
By Giulia Piceni. Cover photo by Gabriele Busi.
During the 107th edition of Pitti Immagine Uomo, WP Lavori in Corso unveiled Pocket Memories: An Exploration of Filson’s Archive (from January 14 to 16, 2025). This immersive exhibition delved into the heritage of the iconic Seattle-based outerwear and workwehivar brand and was brought to life by a talented group of students. Keep reading to discover the behind-the-scenes process of creating a fashion exhibition!
How Was the Exhibition Concept Developed?
The creation of an exhibition begins with a crucial step: observation. To bring a concept to life, one must ask questions and seek connections, as this is the foundation of a compelling narrative. For Pocket Memories: An Exploration of Filson’s Archive, the idea for the fashion exhibition idea took shape during a day trip to Bologna, where the student group explored WP Lavori in Corso. There, they had the opportunity to examine the garments housed within the archive, which would later form the centrepiece of the exhibition.








The Pocket: A Symbol of Filson’s Evolution and Personal Memory
As they explored racks of contemporary and vintage pieces, the variety of fabrics and styles caught their attention. Among these discoveries, one element stood out: the flat back pocket of the iconic Cruiser Jacket. A garment patented in the 1920s, it served as an essential shield against harsh weather conditions, thanks to its durable Mackinaw wool shell.






The pocket, a flat compartment at the lower back, was originally designed to hold maps for 20th-century adventurers navigating uncharted territories, notably during the Gold Rush. This detail resonated with the students as a symbolic feature, encapsulating the brand’s evolution from a utilitarian focus to a more modern and personal interpretation. The pocket holds dual significance, balancing practicality with intimacy; it embodies what we carry with us, whether those are tangible tools or intangible memories.







Designing the Exhibition Space: How the Narrative Unfolded
Over time, Filson’s aesthetic, grounded in authentic workwear, has evolved significantly. Today, it not only reflects its origins but also embodies a personal style and serves as a metaphor for inner exploration. Building on this idea, the students identified the main curatorial purpose of the fashion exhibition: to showcase the heritage of the Seattle-based brand while emphasising its evolution through the concept of the pocket. By celebrating this transformation, the exhibition highlighted the emotional and functional significance of the pocket, elevating it as a symbol of individuality. Archival pieces and immersive installations created a narrative that connected the brand’s legacy with its modern-day interpretation.
Clear concepts emerged through a well-defined and thoughtful spatial organisation. The exhibition Pocket Memories was divided into three main sections, articulated within the shop and the adjacent loft belonging to the WP Store.



Shop Windows and Store: That’s Where the Exhibition Began
In the shop windows, four Cruiser Jackets were presented in a comparative display titled Durable Memories, which contrasted contemporary and vintage pieces. This display highlighted the transformation of the garments through Filson’s iconic tin waxed cloth. Scenic elements, like ropes, provided context for the brand’s signature traits, while a looping video alternated between archival footage and commercial content, sparking a dialogue between the past and the present.
Inside the store, an installation titled Reflections of Identity invited spectators to interact with the pieces. Five mirrors were arranged in a circular layout, each one corresponding to a unique, limited-edition garment resulting from Filson’s collaborations with other brands and customised pieces that narrated the stories of their owners. This setup engaged visitors by encouraging them to ‘wear’ the garments by aligning their reflections with the pieces. The outcome was an image that combined the uniqueness of the garments with the individuality of the wearer.

A Space for the Artists to Shine: The Loft
In the loft, the audience could immerse themselves in Fragments of Memory, an assemblage-style installation exploring the evocative power of memory. Shrouded in artificial mist reminiscent of Seattle’s atmosphere, the work showcased a selection of vintage and contemporary garments that blurred the boundaries of time, highlighting their points of convergence.
Everyday furniture was transformed into sculptures that evoked memories distorted by time, with Filson’s ideal wardrobe garments integrated into the structure. The installation symbolises fragments of identity and personal history, inviting exploration from multiple perspectives and portraying the home as a fragmented space where memories and garments—witnesses of our lives—intertwine.







An equally fragmented audio track filled the darkness of the loft, blending natural elements with sounds related to the language of clothing—such as zippers closing and textures taking shape—creating a sense of anticipation for an adventure. A video projection on the wall adjacent to the assemblage gave voice to the landscapes, atmospheres, and human archetypes that inspire Filson. Through a syncopated montage combining transparent overlays with inverted-colour footage, the video seemed inhabited by figures hovering between the spectral and the psychedelic, hinting at their contemporary redefinition.







In Conclusion, How Did the Experience Turn Out for the Students?
The opening day of the exhibition was a resounding success, rewarding the efforts of both students and faculty from the preceding months. The event received excellent feedback from the press and glowing compliments from all attendees. For the students, it was undoubtedly a formative experience that helped them learn to manage responsibilities and meet deadlines.

Creating an exhibition is a collaborative effort, and it’s never the work of a single individual. The collective contributions of everyone involved—whether students tasked with curation, graphic design, multimedia, or styling—were essential in achieving such an outstanding result. This project represented not only a crowning achievement for Istituto Marangoni but also a pivotal experience in the professional journeys of all the students involved.



