WHEN PITTI IMMAGINE UOMO CALLS, KOREA ANSWERS
A strategic axis reshaping the global menswear narrative
Florence becomes a geopolitical and cultural crossroads once again. With the 110th edition of Pitti Immagine Uomo (June 16–19, 2026), the Florentine institution consolidates its forward-looking agenda through a decisive international dialogue: South Korea. What began as a strategic partnership between Pitti Immagine and the Korea Creative Content Agency now materializes into a powerful creative exchange—one that is neither symbolic nor incidental, but structurally transformative.
At the center of this moment stands JiyongKim, the eponymous brand of South Korean designer Jiyong Kim, appointed Special Guest of this landmark edition. This is not a conventional invitation. It is a curatorial statement.
Recognized globally after emerging as one of the standout talents of the LVMH Prize 2024, Jiyong Kim represents a new frontier in menswear—where time is not resisted but embraced as co-author. His now-iconic “Sun-Bleach” process rejects industrial predictability, allowing garments to be shaped by natural forces: sunlight, weather, and duration. The result is a series of pieces that are fundamentally unrepeatable—each marked by erosion, transformation, and authenticity.
For Florence, JiyongKim deliberately abandons the traditional runway format. Instead, he proposes an immersive installation within the Fortezza da Basso—an evolving environment where garments, space, and time interact continuously. This shift is not aesthetic alone; it is conceptual. It challenges the temporality of fashion presentations and expands the role of the viewer from observer to participant.
This approach resonates deeply with contemporary discourse. Sustainability here is not a superficial narrative layer—it is embedded in the lifecycle of the garment. Through the transformation of vintage materials and exposure-driven processes, JiyongKim constructs a philosophy where decay becomes design, and imperfection becomes value. It is a direct response to both overproduction and the climate crisis, without resorting to moralistic branding.
Yet reducing JiyongKim to “ethical fashion” would be a misreading. His work operates at the intersection of conceptual rigor and technical precision. Advanced pattern-making, 3D modeling, and sculptural silhouettes coexist with organic unpredictability. The body is not merely dressed—it becomes an active agent within the garment’s evolution.
Pitti Immagine’s decision is therefore neither neutral nor accidental. It signals a shift in menswear’s center of gravity—from polished uniformity to dynamic transformation, from spectacle to experience.
There are designers who confirm systems. And there are those who recalibrate them. JiyongKim belongs unequivocally to the latter.
IN ADDITION;
Being invited as a special guest at Pitti Uomo this coming June is both an honor and a meaningful moment for us. At JiyongKim, we do not see clothing as a fixed result, but as something that evolves through time and exposure. Our “Sun-Bleach” process allows natural forces to shape each piece, leaving behind marks that cannot be controlled or replicated.
Through this exhibition, we hope to present work that continues to respond to its surroundings and remains open to change over time.
— Jiyong Kim
— Francesca Tacconi, Pitti Immagine Special Events Coordinator
#PittiUomo110 #JiyongKim #MenswearRevolution #FashionInnovation #GlobalFashion #SustainableFashion #FutureOfFashion #KoreaToFlorence #FashionInstallation #SlowFashionMovement #LVMHPrize #CreativeEconomy
QUAND PITTI IMMAGINE UOMO APPELLE, LA CORÉE RÉPOND
Un axe stratégique qui redéfinit le récit mondial du menswear
Florence s’impose une fois de plus comme un carrefour géopolitique et culturel. À l’occasion de la 110e édition de Pitti Immagine Uomo (16–19 juin 2026), l’institution florentine affirme sa vision internationale à travers un dialogue stratégique avec la Corée du Sud. Une collaboration initiée avec la Korea Creative Content Agency qui dépasse désormais le cadre institutionnel pour devenir un véritable moteur de transformation créative.
Au cœur de cette dynamique : JiyongKim, marque éponyme du designer sud-coréen Jiyong Kim, invité spécial de cette édition. Une nomination qui ne relève pas du protocole, mais d’un positionnement éditorial fort.
