MILAN — Menswear trade fair Pitti Uomo announced Monday a new guest designer for its upcoming edition scheduled for June 17 to 20.
South Korean brand Post Archive Faction, known as PAF, is to present its men’s spring 2026 collection in Florence with a special event, although the exact date and format are still under wraps.
Established in 2018 by Dongjoon Lim and Sookyo Jeong, PAF is known for its avant-garde sportswear and experimental outerwear as well as use of innovative techniques and materials. Lim describes the brand as the “[fashion] archive of the future.”
In sync with the playbook of streetwear brands, the Seoul-based label drops its collections online throughout the year and thrives on collaborations, including one with Swiss activewear brand On.
According to Lapo Cianchi, director of communications and events at trade show operator Pitti Immagine, the presence of PAF at Pitti Uomo suggests the growing relevance of the South Korean market for the fashion industry.
“For several seasons now at Pitti, we’ve been paying particular attention to the culture and aesthetic of South Korea. It’s a growing market, highly significant for Italian fashion and for the fair — considering the strong turnout of journalists and business professionals at Pitti Uomo — but also a fertile ground for scouting the new generation of fashion designers and young creatives who stand out for their versatility and ability to connect different artistic languages and disciplines,” Cianchi offered.
PAF’s fashion event at Pitti Uomo will by supported by the trade show alongside the Korea Creative Content Agency, the government agency under South Korea’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Pitti Uomo has over the years spotlighted South Korea’s fashion with individual activations, most notably naming it the Guest Country of Honor in 2014, to mark the 130th anniversary of the diplomatic relationships between the Asian country and Italy.
A look from Post Archive Faction, or PAF.
Courtesy of PAF
The announcement of PAF follows that of Homme Plissé Issey Miyake as guest of honor of the upcoming summer edition of the trade show. The South Korean brand follows in the footsteps of MM6 Maison Margiela, Setchu, Marine Serre, Martine Rose and Grace Wales Bonner, among others, as a guest designer of the men’s trade fair.