Fashion, heritage and hope: Chiara Boni curates iconic runway for breast cancer awareness

The upcoming edition of Pitti Uomo will also serve as an opportunity to unite art, fashion, and solidarity, thanks to a special event scheduled for Thursday, June 19 at 6:30 p.m. CEST (local time) in the magnificent setting of the Salone dei Cinquecento at the Palazzo Vecchio. The initiative aims to support the fight against breast cancer and is the result of a collaboration between the non-profit organization Corri La Vita and designer Chiara Boni, who spoke to FashionNetwork.com about the project following the press conference for Pitti Uomo 108.

“We wanted to tell the story of Italian fashion through the most iconic pieces by top designers, drawing from their archives. A vintage fashion show—a very relevant theme, since today’s millennials are particularly drawn to past creations,” explained Chiara Boni. “It was a complex undertaking, but we succeeded. We’ll showcase all the big names in Italian fashion, with garments spanning from the 1980s to today. They’ll be worn by young men and women from all over Italy—not professional models.”

In total, about 70 iconic creations (including several pairs of shoes) by some of Italy’s most prestigious designers will walk the runway: Armani, Balestra, Beccaria, Capucci, Cavalli, Coveri, Ferragamo, Ferré, Ferretti, Gattinoni, Gucci, Janson, Kiton, Laug, Moschino, Pucci, and Scervino.

“I also managed to retrieve pieces from Jean-Paul Gaultier, even though no archives exist in Italy,” noted the designer. “Now more than ever, fashion cannot ignore its impact on the environment and society. Vintage and the circular economy are essential responses to the industry’s unsustainably rapid growth. Each vintage piece is a treasure that tells stories, traditions, and craftsmanship we must protect and celebrate. It’s not just about recovering clothing from the past, but about breathing new life and energy into them—contributing to a virtuous cycle that reduces waste and promotes responsible resource use.”

“As a designer, I firmly believe it’s our duty to work with materials and concepts that support change,” added Chiara Boni. “The circular economy offers us the chance to innovate—not only by creating new collections but also by championing a model built on repair, recycling, and reuse. This doesn’t mean giving up beauty or elegance but reimagining them in a context of social and environmental responsibility.”

“The fashion of the future will be the one that can merge innovation with sustainability, creativity with awareness. With its timeless elegance, Vintage offers a first step toward a fashion world with soul and long-term vision—one that respects both the planet and future generations.”

Drusilla Foer—known for her signature blend of elegance and irony—will host the event and narrate the story behind each outfit. Proceeds will support Corri La Vita, Italy’s leading charity initiative dedicated to breast cancer prevention, treatment, and psychological care. Since its founding in 2003, Corri La Vita has raised more than €9.3 million, welcomed over 540,000 participants on the last Sunday of September each year, and helped deliver quality care to more than 500,000 women affected by breast cancer.

“We are deeply proud to host such a meaningful event in the unique setting of the Salone dei Cinquecento, a symbol of our city. Collaborating with a celebrated designer like Chiara Boni—whom I sincerely thank for designing and promoting this evening—allows us to pair the elegance of Italian fashion with a real commitment to health and prevention,” said Eleonora Frescobaldi, president of Corri La Vita. “We’ve always supported women in their fight against breast cancer, and this initiative represents an extraordinary opportunity to reaffirm that solidarity can and should take new, exciting, and shared forms.”