Itailian fashion events organiser Pitti Imagine is going to be welcoming Californian brands into its next edition. From June 14th to 17th, ‘Band of Outsiders’ will present its collections at menswear trade show Pitti Uomo, while ‘Rodarte’ shows its own at the women’s fashion fair Pitti W.

Backstage at Rodarte's catwalk show

Succeeding last year’s special guests (Trussardi and Jil Sander at Pitti Uomo and Gareth Pugh and Haider Ackermann at Pitti W), this time it is the turn of designer Scott Sternberg from Band of Outsiders and the Mulleavy sisters from Rodarte to exhibit their works. Born in California around the middle of the 2000s, the two brands were even awarded prizes by the Council of Fashion Designers in the categories for men’s and women’s fashion. “Rodarte and Band of Outsiders are two very different design talents. But they both connect us to the mythology of Western America: Los Angeles, where all three designers live and work; film, which they are obviously interested in; and the expanses of the interstate highway that runs through California or heads into the desert of Nevada”, said Lapo Cianchi, the director of communication and events at Pitti Immagine.