Jan-Jan Van Essche will take part in the next edition of the men’s fashion fair Pitti Immagine Uomo in Florence as “Designer Project”.
The brand’s “fluid and essential” fashion concept will be unveiled on January 11 at an undisclosed location in the Italian city, Pitti Immagine Uomo announced on Thursday. “I’m really happy, honored and grateful that Pitti Uomo invited us to present our work,” said Van Essche. “This will be our first show ever, so it will definitely be a special event for us.”
In 2003 the designer graduated from the Art Academy in Antwerp, where his design studio is still located today. Seven years later he founded his eponymous label. Lapo Cianchi, Communications and Events Director of Pitti Immagine, describes the Belgian as a “understated yet iconic figure in contemporary menswear”. The designer is the first to consider the claim of gender differentiation to be superfluous, either to confirm it or to declare it obsolete. He would not have been sure whether Van Essche would accept the invitation to Pitti Imagine and hopes that participation will increase interest in his work in the future, says Cianchi.
Joining Jan-Jan Van Essche, Jamaican-British designer Martine Rose will be presenting her Fall-Winter 23/24 collection at the menswear show in January. Rose is Pitti Uomo’s official guest designer.