Révélé sur la scène internationale, notamment comme l’un des talents majeurs du LVMH Prize 2024, Jiyong Kim incarne une nouvelle grammaire du menswear, où le temps devient une matière active. Son procédé signature, le “Sun-Bleach”, abandonne toute logique industrielle au profit d’une interaction directe avec les éléments naturels. Lumière, climat et durée façonnent les vêtements, produisant des pièces uniques, marquées par l’altération et l’irréversibilité.
À Florence, JiyongKim rompt avec le format classique du défilé pour proposer une installation immersive au sein de la Fortezza da Basso. Un espace vivant où vêtements, environnement et temporalité dialoguent en continu. Cette démarche dépasse la mise en scène : elle redéfinit la manière dont la mode est perçue et expérimentée.
La dimension durable du projet n’est ni décorative ni opportuniste. Elle est intrinsèque au processus créatif. En transformant des matières existantes et en intégrant les effets du temps, JiyongKim propose une vision où la dégradation devient esthétique, et où l’imperfection acquiert une valeur nouvelle. Une réponse lucide aux enjeux environnementaux contemporains.
Cependant, limiter son travail à une lecture éthique serait réducteur. Sa pratique conjugue une rigueur technique avancée—modélisation 3D, construction du vêtement, précision structurelle—avec une esthétique organique et évolutive. Le vêtement devient une architecture en mouvement, en interaction constante avec le corps.
Le choix de Pitti Immagine s’inscrit ainsi dans une stratégie claire : déplacer les lignes du menswear contemporain. Moins de conformité, plus de mutation. Moins de surface, plus de substance.
Certains designers confirment les systèmes existants. D’autres les redéfinissent. JiyongKim appartient sans équivoque à cette seconde catégorie.
QUANDO PITTI IMMAGINE UOMO CHIAMA, LA COREA RISPONDE
Un asse strategico che ridefinisce il menswear globale
Firenze torna a essere epicentro di dialogo culturale e visione internazionale. Con la 110ª edizione di Pitti Immagine Uomo (16–19 giugno 2026), la manifestazione consolida il proprio ruolo come piattaforma globale, rafforzando l’asse strategico con la Corea del Sud attraverso la collaborazione con la Korea Creative Content Agency.
Protagonista di questo scenario è JiyongKim, brand del designer sudcoreano Jiyong Kim, scelto come Special Guest. Una presenza che va oltre la semplice partecipazione: è una dichiarazione curatoriale precisa.
Dopo il riconoscimento internazionale ottenuto con il LVMH Prize 2024, Jiyong Kim si afferma come una delle voci più radicali e rilevanti del menswear contemporaneo. Il suo processo distintivo, il “Sun-Bleach”, introduce una nuova concezione del capo: non più oggetto statico, ma organismo in evoluzione, modellato dal tempo e dagli agenti naturali.
Per Firenze, il designer sceglie di superare la sfilata tradizionale, presentando un’installazione immersiva alla Fortezza da Basso. Un ambiente dinamico in cui abiti, spazio e tempo dialogano, trasformando l’esperienza del pubblico in un processo attivo e stratificato.
La sostenibilità, in questo contesto, non è un’etichetta ma una struttura portante. Il riutilizzo di materiali e l’esposizione agli elementi naturali generano capi unici, segnati da imperfezioni che diventano valore estetico e narrativo. Una riflessione concreta sulla crisi climatica e sul ciclo della moda.
Ridurre JiyongKim a designer “etico” sarebbe però limitante. Il suo lavoro integra ricerca concettuale e precisione tecnica: modellistica avanzata, costruzione tridimensionale e silhouette sperimentali convivono con l’imprevedibilità della natura.
La scelta di Pitti Immagine è quindi chiara: non confermare il sistema, ma spingerlo oltre. Verso una moda che evolve, che cambia, che respira.
Ci sono designer che consolidano il presente. E altri che costruiscono il futuro. JiyongKim appartiene a questi ultimi.
AMEDEE MARTIN MIEKE
CEO, FOUNDER & EDITOR IN CHIEF MOKILI MOBIMBA MAGAZINE
+393496890139
Business trainer and coach in cross-cultural communications, business mediator, lecturer and expert in international negotiations.
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