The "king" of Italian fashion, Giorgio Armani,
unveiled Monday his latest men's collection marked by fluid cuts and soft
lines.
Under the piercing blue eye of the 89-year-old maestro, projected on the
runway's backdrop, models showed off the autumn-winter 2024/2025 collection in
the intimate setting of his historic headquarters on Via Borgonuovo.
"Men's fashion must not be an object of desire at any cost, it must be a
nice suit, a beautiful jacket, a lovely fabric, a perfect colour and nothing
more, or else we descend into carnival," Armani said.
Loyal to his DNA of relaxed chic, Armani presented ample but refined
trousers, and half-length unbuttoned coats that allowed freedom of movement.
For next winter, shapes have enlarged "to provide even more ease and
fluidity", he said.
His signature offering — unstructured jackets with no shoulder pads or
lining — were presented in a variety of styles: for a dandy with vest and
pleated trousers, or in a sporty version with cargo pants tucked into
boots.
The ever-existing challenge for a designer is to "do the usual in an
unusual way", Armani said after the show on the fourth day of men's Fashion
Week.
Ties were discreet in his show, generally thin, black or grey, hidden under
a blazer or often replaced by a scarf.
"A tie depends on the occasion. We have one for the man who goes to the
office, with the respect for this office, because I hope he's not going to an
important meeting in a T-shirt," he said.
Armani had already presented on Saturday a maritime-inspired collection for
Emporio, the upscale pret-a-porter line intended for a trendier clientele.
Zegna's 'cashmere oasis'
Fluid cuts and effortless elegance was also the mantra of Zegna's show,
which transformed an immense hangar on the outskirts of Milan into an "oasis
of cashmere".
"It's a collection for collectors. I hope these clothes will be bought by
people who will keep them for a long time," said artistic director Alessandro
Sartori.
The pleated trousers were ample, to be combined with turtleneck sweaters
and short vests of the same fabric. The vest lapels are detachable.
Sartori left nothing to accident, closely studying the tiniest details to
reflect men's needs. Pants and coat pockets were deepened "to let you slide in
your hands with ease," he said. Colours ranged from olive green to royal blue,
passing through eggshell, beige and grey.
Milan's Fashion Week finishes Tuesday with digital shows before the fashion
world moves on to Paris, first for men's fashion and then haute couture.(AFP)
