Giorgio Armani goes deep blue at his Silos

A change of location for Giorgio Armani who presented his latest ideas inside his contemporary art exhibition space Armani/Silos, in Milan. It used to be the deposit for a Nestlé chocolate factory; and this Fall 2019 collection certainly reeked of rich nonchalance.

Entitled "Rhapsody in Blue," almost the entire collection came in multiple azure variations. In two sleekly presented co-ed shows, the key element in the women’s wardrobe was jodhpurs. Giorgio cut his elongated, buttoned along the calf and lightly curved at the thigh. For the daytime, in matte or anthracite silk; for events in rich black velvet. He paired these jodhpurs with deft boleros in raw silk or patrician cape jackets. All of them pencil thin, and summary lessons to lesser designers in the art of fashionable cutting.

Jodhpurs made in blackest velvet or dazzling jacquard, sometimes with a grosgrain track pant trim, or in the key fabric of this collection – an abstract, knotted photographic tie-dye, "almost as if a swatch of fabric had been scrunched up and left to fade in the sun," as Armani explained to his studio.

The print – which also featured on the silk invitation – was seen in silken blouses, round leather handbags, elegant clutches, lambskin jerkins and long velvet redingotes.

There was a great sense of pride about the cast, who clearly loved looking so successful; the ladies done up in some beautifully intricate hairstyles worthy of a Ghirlandaio fresco – Renaissance ravishing.

All perfect for Giorgio’s high-powered front row that included Naomi Watts, Rosamund Pike, Gemma Arterton and Michelle Hunziker, who joined him for his second show.

For gents, Armani dreamed up three suit styles; either laser cut with short double-breasted jackets in Air Force blue; taut and business deal worthy in Oxford blue or languid and faintly billowing in Prussian blue. Every one of them flattering.

"Classical modernism; velvety elegance. That also sells well!" joked Armani with a twinkle in his eye, as he took a photo with his entire cast in between shows.

Let’s just say some designers create clothes so that their clients look like they come from old money, others so their customers seem to have just made a lot of money. However, when he is at his best – which he was this evening – Armani’s collections manage to make one look like one is both to the manor born and a self-made individual. No mean feat, and another reason Armani is such a great designer.

Giorgio Armani goes deep blue at his Silos

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