After cancelling his men’s and couture shows in January due to Covid restrictions, Giorgio Armani returned to his in-house Teatro runway in Milan this week with a co-ed Emporio Armani staging devoted to glamour. His monochromatic men’s offering and colourful, geo-patterned women’s proposal united in a take on everyday occasion dressing that made for some particularly bold propositions in the world of Armani. British Vogue’s fashion critic Anders Christian Madsen spoke to the designer.
What has been the most memorable event in your life since your last show?
The most memorable event in my life since my last show is that I’ve been working like I’ve always done, keeping up with my inspirations and trying to reflect on how the world is changing, thinking of what I can do with my work to follow these changes.
What is the message behind the Emporio Armani collections?
The message behind the collections is one of strictness and movement, rhythm and colour. It’s all about how the colours and the monochromy of grey can play with the patterns of the clothing. The guiding principles of my work have never changed, but everything is always evolving. These collections express the sharp and tense elements that characterise the Emporio Armani line.
Did the decision to merge your Emporio Armani women’s and men’s shows impact the collections?
There’s always been a connection between the men’s and women’s collection in Emporio, as well as in my other lines. So, the decision to show them together did not really influence the styling, but there is a dialogue between the two where the grey monochromatism of menswear is enhanced by the colourful geometries of womenswear.
Would you ever do a truly genderless Emporio Armani collection?
Never say never! After all, men and women can share their wardrobe, and have always done that. So why not? Although I think that genderless sometimes is just a trick for the catwalk, a way to create a bit of a sensation. Personally, I would say that more than genderless, what I’m interested in is androgyny, which is an idea that I’ve always explored with my work.
Currently, “occasion wear” is something of a buzzword. Do you think we should dress up more in our everyday lives?
I definitely think we should dress up more in our daily lives. Laziness is not something I’m interested in. And we can always dress up a little bit more with that kind of effortlessness that I’ve always liked. It’s not merely about being put together in the best way, but also about taking care of what you wear.
Speaking of dressing up, now that fashion week is back, so are the street style scenes that unfold outside the shows. What is your view of street style culture and its impact on fashion?
I’m always interested in what happens in the streets. My work is fed by what I see around me in the world. What we see outside of fashion shows though is a completely different thing. That cannot be considered the true street style but rather something that’s being made up in order to be photographed. So, I look at it with a smile and a pinch of salt.
