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How Italian men look effortlessly smart – even in sweltering heat
It's a scene so arrestingly beautiful that Michelangelo himself could have painted it (or the 21st-century equivalent – turned it into a cracking Instagram shot): a candlelight palazzo in the hills above Firenze, the city putting on a show in all her terracotta-roofed majesty below as the sky streaks lilac and coral and the well-heeled nobility pick their way through a jasmine-scented giardino to put on il ritz. Welcome to Pitti Uomo, the Florentine men's fashion fair that occurs twice a year in the spellbinding city, where its frescoed backdrops are matched only by the exceptional clothes on display at various showcases.
What's also interesting to note – as yours truly arrived at said soiree puce-faced with a grimy, delightful film of sweat in the 36-degree heat – is just how immaculate the Italian man looks even in the searing temperatures. Take that sumptuous dinner, for instance; thrown by Italian luxury titan Brunello Cucinelli, it demonstrated oh-so-deftly that even on a balmy June evening, formality was the order of the day, yet doing so without looking painfully hot and bothered.
It's a particularly timely conundrum as we weigh up summer weddings, particularly those in continental locations. Of course, we also have the Italian wedding to end them all (perhaps literally, if WW3 erupts as the corks pop) – the Bezos/Sanchez spectacle taking over Venice imminently. How do Italian men do it so elegantly as the mercury rises?
Mr Cucinelli, the maestro who coordinates much of Pitti Uomo's more rarefied events, and who unveiled his new men's collection in the city, has some insight. 'There's a real comeback, particularly amongst young men, towards a youthful sense of refinement. It's traditional, but done in a very modern, relevant way for today.'
What does that translate to in real terms? 'Men want to be elegant again. For our collection, that means that everything is softer, wider, easier, blazers are longer and elongated. There must be ease to how men dress.' He also points out that, when it comes to dressing for formal occasions, it's a matter of respect and national pride in Italy. 'If you attend my funeral and are not well dressed, you will be turned away,' he says (jokingly, although a state occasion it will no doubt be).
Cucinelli also points to the double-pleated trousers which allow for a more airy stance, and the fact that the cut allows movement. It's something us Brits could take to heart; the culture of painfully tight suiting, some of it suspiciously shiny and squeezed over hefty thighs and gym-bro biceps, looks about as comfortable as a skin condition.
There are other lessons to take away from our Italian fratelli; one thing for which Pitti Uomo is excellent is people watching, allowing one to sip a potent espresso and watch the parade of peacocks shake their tail feathers in passing. Little details make all the difference in terms of tailoring: a roped shoulder is softer and lighter than one that's stiffly peaked, and a jacket created in a 'half canvas' style means the body of the back is essentially removed to create a sense of lightness.
Likewise a double vent. The old guard of Jermyn Street have a great deal to say on correct vents, but the fact remains that two vents in the jacket will feel looser. That longer seat trick at Cucinelli is a smart move that recalls the Neapolitan tailoring of the 1950s, designed to sit loosely in those sweltering southern climes.
See also the movement towards overshirts in place of jackets, a trend across the Florentine cobbles and also at Italian brands such as Caruso and Nappa Dora, proposing heavyweight shirts or even safari shirt styles over a proper blazer. If you've got the Italianate brio, pair with a lighter shirt underneath and perhaps a little neck scarf for extra 'Pitti points'.
There's also the question of what to wear under your tailoring. In the intensity of Italian heat, a tie feels out of the question, even amongst those who remain steadfast in their classicism. There's a particularly continental affectation for wearing a foulard with undone collar in its place, which is less restrictive but still looks as if you've made an effort.
There's a more daring interpretation from the men that sip negronis at the city's bustling Gilli Bar: going shirtless. I know, something for the oiks, and it's certainly a flex that comes with caveats; it only works on the lithe of frame and in relatively good shape, and it's only a viable option with a silk scarf underneath, so that just a triangular slither of chest is revealed rather than some brutish posturing.
The other sartorial flourish that Italians get so right in warmer weather is how to finesse accessories. Shoes, for instance, are always light and less painfully heavy than the traditional British Oxfords. Brunello Cucinelli proposes sleek white trainers with pinstriped suits, and elsewhere there's a focus on driving shoes that allow for better breathability. Wear with invisible socks – traditionalists might recoil at the idea of bare ankles, but I'd wager they haven't climbed up cobbled Florentine streets in heady 30-degree heat. For the braver still, espadrilles can look on point with a suit, particularly if they're in a buttery taupe suede or leather.
There's also an emphasis on hats in how Italians dress to keep cool; adding a hat might seem entirely counterintuitive, and it's by no means for every occasion, but a light straw panama can provide shade without feeling too claggy and unpleasant. Will Bezos and his ilk follow suit – quite literally – for his operatically-scaled Italian nuptials? Whatever the approach, it's unlikely he'll hit the high notes of Florence's leading men.
