Martine Rose has been at the epicenter of online chatter for months, with constant discourse around who would take the reins of Louis Vuitton Men’s after Virgil. And though it was announced that Kidsuper would guest design for the next season, she continues to be the topic of conversation, as her show is the highly anticipated anchor of Pitti Uomo 103. The London-based designer delivered a collection that combined British sensibilities with florentine sub-society, full of brand signatures (Martine Rose soccer shirts, athleisure interpreted as formal, square toe mules, etc.) smart tailoring, and another exciting Nike collab — all set to the tone of Italian House and Disco. Balliamo!
What exactly makes Martine Rose so in demand? It could be that she’s unintentionally helped shape menswear over the past decade, that she ideates collections that bring subculture to the forefront, that she kicks ass amidst an often whitewashed men’s club, and in simple terms, creates with an effortless cool. If you google Rose, search her/brand on youtube, etc., you’ll find a faction of admirers and a cult-like appreciation for the British designer. That’s why it’s a no-brainer she was selected to be a special guest at this year’s Pitti Uomo.
As usual, themes for Fall/Winter 23 took you all over. Boxy blazers paired with utilitarian cargo pants, low-rise bootcut, wide-leg denim trousers, hunched collar merino wool sweaters, turned-in lapels, cropped proportions, ripped denim, workwear, suiting with soccer jerseys, Rick James-inspired braids? A breakdown that could only explain the universe of Martine Rose.
From the music and casting to the emphasis on new wave aesthetics and workwear, Rose was inspired by 80’s/90’s Italo house. “Martine Rose pays homage to the impact of this culture in a presentation that evokes the era’s louche nightclubbing environment,” read the press release. “An escapist moment of fun and release, it is dedicated to the local community of Florence.”
One look that stands out, in particular, is look 32. This beautiful over-inflated puffer coat, with accentuated waist and bulbous sleeves, in a bubblegum pink color. Both the color and puffy shape reaches back to that of Rose’s 2019 Nike collab, the Nike Air Monarch in that same bubble gum pink. This shows a throughline between everything rose does. Every collection and collaboration is threaded to the next in some way.
And speaking of Nike, this collection revealed the next chapter of Martine’s ongoing collaboration with the renowned sportswear company. The show unveiled the next “it” shoe from the pairing, the new blue and black colorway of the Shox MR4 mule (the last black/ comet red iteration flew off the shelves) with a print apparently inspired by 90’s goalkeeper jerseys.
View a portion of the collection ahead.
