“Absolutely everywhere”: Men’s wear elevates wool at Pitti Immagine Uomo; niche textiles thrive at Milano Unica

Peter Ackroyd reports from the Italian trade fairs

Premium men’s wear collections for autumn/winter 2026/27 showcased at Pitti Immagine Uomo in Florence last month demonstrated a strong return to natural fibres, with wool featuring prominently across the show. According to industry sources, wool was “absolutely everywhere”, from ultra-fine next-to-skin layers to strong wool overcoatings. Formal and semi-formal suits and jackets in mid-micron lambswool and classic tweeds, mainly for the growing Made to Measure (MTM) market, made an encouraging showing.

Pitti Uomo drew roughly 19,000 visitors, including 12,500 registered buyers, a modest increase over 2025. The positive reception reflects broader industry trends towards elevated dressing, quality, and craft predicted on key fashion runways just 12 months ago.

Milano Unica maintains optimism

One week later, Milano Unica maintained the optimistic tone. Although this is a spring/summer event, traditional winter fabric weavers reported a busy first two days.

“Any mill specialising in what can loosely be called ‘niche’ textiles should be well pleased with the current business climate”, commented an Italian industry leader.

The show saw exhibitor numbers increase by 25% to 750 participating companies, reinforcing MU’s position as a leading event for high-end textiles and accessories. MU’s emphasis on bringing quality ingredients to the collections of leading brands was echoed by Claudio Marenzi, President of Herno and Montura, in the opening ceremony, where he drew attention to the importance of maintaining product integrity.

Noting a progressive widening of the gap between final products and raw materials, Marenzi warned of the risks of using low quality materials in high-end products. Quality fabrics make the difference in asserting the authenticity of a high-end product, he told attendees.

The only dark cloud over these trade events was the announced bankruptcy of Saks Global. The group that includes retailers Berghdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus reportedly owes significant unsecured debt to the likes of Kering, Chanel, and brands in the LVMH stable. This has created some uncertainty for a number of spinners and weavers at both Milano Unica and Pitti Filati.

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Image credits: Pitti People @ Pitti Immagine Uomo 109; https://www.milanounica.it/en/milano-unica-42nd-edition-gallery