It’s not often that the jaded fashion crowd spontaneously leap to their feet and erupt into joyous applause, but when Giorgio Armani appeared at the finale of his menswear show in Milan on Monday morning, there was a standing ovation for the legend ahead of his 90th birthday next month.
Patrician in his signature black t-shirt – fit and tanned as he reaches his 10th decade – the designer, flanked by his creative team, seemed emotional at the outpouring of goodwill. Whether his refined aesthetic is to your personal taste or not, it’s hard not to respect the Italian fashion titan’s staying power and the globally-recognised label he has built.
Fashion brands today talk about building a “360 degree experience”, “lifestyle” and “codes”.
Back in the 1970s, a young Giorgio Armani was one of the first to create a whole world; a universe of muted, soft-focus elegance that turned him into a household name (and Italy’s third richest man). Today’s focus on soft power dressing and quiet luxury is nothing new to Mr Armani; he’s been doing just that in his own formidable way for over 50 years.
At Monday’s show, that signature style language that’s unique to him was evident in the flowing, pleated trousers, the collarless jackets, waistcoats and soft-fit tailoring. The latter, coincidentally, is also something that’s become prevalent across fashion in the last decade or so; again, something that Armani did before anyone else.
His approach to dressing men has always been masculine, but done with a lightness and ease – fluid cuts stripped of the ephemera that makes up a traditional formal wardrobe – collared shirts and ties and weighty shoes don’t factor in the Armani man’s world.
Armani’s prowess with chiaroscuro was shown in monochrome linens, alongside the designer’s signature inky blues and greige tones, the few concessions to colour being hints of pistachio and lilac. There was a subtle palm print on fluttering silk tops, although this was – of course – nothing audacious. Mr Armani prefers a whisper over noise.
That said, there was a sprinkle of celebrity presence at the show in the form of a shaggily bearded Russell Crowe; again, Mr Armani was one of the first to harness a relationship with the burgeoning cult of celebrity when he started dressing Hollywood in the 80s, with the likes of Diane Keaton, Robert de Niro and Glenn Close wearing his creations.
The landscape has changed seismically since Giorgio Armani started his business; back then there were no social media frenzies, no influencers and no hit accessories that had to be shifted. And yet Armani is one of the few brands to have remained entirely independent and under family control, thought to be worth between eight and 10 billion euros.
Giorgio Armani is one of the last of the truly great designers of the 20th century who grew monolith brands out of steely conviction and a defined aesthetic. He didn’t create a brand, he created an Armaniverse.
With Italy at fever pitch with the Euros – there were standing ovations of a messier kind of Saturday night when they won against Albania – it’s fitting that the country gets set to celebrate another national institution this summer.
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