Pitti Catwalk Report: MONNALISA AW11

Our first fashion show for Pitti Bimbo was Monnalisa, who presented their collection by holding a cocktail party followed by a charming catwalk show.

The show began with Monnalisa’s most recent addition, a boyswear collection titled ‘hitchhicker’, which featured an array of winter warming pieces styled casually, with loads of layers, rolled up jeans and a familiar spinach eating hero from the 1920s, who we all know as Popeye (the sailor man).

For girls, the lovely layering continued, and an array of genres were apparent, most pointedly, the nifty fifties which were represented with over the knee skirts supported by petticoats.

Alongside the fifties vibe were oversized Yeti snowboots, modern leopard prints and a new selection of Monnalisa ‘characters’ which included Popeye’s lady friend, Olive Oyl and Disney’s Italian belle, Clarabelle Cow.

The skirt of the season however was a longer more luxurious version of the MONNALISA Navy Polka Dot Skirt they created for AW10, but this one was designed by the Monnalisa founder’s 13-year-grandughter and was given a series special moment on the catwalk.

Here are our favourite pictures from the show:

see more pictures of the GIRLS catwalk here / see more pictures of the BOYS catwalk here

Catwalk Clip: Monnalisa AW11 Skirt of the Season

Pitti Catwalk Report: Blauer USA AW11

Children’s fashion shows are far more charming than alarming, but that being said, seeing the professionalism of a three-year-old as they happily parade up and down the runway can sometimes seem a bit odd (though, to be fair, it is far more heart warming and cute, than odd).

After a few fashion shows that were on the ‘serious side’ (as serious as kids fashion can be), our final fashion show at Pitti Biimbo was a new brand AlexandAlexa.com will be carrying for AW11, Blauer USA.

The Blauer show featured professional child models that also doubled as professional dancers who broke up the traditional catwalk procession with impressive choreographed routines.

For the catwalk, the collection featured a huge variety of winter puffer coats and racer inspired leather jackets paired with casual jeans, cargo trousers, loungewear and industrial boots or converse inspired shoes, creating an overall look for the brand that is casual and practical – the perfect combination for kids.

Check out our pictures and videos from the show below and be sure to let us know what you think of the collection!

see more photos here


PITTI BIMBO Street Style

Pitti Bimbo was packed with stylish children and their equally stylish parents. It was so great to see children dressed up in the brands we carry showing of their individual style.

Here are our favourite pictures of Florence’s mini fashionistas and fashionistos:

Felicita, 7 years old, from Spain


Florenza, 5 years old, from Italy


Francesca and Michaela, both 6, from Italy


Matteo, 9 years old, from Italy

PITTI BIMBO, DAY 2

09:00AM – Breakfast time! We stop off at a Cafe on the way to Pitti Bimbo and grab a Cappuccino and a Brioche.

09:30AM – We arrive at Pitti Bimbo and walked over to a photographic installation by Enrico Bossan entitled Bambini rompiscatole. Bambini nelle foto. Foto nelle scatole (Pain in the neck kids. Kids in photos. Photos in boxes). The installation was put together for charity Mediafriends, which provides support for children who are victims of abuse and maltreatment. (read more, here). To support the charity, we each purchased the poster version of our favourite photographs.

11:30AM – We meet the buyers at the Scotch & Soda pop up shop and were surprised when the charming Scotch & Soda agent offered us the most AMAZING Moroccan tea we have ever tasted! Their AW11 lines for kids, Scotch & Soda Shrunk and Scotch & Soda Rebel, had an amazing selection of clothing including detailed leather gloves, woolly blazers and fun winter hats.

12:00PM – Time for lunch, we head into the cafe inside apartment and on our way in notice some incredible wall art outside. After taking a few snap shots, we sit down and eat our ‘mini tramezzini’s’, which are mini pita squares filled with smoked chicken, capsicum, tomatoes, mozzarella and pesto basil….yum yum

1:00PM – Time for FENDI! We grab our seats at Fendi and are presented with a little gift (a Barbie sized Fendi Purse) – the show features amazing Fendi rainwear, fun fur and branded Fendi everything, from FF tights, to hats and scarves!

(see more photos here)

2:00PM – As the Fendi show ends, we scoot next door, just in time to see the fashion show of a new brand we are carrying for AW11, Blauer USA, which was an incredibly upbeat fashion show full of models and mini break dancers in stylish kit.

(see more photos here)

3:00PM –We join the buyers at the RARE The Kid pop up shop, which was a treat for all the senses. Their entrance smelt like a conservatory, with fresh grass covering the majority of the indoor area – our ears were filled with the sound of birds singing and our eyes were treated to a field of birds with amazing imagery flashing in the background.

4:00PM – With the RARE The Kid buy finished, we joined the buyers for their next meeting with the Imps & Elfs team. Their booth was full of moustaches, strangely enough, and they had covered the images of the children in their clothing with cardboard Elvis hair and moustaches. It made for quite a fun experience and we all took turns trying a moustache on!

5:00PM – Next was Levi’s, which we have started carrying for the Spring Summer 11 season. They had amazing jeans displays and it reminded all of us girls how good a pair of Levi’s fit, regardless of age!

6:00PM – We go on a hunt for new children’s magazines and after picking up our favourites (Junior Magazine, Milk and Vogue Bambini) we found a book shop full of fashionable kids books, so we had to take a peak!

7:00PM – Back to the airport and time to fly home! Ciao Florence, Hello London!

PITTI BIMBO DAY 1


12:00PM - We arrive in sunny Florence’s tiny Italian airport, which is surrounded by picturesque mountains, and jump into taxi’s to head straight to the show.

12:30PM - After checking in our luggage, we follow the buyers straight to Little Paul & Joe to begin the AW11 buy.

12:45PM -We meetLittle Paul & Joe brand representative, Stefan and right away, a stylish bear catches our eye, so Stefan introduces us to BE@RBRICK who is a limited edition, collector’s item bear created  through a collaboration with Little Paul and Joe and artist Sophie Albou.

1:30PM - As the buyers work hard on their orders, two of the marketing team sneak away with Alex, C.E.O of AlexandAlexa.com, to test what he claims is the best Gelato in the world!

1:45PM – After careful consideration of the options, we make our selections and upon first taste, have to agree with Alex, Il Florioni’s Gelato at Pitti Bombo has the best Gelato in the world!

2:00PM - As Alex Joins the Buyers, we journey over to the Diesel pop up shop …. we think they may have just solved the shoe storage problem we all face…if only we could all have a ‘shoe carousal’ in our closets!

3:00PM - We meet back up with Alex and the Buyers and Sonia Rykiel and marvel at her amazing collection.

4:00PM – Time for a late lunch! The obvious choice of course being, a Panini!

5:00PM – We head to theMILK MAGAZINE photo exhibition KILIMS, made by Isis-Colombe Combreas and Karel Balas, which features patterns of flowers, hound’s tooth, spots and stripes highlighting the warm shades of winter.

6:00PM – The team grabs our luggage and checks into our lovely hotels to refresh our personal wardrobes for the next event!

7:30PM – The Monnalisa Fashion Show! We are greeted with canapés and a welcome beverage before meeting up with the Junior Magazine team in the front row. The selection is amazing and the models are so sweet!

9:00PM – We head to Alex’s favourite Florence Restaurant for a late dinner (Pasta & Antipasto of course!)

10:30PM – We go back to our hotels and get ready for bed, excited for the next day of Pitti Bimbo fun!

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