It was a big week for Giorgio Armani. He unveiled a solid Emporio Armani collection; opened a transporting Magnum photo exhibition at his Silos space; signed up “Bridgerton” heartthrob Regé-Jean Page to front his Code fragrance campaigns, and cheered his basketball team Olimpia Milano as it walloped Virtus Bologna to become Italian league champions.
Members of Olimpia — A|X Armani Exchange is the title sponsor — lined the third row at the Giorgio Armani show on Monday and an announcer invited the audience to offer a round of applause. And when the designer stepped out for his bow, he pointed a thumbs-up in the direction of the players.
His signature collection for spring 2023 also warrants a thumbs-up: a confident display of light-handed, almost gossamer tailoring from the originator of that look.
Armani wrapped his intimate runway theater on Via Borgonuovo with images of sand ridged by the wind, and the desert wanderers who opened the show looked terrific in their pajama-like suits and shirts with extra long tails. The pale colors — white, sand and dabs of black — and subtle textures were outstanding.
The designer segued to watery blues and navy, colors exalted in seersucker, linen, and washed and necktie silks. Slipper-soft sneakers and suede loafers heightened the loungey, languid character of the clothes.
Many designers have been tweaking their collections and casting to appeal to Gen Z, but not Armani. These are clothes for a more mature man partial to understatement, and whose comfort zone resides in jackets, shirts, sweaters and pants.
There was enough variety within those menswear essentials to hold your attention, and for the TikTok generation, maybe the purple trousers and brimless baseball caps.
At a post-show press conference, Armani said there was something “reassuring” in seeing a man well-dressed. He said he wanted to show “classic pieces” styled in a new way that would evolve his fashion and evoke “a sense of freedom.”
Next up for the busy designer is an Armani Privé couture show in Paris.
