According to some, fashion was born during the reign of the Medici family in Florence. Italian Renaissance was culturally fertile and fashion was popularised by Queen Catherine Medici of France and other members of the Medici family. Lorenzo de Medici liked all black everything and Eleonora di Toledo was fond of immaculate decorations. Italian cities, including Florence, produced luxury goods, hats and cosmetics, highly decorated fabrics and jewelry, shoes and accessories. Florence was fashion capital until the rule of Louis XIV, when fashion moved to the French court.
In the 1900s, Italian fashion became internationally popularized, mainly because Hollywood divas enjoyed ‘’la bella figura’’ philosophy of careful self-presentation, offered by Italian artisans. In 1951. Alta Moda (Italian Haute Couture) was born in Florence’s Pitti Palace. Luxury brands like Pucci, Sorelle Fontana, Simonetta, Fausto Sarli had the chance to show the well-crafted products that became famous all over the world.
Image source: www.afashionhistory.com
Alta Moda’s fashion show
Florence is home to many larger and smaller shops, craftsman and artisan, bag makers, traditional leather makers and bespoke clothing makers. Some of the flashy names are Gucci, Pucci, Cavalli and Ferragamo.
Owned by the French company Kering, Gucci was founded by Guccio Gucci in 1921. It started as a small shop selling leather goods, soon to became world known for iconic bags and suede moccasins and grew into a biggest-selling Italian fashion brand.
Pucci was founded in 1947 by Emilio Pucci (now owned by LVMH Group) and it is famous for bold geometric graphics printed on silk. Sophia Loren and Jackie Onassis were some of the clients.
Models on the rooftop of Palazzo Pucci wearing spring/summer collection 1967
Roberto Cavalli is born in Florence into a family of artists, and he became known for exotic prints and wild boho-chic statement.
Salvatore Ferragamo was born in southern Italy, but he chose Florence to open his shoe shop in 1927. One of his clients was Marilyn Monroe who owned about 40 pairs of Ferragamo shoes, specially designed for her. His current store is in the medieval Palazzo Spini Feroni together with the shoe museum.
Salvatore Ferragamo shoes. I just love them because they are so simple and modern yet chic and elegant.
Other well-known Florence-based designers are Enrico Coveri, Patrizia Pepe, Ermanno Scervino, Gianfranco Lotti and many other less known artisans, mainly from leather crafts.
Fashion Museums, Events and Schools
In Florence, you can find cool museums and public events dedicated to fashion. Galleria del Costume is a museum with an impressive collection of historical clothing, including antique clothing, theatre costumes and reconstructed costumes worn by Florentine family members, like 16th-century garments that once belonged to Duke Cosimo I and his wife Eleonora di Toledo.
Reconstructed burial dress of Eleonora di Toledo from 1562, Galleria del Costume
There is also Salvatore Ferragamo museum in Palazzo Spini Ferroni in Via de’ Tornabuoni, historical part of the city, with its collection of more than 10,000 shoes made by the house and with some wooden models of celebrity feet.
Museo Capucci, opened in 2008., is focused on exhibitions and intense teaching activities. Designer Roberto Capucci is celebrated as one of the most talented Italian fashion designers, who created unusual sculpted pieces for the Venice Biennale in 1995. There is also Gucci Museum where you can find Gucci’s leather bags and listen to the sound of a Gucci bag being produced.
Roberto Capucci sculptural dresses
Perhaps the most famous fashion event in Florence is Pitti Immagine Uomo, dedicated to menswear wich fully revives during this event. Besides Pitti Uomo, Pitti Immagine also holds a series of other annual events such as Pitti W-Woman Pre-collections, Pitti Immagine Bimbo, Pitti Immagine Filati, Pitti Immagine Fragrances, Pitti Immagine Casa, Pitti Immagine ModaPelle…
There are several fashion schools in Florence, hosting international students, with high rate of employment: Polimoda; Accademia Italiana di arte, Moda e Design; Scuola del Cuoio; Fondazione Arta della Seta Lisio and IED Moda Lab. There is also a fashion library Centro di documentazione Matteo Lanzoni di Polimoda.
The best shopping can be experienced in the historical center of the city of Florence, with plenty of high end fashion stores, mainly in shopping districts Via de’ Tornabuoni and Via della Vigna Nuova. Via del Parione and Via Roma are also known for high-end fashion stores, and La Rinascente is Italian grand department store.
There are many handicraft shops, mainly leather shops that are quite common in the city, with 15.2% of Italian companies operating in this sector are situated in Florence.