MINI FLUID FASHION. MINI presents limited-run fashion collection at Pitti Uomo 90

MINI is presenting a limited-run sweatshirt collection at the 90th #pittiuomo in Florence – one of the most important international fairs for men’s #fashion and contemporary lifestyle. The #mini FLUID #fashion Capsule Collection developed with five young, innovative labels consists of five sweatshirts displaying five distinct designs. “The #mini brand has acted as a standard-bearer for iconic design and individual lifestyles since its earliest days. Driving a #mini is a statement of style and identity, which is one reason why the brand has had a close connection with the #fashion world since the 1960s,” explains Esther Bahne, Head of Brand Strategy and Business Innovation at #mini. With the #mini Gentleman’s Collection, a six-item range of accessories for the modern chap still fresh in the mind, this year #mini is showing an all-sweatshirt collection. The #mini FLUID #fashion Capsule Collection is limited to 200 pieces per design and available exclusively from Luisa Via Roma’s online store from mid-June.

MINI FLUID #fashion: Bold meets genderless.

Design collaborations have always been an important tool for #mini when it comes to developing its perspectives on #fashion and design and, in so doing, making new discoveries. To this end, #mini FLUID #fashion combines the design expertise of #mini with strong input from young labels based in five different countries. The selected designers have translated the optimistic, open attitude of the #mini brand into modish statements on sweatshirts designed by #mini. It is an approach emphasised by the choice of the sweatshirt as the canvas for the designs. A sweatshirt is something both men and women can wear and is one of the most “democratic” and ubiquitous items of clothing out there. It exists in a place beyond categorisation, as a #fashion classic equally at home on the street or in collections from major designers. #mini has also gone its own, unconventional way in the #fashion designers it has selected for the job at hand. Their latest collections brim with exciting designs, challenge assumptions and, in the process, overcome barriers within our minds. HIEN LE (Germany), Agi & Sam (UK), Études Studio (France), SANKUANZ (China) and Sunnei (Italy) all created one sweatshirt each.

HIEN LE, Germany.

Berlin’s own HIEN LE prioritises subtle lines and well thought-through design. His commitment to simplicity, style and quality translates into creations which are in equal measure at the cutting edge of the times and timeless. For the #mini FLUID #fashion Capsule Collection he brought together Instagram’s “like” heart – an expression of appreciation in the digital age – with the guiding theme of his latest collection: the negative form. “For me, #mini FLUID #fashion is about boundlessness, courage and, above all, love,” he says. “These are things that have always been big for me and are now more important than ever.”

Études Studio, France.

Alongside their work as designers, Études reflect the #fashion landscape through various projects and releases. Their cross-platform work is headlined by bold experiments and collaborations, and their design for the #mini FLUID #fashion Capsule Collection displays their visionary style in an essential form: “The phrase ‘out of the blue’ refers to the notion of the unexpected and spontaneous, with the ability to see positivity and optimism in everything. ‘Out of the blue’ represents the beauty that comes from the moments and places where it is least expected. The phrase represents Études’ ethos as a brand and creative collective.”

Agi & Sam, Britain.

London-based Agi & Sam are firm believers in “never taking #fashion too seriously”. The two designers invigorate their creativity with flashes of humour but then switch to a very serious dedication to in-depth research and application to take it forward. For the #mini FLUID #fashion Capsule Collection, Agi & Sam have stayed true to their penchant for contrasting and vibrant design to blend eye-catching colours with minimalist lines. This combination is expressed in geometric patterns, with a nod to the work of a true crosser of frontiers, Gunta Stölzl. The German artist made her name as the first female Master in the male-dominated Bauhaus movement.

SANKUANZ, China.

Hallmarks of SANKUANZ design include daring and brightly coloured designs, in which unconventional patterns converge with sometimes conflicting elements to make high-end collections. Its genderless creations combine often traditional elements with modern details. And so it is with SANKUANZ’s design for the #mini FLUID #fashion Capsule Collection, which fuses the aesthetic of classical, Chinese comics from the 1980s with the colour-rich, contemporary SANKUANZ logo and a classic #mini as a symbol of a more friendly, more colourful approach to urban living.

Sunnei, Italy.

Sunnei was one of the major discoveries – for #mini and others – at “The Latest #fashion Buzz”, a talent project hosted by #pittiuomo 89 early this year. The Sunnei guys brought their own approach to the #mini FLUID #fashion Capsule Collection: “We are obsessed with stripes and that's why we decided to match them with our motto ‘every day I wear Sunnei’, that is about being confident with your style without caring about trends. We love the fact that if you see these graphics from afar, they look like a Vichy pattern and then when you get closer you discover what it means. That's our message; that it's time to look at details and stop for a minute to discover what every single piece of our collection means.”

MINI and Pitti Immagine. 
Pitti Immagine is a fashion-focused fair held in Italy every year. And the #pittiuomo show, which focuses exclusively on men’s #fashion, has taken place in Florence twice every year since 1972. The events promote young, aspiring and sometimes unconventional #fashion labels. The collaboration between #mini and Pitti Immagine, which has been running since January 2015, spans a range of projects. One of the major talents identified by #mini and Pitti at the 87th #pittiuomo was young designer Alberto Premi, who subsequently presented his innovative shoe collection in a Special #mini Edition at the Salone del Mobile in April 2015. #mini provided evidence of how its philosophy has spread beyond the automotive world at #pittiuomo 88 in June 2015. There, #mini teamed up with six talented young Italians to design the #mini Gentleman’s Collection – a six-item Capsule Collection combining Italian craftsmanship with creative and innovative details. #mini and Pitti joined forces once again at Pitti 89 in January 2016 to advance the cause of international #fashion talents. #mini used the occasion to debut “The Latest #fashion Buzz”, a platform showcasing a selection of international designers who bring new and modern ideas to the menswear sector.