Pitti Imagine Uomo in Florence has been renowned for its Tumblr-adored, tailored menswear aesthetic for almost five years now. That’s not to say that there’s not a little room for womenswear, though, and yesterday Pitti played host to a special presentation from its guest designer, Marco de Vincenzo. An Italian native, de Vicenzo cut his teeth working in Fendi’s ateliers before setting up his own label in 2009.

Yesterday’s presentation, entitled IN LUSIONEM, transformed a disused theatrical space into a sensory interactive experience which, in de Vincenzo’s words, told “a story of colour and space perception”. Whilst there were a handful of laser cut leather looks (on masked models) shown peering from the balconies, de Vincenzo used the partnership opportunity not primarily to present another collection, but instead to do something a little more special: to restore the neglected, and historic, Teatro Niccolini. Utilising the funding granted by Pitti, de Vincenzo renovated the venue and temporarily installed a row of seats clad in metallic leather that, thanks to well-placed mirrors flanking them, appeared to fill the room: the mind (and its senses) was truly boggled at this unique fashion-theater experience.