As the new Fiat 500 counts down to its official launch on 15th September the project is now taking its place at Pitti Immagine, a high-profile event which is dedicated to the world of fashion that is taking place in Florence this week. On the Fiat stand visitors can view four pairs of fashion label jeans by Diesel, Levi’s, G-Star and Replay which have been re-worked by leading designer Carlo Spreafico to pay homage to the 500.

This year's edition of Pitti Immagine sees a world preview of many clothing and accessories collections which are designed for the 2007/2008 autumn-winter season. The event, which is organised by Pitti Immagine, is sponsored by the Centro di Firenze per la Moda Italiana. “This edition is dedicated to the spirit of a redefined elegance," says managing director of Pitti Immagine, "that gives today’s man a new awareness of fashion and of the pleasure of “dressing up.” The special events express this new identity in its several declinations. From the most famous names in fine tailoring on Savile Row, to the avant-garde elegance of Kris Van Assche, via Touch – the new project at the Fortezza da Basso during this edition - to the research by the new names at New Beat(s) and the limited editions at Pitti Rooms”.

Pitti Immagine’s newest project is dedicated to the latest developments in the contemporary male wardrobe. Touch was conceived to express the new elegance of the fashionable man, the knowledgeable spirit and eclectic touch with which the modern dandy chooses sophisticated combinations for dressing and dressing well. Thanks to the layout designed by Oliviero Baldini, the Sala della Ronda becomes an elegant department store where brands and products carry on a creative dialogue. Within Rooms n. 5 Pitti Immagine takes the most sophisticated contemporary luxury design to its utmost limits.
 

The Palazzina Presidenziale at the Santa Maria Novella Railroad Station will be the unusual backdrop for a group of six absolutely exclusive, totally luxurious collections. Made in limited editions, and some specifically for this event, these collections will be showcased in the original setting designed by Sergio Colantuoni.

Meanwhile, during Pitti Uomo a select group of Savile Row tailors will present their rigorously bespoke garments and collections at Villa Vittoria. This will be a unique opportunity to see and get to know the excellence of Made in London tailoring skills. A new special area has been created by Pitti Uomo reserved for debuts and new talent previews. Its name is New Beat(s and at this, the seventh edition, it will focus on trend concepts by young avant-garde brands. The rooms in the Lyceum have been transformed into natural habitats for collections which experiment with new modes of fashion-oriented expression.

Bringing the new Fiat 500 to Pitti Immagine is the just one plank in a wide-ranging strategy being undertaken by the Turinese firm to promote the new small car ahead of its official launch in September. A string of initiatives have been rolled out through the website www.fiat500.com devised by the Leo Burnett agency. In fact the website has received 14,750,000 "page views", beyond the 2,397.000 "visits", and nearly 1,875,000 "unique visitors". Through the Concept Lab visitors have sent in 166,500 configurations and 22,480 suggestions. 682 contributions have been made to "500logia", 1,262 mascot ideas have been submitted, 1,456 jingles composed, 1,443 mp3 downloads made and 1,057 plans for Design Boom presented. The most recent initiative "Baby Boom" offers expectant mothers the chance to win a 500.