PHOTO: GORUNWAY.COM
MAN ON A MISSION As Giorgio Armani celebrates the 40th anniversary of his eponymous fashion house, the designer is still looking ahead, says Hannah Lewis Earlier this year, surrounded by 500 guests ranging from Hollywood stars to political dignitaries, Giorgio Armani kicked of the 40th-anniversary celebrations for his iconic fashion house with one of the most stylish parties of the year. To coincide with the launch of Expo Milano 2015, Armani unveiled a new exhibition space, Armani/ Silos, staged a grand fashion show celebrating some of his greatest creations, and ended the night with a cocktail party at his nightclub, Armani Privé. The celebratory catwalk show transported guests back through the past four decades, presenting highlights from the Giorgio Armani Privé couture line from its inception. Comprising 160 looks, it was an impressive retrospective, showcasing glamour, variety and notably colour, a timely reminder that Armani s reputed fondness for greige is undeserved. From layered tulle skirts in soft nudes to bold scarlet of-the-shoulder gowns, the show honoured a designer with endless creativity and the ability to make beautiful, timeless clothes. Even more impressively, this 131 / 138 / 143
80 FEATURES represented just one part of the Armani portfolio. There are eight brands under the Armani umbrella, producing everything from jeans to home accessories, baby clothes to ballgowns. The brand has 49 retail spaces in Italy alone, including the Armani Casa fagship, an Armani café and the aforementioned nightclub. As a result, one could spend days exploring Armani s achievements in the past 40 years and not even scratch the surface. As the man himself has said, I ve done everything. He has a remarkably hands-on approach; from architectural sketches to the smallest fabric decisions, Armani approves everything personally. Many fashion commentators, and Armani himself, have attributed the designer s prolifc On trend and classic, Armani s fashion will last a lifetime output to his late start in life. Now 81, the designer did not launch his eponymous label until he was 40. Even so, he has been able to ft the work of at least one lifetime into those four decades. The Armani label launched in 1975, and by the following year the designer s collections were already making waves, with his ready-to-wear, in particular, meeting the needs of modern women perfectly. Armani was instrumental Previous page: Armani Privé autumn/winter 2014/15 Above: Armani s 40th-anniversary fashion show
82 FEATURES in defning the look of the era, but where others have fallen by the wayside as trends have changed, the brand has remained the go-to label for everything from suiting to eveningwear. The forward-looking designer is always thinking about the next season, and he has an uncanny ability to create clothes that are simultaneously on trend and classic; Armani s fashion is fashion that will last a lifetime. Opening at the same time as the retrospective show and party, the new Armani/Silos space plays host to an exhibition showcasing 600 signature looks, as well as a collection of sketches, technical drawings and materials from the Armani archives. Just don t call it a museum. Armani PHOTOS: (TOP) DAVIDE LOVATTI (BOTH); (BOTTOM) GORUNWAY.COM Above (clockwise from top): Armani/Silos (both); Armani Privé spring/summer 2015
SHOP 83 is not about stagnation, he s concerned with looking to the future, and exhibits will be changed every six months. The building, a former granary, has been sympathetically renovated to maintain many original features while also radically altering others a demonstration of Armani s passion for juxtaposing tradition and modernity. On the other side of the city, the Armani Montenapoleone fagship has recently been renovated. Located in the historic Palazzo Taverna, the store also fuses old and new; the layout has been returned to its original foorplan, but each room has been customised, with luxurious materials such as marble and onyx used throughout. As well Despite his impressive legacy, Armani s eye is firmly on the future as stocking the largest Armani product collection in the city, the store is also home to a dedicated made-to-measure service. Milan was the natural choice for the fagship; although Armani was born in Piacenza, his label was founded in the city and he has lived and worked there ever since. Despite his impressive legacy, Armani s eye remains frmly on the future. At the moment he is
84 FEATURES focusing on a range of accessories, including handbags, designed to exist outside of the normal fashion schedule. Armani has never relied on accessories in the way that many fashion houses have, but the designer is always aware of his audience and bags have become big news. Le Sac 11 has been launched to coincide with the anniversary: a practical top-handle bag that is minimalist, classic and available in three sizes and a selection of diferent materials and colours. The 11 references not only Armani s birth date but also the address of his company s historic headquarters. Despite this nod to his heritage, the bag has as with everything Armani been designed with the present, and future, in mind. A timeless design conceived for today and built to last: a ftting summation of the Armani philosophy armani.com PHOTOS: (TOP) GIONATA XERRA; (MIDDLE) GORUNWAY.COM Above (from top): Armani Privé nightclub, Milan; Emporio Armani autumn/winter 2015/16; Le Sac 11