CONSINEE X VITELLI at Pitti Uomo

Event

Edition 105

10.01.2024

Place of the event

COSTRUZIONI LORENESI, PRIMO PIANO, STAND 9-10

Date of the event

10.01.2024 11:00

Calendar

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CASHMERE TRAIL A Special Project Blending Design and Sustainable Luxury

Consinee Group Co., LTD, the leading Chinese group in the fine, certified, and sustainable yarns market, returns to Pitti Uomo 105 following its initial debut in June 2023.

From January 9 to 12, 2024, Cashmere Trail, the special project and collaboration between Consinee and Vitelli, an Italian brand known for its experimental and responsible knitwear, led by founder and creative director Mauro Simionato, will be presented for the first time at the Fortezza da Basso.

On the first floor of the Costruzioni Lorenesi, an immersive layout introduces the capsule collection of 10 cashmere pieces, epitomizing Vitelli's pure style. These garments are crafted entirely from recycled yarn from Consinee's seasonal stock leftovers. This collection, designed by Mauro Simionato, marks Vitelli's first foray into pure cashmere. It embodies the Milanese brand's contemporary style and regenerative practices, enriched through the dialogue with Consinee's yarns, giving new life to premium materials.

The visual journey, curated by Simionato, unfolds through the lens of Patrick Bienert, a German photographer renowned for his work on youth identities and transforming territories. Additionally, a video installation, akin to a visual diary, chronicles the journey of discovering cashmere through every phase of the supply chain. From Inner Mongolia to Ningbo, from pastures to factories, the narrative fully reveals the virtuous cashmere production chain initiated by Consinee, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability.

This collaboration is a commitment to sustainable development, and it seemed natural to present it in a sensitive context like Pitti Uomo. Our partnership with Vitelli aims to drive more responsible production by combining Italian innovation with Chinese manufacturing technology. We recognize the crucial role of raw materials in the luxury industry and emphasize Consinee's continuous research and exquisite craftsmanship in material development. As Consinee's products grow and the company's visibility increases, we hope to cultivate and support international and domestic talented designers through our project 'Phoenix Plan, devoted to emerging designers in knitwear.

— Boris Xue, CEO of Consinee

Our meeting with Consinee stemmed from the Chinese company's interest in Vitelli's 'regenerative' practices in high-end knitwear, and a curiosity about my brand storytelling, which continuously balances between product and image, craftsmanship, and 'culture.' When I asked the company for detailed information about their production chain, especially their certified cashmere and recycled yarn, they responded, 'Why don't you come to see and document it in person!’ And so, accompanied by photographer Patrick Bienert, I embarked on a journey in reverse, from the facilities in Ningbo - where, in addition to spinning, recycling is also practiced - to the pastures in Inner Mongolia. This journey was undertaken to trace and narrate together the path of Consinee cashmere and the company's commitment to developing a more responsible production system.

— Mauro Simionato, founder of Vitelli

Pitti Uomo has always been a fertile ground for the birth and launch of new collaborations between industry players. We are delighted to host the meeting between a leading global spinning company and the eclectic brand of an Italian designer committed to a conscious approach to fashion. An ascending reality, Vitelli treasures the ancient Italian knitting tradition and employs sustainable practices like recycling and upcycling, with a contemporary aesthetic vision.

— Antonio Cristaudo, Commercial and Development Director of Pitti Immagine

CONSINEE GROUP CO., LTD

Founded in 1999 in Ningbo, China, Consinee Group Co., Ltd. now has corporate offices all over the world. The Chinese group is a global leader, a reference point for luxury brands, accounting for up to 20% of the world's pure cashmere yarn production. Consinee's philosophy focuses on certified sustainability as an essential foundation of production. This includes protecting cashmere goats and pastures, supporting shepherd communities, recycling most dye waters, and using materials derived from plants and recycled cashmere. Over 30% of their electricity consumption comes from solar and photovoltaic plants. Consinee has established the first next-generation cashmere spinning factory: reduced costs, increased productivity, and complete control over the supply chain.

VITELLI

Vitelli, a knitwear label founded in 2017 by creative director Mauro Simionato, began as a collective of artisan creatives based in Milan, focusing on holistic and sustainable production practices. For its entirely made-in-Italy knitwear, Vitelli uses recovered and zero-kilometer yarns, also collaborating with local independent workshops. Its style is eclectic and experimental, drawing inspiration from the Cosmic Youth, the counter-cultural youth and clubbing scene of the 1980s with multicultural-inspired aesthetics.