Lifting the veil of doom and gloom that has altered the way Giorgio Armani has presented his collection since 1981, the 40th anniversary of Emporio Armani wasn’t filled with movie stars (usually a staple on the front row of his shows), political heavyweights, jet setting socialites and supermodels but a socially distant affair with a level of studied, honed perfection that only he can provide.
Locked down at his palatial home on Via Borgonuovo in Milan, Armani digitally presented the Emporio Armani collection to a global audience – streaming it online for audiences in New Delhi to New York, Tokyo to Paris. The entire world of fashion purveyors watched simultaneously the mix of the 1980s disco era and the modern that strutted down the catwalk. A patina of technicolour dreams, as well as his signature navy and all-black ensembles. Flashes and pops of colour with contemporary cuts, exquisite silhouettes, patterns and monochrome.
Filmed against a backdrop of the brand’s name writ in neon, the collection had all the signature pieces one expects from the legend; luxurious fabrications, glitter, leather, whimsical cuts and classic silhouettes, the pride, the peplum, the pinstripe, he showed it all. Models wearing knits with sequin borders, jacquard, suitings for women and loungewear tailoring for men.
For long loving, enduring fans of the brand, there were new graphic shapes, amplified colours, as well as reassuring crystals and glittering gowns – those most often seen on the red carpet of every award show. Pieces you’ll see again on Armani’s muses like Cate Blanchette, Julia Roberts and that A-list ilk; there’s a reason why he’s held the crown of “the king of the Hollywood red carpet” (Vanity Fair) since 1978, when he first dressed Diane Keaton. Movie stars and Armani go hand in velvet-gloved hand so when you see a black and white gown with glittering embellishments, you know Kidman will swan down the stage like he made it just for her.
No other designer of his vintage – Giorgio Armani turned 87 this past July – stands this tall, relevant and a force to be reckoned with. Trends come and go, tides rise and fall. Style is eternal and Armani is forever.
P.Ramakrishnan
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