Da Divise a Uniche: Tram Drivers’ Uniforms Sold in Support of Women’s Empowerment

GEST, together with the Nosotras APS association and in collaboration with Accademia Italiana, Toscana delle Donne, and Zona Crepuscolare, today presented the second phase of the project "Da Divise a Uniche" (From Uniforms to Unique).
The garments in the collection—created from former tram drivers’ uniforms—were sold to support Nosotras APS’s network of women.

The ceremony was attended by Cristina Manetti, Councillor for Culture and Equal Opportunities and President of Toscana delle Donne; Benedetta Albanese, Councillor for Equal Opportunities for the Comune di Firenze; Gloria Okhomina Bimbi, newly appointed President of Nosotras; Gianluca Salemi, Sales and Business Development Director at AD Education Italy for Accademia Italiana; Denis Ratto, CEO of GEST; as well as the companies supporting the charity sale.

Florence, March 2, 2026

In 2025, GEST donated to Nosotras APS a number of its blue tailored suits, former tram drivers’ uniforms that were new but no longer usable due to a periodic model change. Twelve suits were redesigned by students from Accademia Italiana, giving life to the capsule collection “Her”, presented during Pitti Uomo 108.

Inspired by the film of the same name, the collection reflects on the power of the gaze in a world that imposes roles and perceptions: an act of self-determination expressed through fashion. The uniforms, transformed into one-of-a-kind garments, were worn for an exclusive photoshoot set in GEST’s workshops in Scandicci by Filippa Curmark and Cecilie Hauståker, Serie A football players.

Numerous companies responded to the invitation extended by GEST, Nosotras, and Accademia Italiana by purchasing the garments. Participants came from diverse backgrounds, from key partners of the tramway network operator to local service providers and local businesses, different actors united in building a shared journey that will be celebrated on 4 March at Cinema La Compagnia.

The event will open with a performance by Florentine actress and director Claudia Allodi, who will bring to the stage an excerpt from her theatrical work Le donne che amano muoiono (Women Who Love Die), produced by Zona Crepuscolare, addressing the issue of gender-based violence. Combining real voices and women’s true stories with strong emotional impact, the performance is a documentary theatre piece and multimedia monologue, staged to reinforce the goal of fostering a culture oriented toward collective action against all forms of discrimination and violence.

Thanks to the commitment of Cristina Manetti, Councillor for Culture and Gender Equality and President of Toscana delle Donne, the project has been included among the initiatives of the regional programme promoting women’s emancipation and self-determination.

Denis Ratto, CEO of GEST, stated: “On behalf of the local public transport company that manages Florence’s tramway system—serving more than 130,000 people every day in the heart of our cities—I would like to express my deep gratitude to the companies that supported the project Da Divise a Uniche. Their gesture reflects the commitment of a community in motion, aware of its impact on the social fabric of the territory. GEST reaffirms its desire to invest in projects that generate social value. A public transport company must ensure the fundamental freedom of sustainable mobility through the tramway network, but it can also be something more: it can create value through cultural initiatives and by giving back to the community, through collaboration with institutions, the third sector, and cultural associations. Together, we are all moving in the right direction.”