Stand down, because Giorgio Armani reigns supreme over all back-door menswear hopefuls. One almost gets the feeling that the comments Armani, ever the opinionated creative, made not so long ago blasting designers who make “fantasy” clothes had some kind of input on this season’s threads. So he stuck by his guns, admirably so, and if you’ll recall his comment supposedly directed at one of Italy’s most renowned matronly fashion mavens, “It’s more difficult to make a suit or a jacket look new”, you’ll have an easier time decoding SS15.
In a backwards glance to American Gigolo, the dog days of Richard Gere as Julian Kaye, Giorgio Moroder, Benz convertibles and downtown LA, Armani reminded us that cardinally chic menswear is at once chic and at the same time classic. Christened the ‘Echoes of Armani’, from the initial oversized trench overcoats to the body-con, yet faintly deconstructed, power silhouettes, we were treated to a number of testaments to his trademark Neapolitan tailoring and the way it simply always wins out.
As each lovingly pleated trouser bottom sauntered its way down the catwalk something magical stirred, modernity, full circle funked up modernity that is. Whilst that subject area is almost nearly as grey as Armani’s trademark hue, the clothes spoke for themselves, clothes fit for the kind of man who lives the jet-set life with modesty, the lax layering of supple leathers saw this right.
As for the rest, of what was a consecutively a spectacular collection, the slinky jersey knit sex-appeal was keen and so Armani. It was this heightened hedonism infused in a blur with a nod to the brand’s monumental heritage that almost made us lose sight of the only strictly formal business-oriented ensembles towards the end. I think their main purpose though was to assert that Armani still has a lot to say.
by Liam Feltham
Images courtesy of Style.com