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HISTORY¬

The history of Italian Fashion began in the early 1950s thanks to an idea nurtured by Giovan Battista Giorgini.

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1951, 12 February
Giovan Battista Giorgini, who worked as a buying agent for the major American stores, invited some of his most important clients (B. Altman, Bergdorf Goodman, I. Magnin, Morgan) to attend the first showing of Italian High Fashions featuring 10 high fashion couturiers (Antonelli, Carosa, Fabiani, Marucelli, Noberasco, Schubert, Simonetta, Sorelle Fontana, Vanna, Veneziani) and four boutiques (Emilio Pucci, Baronessa Gallotti, Avolio and Bertoli). The show was held in the eighteenth century salon of his home on Via dei Serragli. Only the leading members of the trade press were invited to this first showing.
1951 July
After the huge and unexpected success of the February show, foreign buyers and Italian journalists were invited to attend the first “official” show in the ballrooms of the Grand Hotel. The project’s prestige continued to grow with each subsequent edition.
1952
The City of Florence opened the Sala Bianca in Palazzo Pitti. Each season, in January and July, the catwalk in Palazzo Pitti was enriched with new names, and the Boutique section acquired more and more importance alongside of the High Fashion section.
1954
The Centro di Firenze per la Moda Italiana was established following on the heels of the growing success of the fashion-related projects.
The Centro Moda began managing the fashion presentations at Palazzo Pitti.
1955
Palazzo Pitti became too small to host the ever-increasing numbers of clients. While still holding fashion shows in the Sala Bianca, the Centro Moda decided to show collections at Palazzo Strozzi.  The High Fashion and Boutique shows continued to be held until 1965.
1966
In 1963 some of the High Fashion houses began showing their collections in Rome and by 1966 most had move there. At the same time, due to changing habits and trends that influence the world of fashion, ready-to-wear, or prêt-à-porter fashions, that is small collections of High Fashion apparel at lower prices began to make headway.
Quite early on, the Centro Moda understood the importance and potential  of this trend and began organizing events featuring ready-to-wear and knitwear fashions.
1967
Following an agreement with the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana di Roma, the Centro Moda continued to present the Boutique and High Fashion Knitwear collections, while the High Fashion couture collections were held in Rome at the designers’ ateliers.
1968
MAIT, Mostra Campionaria della Maglieria, the first show ever dedicated entirely to knitwear was held this year and became an annual event targeting American market.
1969 
Now came the men’s prêt-à-porter that was shown together with the women’s “prêt”, boutique and high fashion knitwear collections. The participating designers were: Tommy Caraceni, Emilio Pucci by Zegna, Bazzarini, Nativo, Siviglia, Valentini, Datti, Rosati, Baratta, Litrico, Ken Scott, and Barbaro.
1972, February
This moment marked the birth of PITTI UOMO, an event showcasing men’s clothing and accessories. Created mainly for the Italian domestic market, in a few years it attained such prestige that it became one of the industry’s most important events in the world. PITTI UOMO was by now a complete and qualified international reference for the men’s clothing market.
At first PITTI UOMO was held at the Hotel Villa Medici, then Palazzo Strozzi, at the Grand Hotel, at the Hotel Majestic. at the Hotel  BAGLIONI???, at Palazzo degli Affari and then, starting in the latter half of 1983 at the Fortezza da Basso.
As of February 1973, cultural events and runway shows were held concomitantly with PITTI UOMO.
1975
Following a decision by the Azienda Autonoma di Turismo, Palazzo Strozzi became an exclusive venue for artist-cultural exhibitions, and PITTI DONNA, the women’s show was moved to other sites. After holding the event in various hotels, the issue was resolved with the opening of Palazzo degli Affari. In any case, this facility soon became too small for the event, so the Centro Moda continued to use the Hotel Baglioni and Palazzo dei Congressi, and then the pavilions of the Fortezza da Basso became available in 1978.
1975, September
The first PITTI BIMBO event, devoted to children’s clothing and accessories made its debut; PITTI BIMBO is held twice a year, in January and July.
1977 
A new event joined the family of Florentine shows: it was PITTI FILATI, the presentation of Italian yarns and fibers for the knitwear industry. With the advent of this fair showcasing the leading Italian members of the industry, the Centro Moda offers consulting and coordinating services to knitwear manufacturers and designers.
Pitti Filati is held twice a year, in February and September. The first five editions were held at the Palazzo degli Affari, and then, the fair was moved to the Fortezza da Basso.
1978, January
