Suzy Menkes At Pitti Uomo A/W 2017 in Florence

When I saw seven-year-old boys walk the runway in impeccably tailored jackets and smart trousers, I realized that the fashion pendulum was swinging again.

I never believed that, for either sex, the tailored jacket was finished. For all the down coats and gender-neutral garments, the cut of the shoulders still makes a bold statement. Especially when you are just a little kid.

At Pitti Uomo in Florence, master tailor Stefano Ricci was celebrating his company’s 45 years in fashion with a show at the famous Sala Bianca in the Palazzo Pitti.

And what better way to prove that formal fashion is fabulous than presenting outfits that would take a peacock male from cradle to grave? There were smart-casual clothes on show – but the tailoring grabbed the attention, especially for the children.

Father-and-son looks for A/W 2017 from Stefano Ricci. @suzymenkesvogue

And this Italian designer was not alone in celebrating the fitted jacket. Kiton, the Neapolitan tailor, celebrated its owner, creator and leader Ciro Paone with an exhibition that concentrated on the company’s values and included jackets from tiny to generous all hanging on one curved rail.

“Everyone is the same, everyone is different”: the theme for Kiton’s A/W 2017 collection. @suzymenkesvogue

Brunello Cucinelli lined up men wearing taut, body-conscious versions of his signature blazers in every kind of texture, with trousers loose and soft making a big statement below. The designer called it “an alchemist’s laboratory” with “carefully selected ingredients”, pulling me over to feel the fabrics in all their tactile diversity. Too good-looking for men only.

Brunello Cucinelli (centre, in white trousers) with models wearing A/W 2017 looks that are suitable for all ages. @suzymenkesvogue

It was when I saw what designer Alessandro Sartori, returning to the fold at Zegna, had created for the Z Zegna collection that I understood the current firepower of modern tailoring. There, among sporty clothes on a ski theme and videos of the Oasi Zegna resort in Bielmonte projected on the walls, was a demonstration of how casual clothes look even better when accompanied by formal tailoring. The designer linked organic and technical fabrics and also melded the ski clothes with shearling jackets and cashmere coats.

The A/W 2017 Z Zegna collection designed by Alessandro Sartori. @suzymenkesvogue

Alessandro Sartori’s A/W 2017 collection for Z Zegna. @suzymenkesvogue

Some brands specifically mixed the formal with the casual and promoted the gender-neutral look. Two designers from South Korea put a focus on clothes that seemed to slip and slide across the body to suit either sex. Bmuet(te) by Byungmun Seo + Ordinary People from Concept Korea mixed fabric, color, and gender with innovative skills.

Concept Korea’s Ordinary People, A/W 2017. Credit: Pitti Uomo

Bmuet(te) by Byungmum Seo, Concept Korea, A/W 2017. Credit: Pitti Uomo

There is a difference between making clothes for both genders and designing specifically for men and women. Belgian designer Tim Coppens mixed masculine clothes with women’s clothes, presented at a racecourse. He described his approach as “Never Ending Fun”, printed on collars, sleeves or backs. But the women’s pieces could have had a closer connection with the male clothes. The sexual separation seemed too blatant.

Tim Coppens, A/W 2017. Credit: Pitti Uomo

With the melding of formal and casual, and masculine with feminine, there were some intriguing collections. But there were other moments of note at the Pitti Uomo shows, especially the full-on sportswear. Full marks to Paul Smith, showing a collection of practical, sporty clothes from pack-away, waterproof rain jackets to breathable tops – all modelled by performance artists in action from circus acts to cyclists.

And both genders can appreciate Britain’s Christopher Raeburn working with Italy’s Save the Duck company. The puffer effect can be achieved another way, kind to ducks and the planet.

Brunello Cucinelli, right, with a model wearing a look for A/W 2017. @suzymenkesvogue

Ciro Paone of Kiton, left, takes a selfie with the Mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella. @suzymenkesvogue

A table setting for a typically Italian family meal, from the exhibition “Two or Three Things I Know About Ciro”, which accompanied the Kiton show. Credit: Pitti Uomo