand crafted and hand knitted skirts were paired with lighter cozy sweaters and cardigans in traditional silhouettes and skin tone colours. The mannequins stood in line in pairs, holding hands, each couple representing a different type of love.

The theme of love permeated most stands at Pitti and it was also the conducting thread of Feel The Yarn. Now in its fourth edition, this initiative showcases the work of selected students from several prestigious universities around the world. Each aspiring designer is paired up with a spinner, who sponsors the yarns for a small collection of three looks. The title of this latest edition was “PULL-LOVERS: a new feeling for knit” and it was Yiyi Guo, from Bijing Institute of Fashion Technology, that won the first prize.

Knit Club

A new area called “Knit Club” was also set up for the first time to showcase the work of four well renowned Italian knitwear factories: Mely’s, Scaglione, Fuzzi e Teodori. This initiative’s aim, like Knitwear Solutions at Premiere Vision, is to show the potential and the ability of each company to create new business opportunities with designers.

COLOUR TRENDS

The colour of love

The dominant theme that exhumed from the Research Area was a sense of warm comfort, of coziness and a desire to feel close to others. Deep shades of red, brown and purple evoked the intensity and the sensuality of passions: in its usual displays of garments, Di.Ve’ presented some pieces where the theme of love not only transpired in its colours, but in the patience of hand crafting rustic needle felted textiles with raw, hearty qualities. Mothers Love, from the Research Area, recalled a similar feeling in a jacket worn by a pregnant mannequin where the light, stringy yet strong structure of the fabric and its warm colours like magma highlighted the carnal and indissoluble bond between a mother and her child.

Pinori also showed a very tactile and textural collection of garments with chunky yarns in self striping shades of warm browns and deep reds. Some yarns that complement this mood are Astro, by Ilaria, Castorino Tinto (Di.Ve’), Sophie (Igea), Bistrot (Toscano), Cashwool (Zegna Baruffa), Image (Lineapiu’), Cashmere (Loro Piana).

Close to the skin

The skin is our largest organ, the boundary between our body and its environment. It is the gate that lets our emotions evaporate, and allows other in. In a show that celebrated love in all its shapes and form, skin obviously took centre stage: the Research Area exhibited some delicately hairy, melange fabrics in skin tones. Soft fabrics, chunky yet impalpable at times, evoked the sensuality of love through a gentle caress on the skin. Organic monochrome structures, delicate quilted effects and considered fur stitches were a key element as well.

Some of the yarns relevant to this section are Cipria (Di.ve’), Mentha (Chiavazza), Soffio (Cariaggi), Festival (Industria Italiana Filati) and Nuvola (Millefili Bluring)

Raw nature

Spontaneous, harsh, wild and powerful. These are the attributes of non-urban nature, a reality very far from the well kept and spotless city parks which most of us have forgotten. This celebration of different types of love also included one of our very earthy and primal feelings: a connection to our planet. The Research Area dedicated one of their couples to the love of nature: chunky, hand knitted coats where irregular cables and bobbles wrapped the garments like ivy on a tree framed the look of the pair, some soft, gentle and fuzzy fabrics recalling the freshness of moss emerged from underneath.

Some of the yarns relevant to this mood are Connemara, Zebraccio, Monserrat, Himalaya (Di.Ve’) and Marilyn (Pecci Filati).

Overview of new yarns for AW14-15

The trend that began last season with chunky, airy and ultra light yarns carried on to this latest edition: many spinners presented voluminous yarns with an extremely soft and almost impalpable handle. Yarns spun irregularly and with sophisticated artisanal qualities merged with high tech processes, reinventing the fibres, along with different types of furs: natural, organic and long, shimmery furs in manmade fibres.

Many companies are responding to the demand for hand knitting yarns: along with Igea, Filitaly and Filpucci, that have already presented collections in heavier gauges, some other spinners have shown yarns for the hand knitter. Zegna Baruffa will soon launch their new range in the UK under the Todds Hand Knits label (www.toddhandknits.com ), Filati Biagioli Modesto are already selling in Italy on www.gomitolis.it , Iafil and Lanecardate have also presented a new generation of hand knitting yarns.

Zegna Baruffa launched their new colourful Cashwool paint, a range in vivacious colours with three-dimensional effects inspired by an imaginary session of drip painting. Along with the very popular Cashwool and Caswool Supermelange Zegna  also presented Holiday, a naturally elastic yarn, Wellington, a waterproof yarn, and Sailor.

Igea presented a very comprehensive collection that featured a vast range of mohairs and mohair blends across its three lines, Lab, Studio (the essence of Igea) and Azimut. Felted yarns were also a strong presence along with some innovative fur yarns.

Loro Piana extended their range of stock service cashmere considerably, presenting a line of cashmere and acrylic blends for sportswear. “Fantasia”, a new, funky yarn in multicolour knitted jersey is a new addition to the collection that despite its playful characteristics still carries the elegance and the quality that the brand is so well known for.

Manifattura Sesia presented a collection where merino wool and merino blends were the protagonists: Alize’, a 100% heavy gauge merino yarn was one of the new additions, along with Moire’, Marble and Spritz, characterised by a marbled effect. Cabaret, a shimmery yarn with a clever sequin effect, was also a show stopper.

Toscano showed an interesting mix of man made and natural fibres, like Air Tweed (a nylon tubular yarn stuffed with Alpaca), Cabala (a bicolour tubular polyester yarn stuffed with wool) and Sgommato (mohair wrapped in nylon).

GENERAL TRENDS

New vintage

Old, aged effects recreated with new materials. Exhausted materials are reinvented and infused with a new life. The textural appearance of dust, of patterns disintegrating and the beautifully ageing effect of time are celebrated in these fabrics. As usual, Zegna Baruffa displayed some inspiring fabrics with dark, washed out colours, and some other more textural examples knitted in a fine gauge using three dimensional stitches. Manifattura Sesia and Lanificio Dell’Olivo also showed some fabrics that recalled this idea of dust and ageing.

Knitted brocades

Refined brocade patterns knitted as double bed jacquards, lace patterns, or with different  yarn weights, combined with needle felting, printed and devore effects. The Research Area showed some chunky knits with brocade prints and fine gauge jacquards, Zegna Baruffa displayed some beautiful fabrics where lace patterns were delicately needle felted onto knits, merging the two layers together.

New checks and tartans

These traditional woven structures take a new form through jacquard knits, print and dye effects.

Animal skin

Subtle fur effects, reinvented fabrics inspired by animal prints and organic structures.

View six albums of images from Pitti Filati on Knitting Industry’s Facebook page

Report by Carlo Volpi

Carlo Volpi is a London based menswear knitwear designer. Carlo's knitwear is characterised by an eclectic choice of stitch structures, gauges and textures, where traditional knitting techniques, urban landscapes and pop imagery are mixed together into an eccentric combination that is alive throughout his work. His love for unusual patterns and colour combinations has led him to design garments that are very wearable and contemporary.

www.carlovolpi.co.uk