Pitti Uomo closes tomorrow in Florence, while, on the same day, the menswear season kicks off in Milan, to continue in Paris next week. The start of each fashion season carries its usual air of excitement, but also a familiar fatigue that often surfaces in the form of mass-adopted trends, signs of a collective preference for conformity over individuality (consider the ubiquitous micro beanie hats, now a must-have among trade show and runway crowds, hardly a statement of rebellion…). To inject a touch of defiance into the season, let's revisit a moment when fashion, menswear, and politics collided in a bold performance.
On October 18, 1956 (so next year we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of this performance), Brazilian artist Flávio de Carvalho (1899–1973) shocked São Paulo’s society by walking down Rua Barão de Itapetininga in an outfit that reimagined the boundaries of gender and design.
Dubbed the "Traje de Verão" (Summer Suit) or "New Look Tropical" (Tropical New Look), Carvalho's ensemble featured a green pleated skirt above the knee, fishnet stockings (optional and borrowed from actress Maria Della Costa), a short-sleeved cotton and organza blouse, a nylon hat, and leather sandals.
This avant-garde ensemble was Carvalho's response to Christian Dior's iconic New Look, introduced in 1947, a definition coined by Harper's Bazaar editor Carmel Snow. Dior's silhouette was a celebration of abundance after years of wartime austerity; Carvalho's take, however, subverted the codes of masculinity and promoted climate-specific practicality.
The artist's stroll through São Paulo became an impromptu performance. With a solemn expression, Carvalho walked the streets, attracting curious onlookers. He stopped for coffee at a bar before entering the Cine Marrocos. In an act of subtle defiance (the cinema had a strict dress code requiring suits and ties), he purchased a ticket and entered the venue. He exited through another door, baffling staff and continued to the offices of the Diário Associados newspaper.
There, Carvalho climbed onto a table, transforming himself into a living exhibit. He delivered philosophical musings to the gathered crowd before retreating to the newsroom, changing into a white skirt and red blouse, and concluding his performance with another coffee before returning home by car.
The performance, later known as "Experiência nº. 3", was a multidisciplinary act merging sociology, anthropology, fashion, visual arts, theatricality, and literature. Above all, it was a protest against colonialism, embodied in an outfit that challenged the European norms dominating men's fashion in 1950s Brazil.
Urban architecture and public space were integral to the performance, with the street transforming into a stage for creativity. This deliberate disruption of daily life sparked conversations about masculinity and colonialism, showcasing the power of fashion as a tool for rebellion. Unlike Carvalho's earlier "Experiência nº. 2" in 1931, which provoked violent outrage, "Experiência nº. 3" ignited debate without direct physical backlash.
In "Experiência nº. 2", Carvalho had walked against the flow of a Corpus Christi procession in Praça da Sé, wearing a cap, a deliberate affront to religious tradition. During this sacred procession, hats were customarily removed as a sign of reverence, and interruptions were unthinkable. By defiantly wearing his cap and allegedly muttering anti-clerical remarks, Carvalho provoked anger among the faithful, inciting threats of lynching.
What distinguishes "Experiência nº. 3" is its foundation in long-term research rather than a fleeting interest in menswear. Carvalho viewed clothing as a powerful medium for both individual expression and decolonization. This perspective was deeply rooted in his earlier work. 
In the early 1930s, Carvalho published a series of 39 illustrated articles in the Diário de São Paulo under the title "A moda novo homem" (The New Man's Fashion). These articles examined the evolution of attire through history, drawing inspiration from the clothing of Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations. For Carvalho, fashion was not merely aesthetic but a tool for redefining identity and challenging societal structures.
Flávio de Carvalho viewed jackets, collars, and ties as relics of European colonization, ill-suited to Brazil's tropical climate and symbolic of a cultural conformity. His vision for radically reimagining Brazilian men's clothing aimed to dismantle these Eurocentric norms and propose a more liberated, climate-conscious approach to menswear.
Photographs of "Experiência nº. 3" vividly capture the contrast between Carvalho and the men around him. Standing apart in his bold, unconventional attire, Carvalho challenged the monotony of the prevailing dress code. The other men, dressed uniformly in garments dictated by social class and European influence, embodied the norms he sought to disrupt.
For this groundbreaking performance, Carvalho collaborated with Maria Ferrara, costume designer for the Ballet do IV Centenário da Cidade de São Paulo (for which Carvalho had designed sets and costumes). The outfit initially incorporated stays to prevent fabric from touching the skin enhancing comfort in high temperatures, but this proved ineffective and was ultimately removed. Carvalho's engineering background influenced the design's functional aspects: ventilation cuts, particularly under the arms, facilitated airflow and sweat evaporation, practical adaptations for Brazil's climate.
Color was another critical element of Carvalho's design philosophy. He believed vibrant hues could liberate men from the austere monochromes of traditional suits and ties, making men happier and more docile, "less irritable and obtuse". His vision therefore extended beyond practicality, hoping to free men from the constraints of prejudice and taboo.
Carvalho's outfit was a manifesto for a man unshackled by societal norms, one who could embrace sartorial freedom and challenge traditional gender roles and class divides. If women could take an interest in menswear, why couldn't men explore elements of women's clothing? Carvalho's ideas anticipated the modern push for sartorial equality and liberation, laying the groundwork for the gender-fluid designs embraced by contemporary fashion.
Though Carvalho initially envisioned showcasing the outfit alongside a larger group dressed similarly, this plan never materialized. His friends Giuseppe Ungaretti and Alberto Moravia expressed interest in supporting a potential demonstration in Rome, but the concept was never exported beyond Brazil.
Having studied engineering in England before shifting his focus to fine arts, Carvalho approached the "Traje de Verão" (Summer Suit) as an act of rebellion, it was, as stated above, his way of resisting the oppressive conventions that forced men in tropical climates to dress as though bracing for snow.
An architect, engineer, visual artist, set designer, theorist, writer, playwright, and cultural provocateur, Carvalho ended up anticipating modern trends that have embraced genderless aesthetics and designers incorporating skirts into menswear collections.
Carvalho never aimed to be a fashion designer, but you can't help but wish that more designers today embodied his spirit, and envisaged fashion as a bold political statement, fuelled by Carvalho's optimism, courage and rebellion.
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