Before the Giorgio Armani show began, a statement from the designer was read out in English: “My decision not to use any music in the show was made as a sign of respect to the people affected by the evolving tragedy.” He was the first designer of Milan Fashion Week to directly use his show as a platform to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As the models walked along the small Via Borgonuovo runway in silence – Armani’s soft, grey, shimmering garments twinkling in the dark – the moment that played out was both poetic and haunting. Anders Christian Madsen spoke to the designer after the show.
Tell me about your decision to present your show in silence as a gesture for Ukraine
What could I do? I could only signal my heartbeat for the tragedy through the silence. I didn’t want show music. The best thing is to give a signal that we’re not happy, [and] to recognise [that] something disturbing is happening. I think the clothes became even more powerful through the silence.
What thoughts led to this decision?
A few hours before the show started, I asked myself what I could do to show my support in light of what is happening. I really wanted to show that my heart is with the people in Ukraine. I had to find a way to communicate that we are not celebrating here, because what is happening out there really concerns me. So, I told my team I didn’t want any music in the show. Everyone was moved, and I believe that both backstage and in the theatre, the silence was louder and much more impactful than any kind of music.
Softness played a big part in your collection. Do you think fashion currently has a tendency to be too hard?
Yes, I agree that fashion at the moment tends to be hard. It’s reshaping the body in a very architectural way. That has never been the case for me. I like a softer approach to clothing. But that is my take on fashion, and the world is bigger and bigger, so I believe there is space for everybody’s vision.
With this collection, why did you want to “renounce the superfluous” as your show notes suggested?
Eliminating the excess and the superfluous was always a good idea for me. I think elegance is a matter of subtraction rather than one of addition. And this seems particularly relevant at the moment. Also, through subtraction the personality of the wearer shines through. I’m always intrigued by people that I see in the street. First I notice them because they are well-dressed, and then my gaze shifts to their face or to their attitude.
What are your favourite looks in the collection?
My favourite looks are the pants with multicolour prints and definitely the long tunics in sparkling materials worn over trousers. I am also keen on the men’s looks, so elegant and formal with the neckties.
There are elements of Art Deco in the collection. Why did you want to re-evoke this now?
I have a big passion for Art Deco because I think it expresses a kind of modernity that is still relevant today. I also like the use of colour and precious materials. The collection is not a direct reference to Art Deco, but it stems from that use of colour which is playful and at the same time geometric and very elegant. What I did was to bring Art Deco into my own territory. So, it’s Armani through a different prism, but still one hundred percent Armani.