The first edition of PITTI CASUAL a show dedicated to casual clothing, jeans and leisurewear was held in January 1978, and became a twice-yearly event (January and September). The Centro Moda deserves full credit for its ability to anticipate trends. With the boom in informal clothing this new event was an immediate success. The venue for PITTI CASUAL was the newly developed fair facility at the Fortezza da Basso.
Now, PITTI DONNA too had a “home” worthy of its importance and was able to overcome significant logistic and organization problems.
1978, September
The next addition to the family was PITTI CASA, the show featuring linens for the table, bedroom, bath and kitchen and it quickly became the reference point for the entire industry. Once again the Centro Moda revealed its sensitivity and ability to understand new needs and propose a showcase for Italian creativity – and to adjust to the changes in home living concepts that led to famous designers creating linen collections for major manufacturers.
The event is held in January of each year.
1980 
Essential changes in market demand for knitwear led to the creation of PITTI MAGLIA devoted to Italian knitwear, that took the place of MAIT and was held twice a year.
1982 
In order to keep pace with the international fashion-textile trends, the dates for PITTI DONNA were moved up and the event was combined into one with PITTI MAGLIA.
1983, January
This year marked the establishment of the Ente Moda Italia srl the company that organizes Uomo Italia and Moda Bimbo.
1983, December
The Centro Moda decided to establish a dedicated company to organize the PITTI shows: the Centro Moda Firenze srl. While the Centro oppure ENTE continued to plan the various events and decide general policy, the new company took over the operational, logistic aspects
1984, February
The 68th and final edition of PITTI DONNA.
1984, September
Due to changing market conditions, the last edition of PITTI CASUAL was held in September.
1985, March
The advent of PITTI TREND, the new event focusing on the avant-garde and innovative fashions.
Now it became the time for publishing and the creation of EDIFIR - Società Editoriale Firenze srl (vedere sotto) - that produces and markets books ("Gli Anglofiorentini - una storia d'amore" edited by = a cura di , mentre “by” = scritto da Oreste Del Buono, Gherardo Frassa and Luigi Settembrini), magazines ("Sintesi Moda", "Westuff", etc...) and fashion-related publications (such as the PITTI fair catalogues).
1988, November
The Centro Moda Firenze changed its name to Pitti Immagine srl.
1994 April
As equal partners, each holding a 50% stake, EMI and IGEDO established Europe Selection srl. The new company’s purpose was to promote European fashions in non-European Union countries.
The Nineties
Early in the nineties, the Centro Moda sponsored an analytical look at the potential of Florence’s image for promoting the Italian fashion system.
This materialized in the project entitled "Firenze Città Immagine" which established the guidelines for strengthening the image of Italian fashions, using the universal attraction of Florence.
The considerable resources invested in the project caused it to expand even further. The goal became that of holding a series of innovative, high quality events focusing on the various aspects of the contemporary culture of fashion every two years.
1996, September
The first edition of the “Biennale di Firenze” enjoyed a huge critical success, was widely attended and achieved excellent, local, national and international media results, but revealed a lack of sustainability in relation to the area
1998
Although the second edition of the Biennale di Firenze received media attention, it did not solve the problems raised by the first edition.
2000
During the past decade the Centro Moda significantly increased its business and membership (the newest “arrivals are the Associazione Cotoniera, the Associazione Industriali of Vicenza and the Confesercenti of Florence). The Centro Moda has evolved from a mainly local organization into one of the most significant actors on the entire Italian textile-clothing scenario. It brings together local institutions, industrial districts and the Italian textile-clothing business and manufacturing associations.
2001
As equal 50% partners, the Centro Moda and the Sistema Moda Italia established the Associazione Intesa Moda, for the purpose of coordinating their respective promotional and trade-fair endeavors
2001  
 “Moda Pelle by Pitti Immagine” joined the family.
2001/2002
The Stazione Leopolda srl and the Fondazione Pitti Immagine Discovery were established during this two-year period.
2003
By this time, the Centro Moda was actively engaged in five different areas: (a) promoting Italian fashions through Pitti Immagine; (b) promoting Italian fashions abroad via E.M.I; (c) coordinating trade fairs with Milan via Intesa Moda; (d) promoting the culture of fashion through the Fondazione Pitti Immagine Discovery; (e) education and training via Polimoda.

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