It was Emporio Armani 24/7, 360-degrees, the full experience. This debut coed show designed for the first time solely by Silvana Armani and Leo Dell’Orco, Giorgio Armani’s creative heirs, offered the whole world of Emporio — and then some.
In need of a jacket? A topcoat? White tie and tails? This collection had it all. Although the narrative was meant to follow two young students at music school, studying to become conductors, the collection was much broader than that, with the designers showing the world all that Emporio Armani offers.
Jackets ranged from the fluidly tailored to beefy shearling aviators, to tailcoats for recitals, or maybe even a state banquet with King Charles III. There was every style of coat — top, trench, bathrobe and shearling — and enough oversized white evening blouses, with round, pointy and bow collars, to pack out Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre.
A host of different Emporio Armani characters stepped onto the runway, a nod to this brand’s democratic, Italian fashion-for-all roots.
Models emerged with a spring in their step, and often two-by-two, dressed as hipsters in roomy denim chore jackets with contrasting collars or plaid three-piece suits, some with pocket chains. Preppies donned navy topcoats layered over V-neck sweaters.
For women, there were check jackets with matching swingy miniskirts with a 1970s “Love Story” feel.
British country squires appeared, too, wearing boxy coats, Bermuda shorts and sturdy shoes, while streetwise 1920s “Peaky Blinders,”-style characters wore flat caps, neckties and sweaters under their check jackets.
It was big and busy (what Emporio collection isn’t?), but on the bright side there was a lot to wear, and lots of great British menswear fabrics — tweed, check, herringbone and houndstooth — for the fluid suits and coats.
If that were not enough, Armani and Dell’Orco also looked back at some past hits, especially for women.
Any Emporio-watcher would recognize the fur chubbies in jewel tones of red and green; long, minimal princess coats and the fluid wool suits in taupe and the famous Armani “greige.” It was continuity with a twist — and no tricks. Just what the fans want.