For high fashion this season Giorgio Armani stuck to those three rewarding basics – black, red and white. The beauty of that colour scheme when used correctly is that it is manifestly un-basic, and the veteran designer did wonders with the classic system of hues, he has emerged as a master of the scintillating spectrum for some reason after all. In his exquisite crepe crusade Armani lavished lacquer reds upon the body, cooling it down with caliginous blacks, in a number of neat suits that should just about smarten up the wearer in mind, body and soul, whatever age.
Demure finely sculpted cuts pilfered most of the appeal along with that ebullient red, of course, bringing about an elegant Japanese sense of drama that would make even the late Tina Chow weep. The clean A-line silhouettes that started the proceedings were evidently only a mere enticing entrée to what was about to come as designs slowly got a little more spine-tingling at each turn.
A few abstract post-modern art prints here and some pretty monochrome polka-dots there then became subjected to an explosion of organza, beaded veils and ostrich feathers. Whilst that may sound like an overwhelming concoction, it coalesced in harmony and certainly so by the time the minimally vampish Armani brides floated on to the catwalk, resplendent sparkle-scattered floor-length veils cascading from above. After 79 enduringly strong pieces, Armani’s familiar accomplished bow was well deserved, and without a doubt will go on to be.
by Liam Feltham
Images courtesy of Style.com