Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
MILAN, Italy — Let's put it clearly: true masters either succeed brilliantly or fail tragically. Half measures do not really apply. Giorgio Armani is, without a doubt, a master. As one of the last surviving emperors in a system that keeps rotting as self-promotion is lauded over professionalism, Armani is not a stranger to faux pas.
Yet when he skips the obsession with being au courant and reverts back to what he does best — soft, slouchy tailoring that molds to the body in effortless ways — defining a timeless idea of style that is full of cinematic memories — one has just to sit down and take notice. The Emporio Armani show today was just as such: Armani doing Armani, with a dynamic spin. It was very good. Backstage Armani stressed that men's fashion does not need change every six months — a welcome nod towards slowing down. With its mix of succinct, double-breasted jackets, roomy slacks and impactful outerwear, the collection offered a fruitful deconstruction and reconstruction of the masculine code. The focus on understatement and normality felt relieving. On a flipside, a shorter show would have made the message even clearer. Relentless editing, after all, is another Armani specialty.
