GIORGIO ARMANI ONCE AGAIN BRINGS HIS HAUTE COUTURE COLLECTION TO THE CATWALK, TRANSFORMING SYMBOLS, LINES AND COLOURS INTO A NEW EXPRESSIVE PATH THAT CUTS ACROSS THE SENSE OF TIME. IN THIS SHOW – HOSTED FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THE BUILDING THAT HOUSES THE ITALIAN EMBASSY IN PARIS – THE DESIGNER HAS INCLUDED SOME GARMENTS FROM THE LATEST HAUTE COUTURE COLLECTION IN HOMAGE TO MILAN, CREATING A SUBTLE COMMON THREAD THAT UNDERSCORES A DEEP SENSE OF AUTHENTICITY THAT TRANSCENDS SEASONS.
THE COLLECTION IS LUMINOUS: THE BRILLIANCE OF FABRICS THAT ALMOST SEEM LIQUID, THE SHEEN OF SATINS AND SILKS INTERWOVEN WITH ULTRA-FINE METALLIC THREAD, WHICH CREATE AN IMPRESSION OF JOYFUL LEVITY. WHERE LONG EVENING DRESSES SEEM TO FLOAT, AND DELICATE BLOUSES SUGGEST MOVEMENT WITH CRINOLINE RUFFLES FEATURING AN UNUSUAL CONSTRUCTION. THE OUTFITS – COMPOSED OF LONG SKIRTS AND SHORT BODICES AND JACKETS – ARE IMBUED WITH EVOCATIVE ELEGANCE. THE MASCULINE ARMANI-STYLE PINSTRIPES TELL OF A SURPRISING, EXTREMELY FEMININE TRANSFORMATION. EMBROIDERIES SPARKLE, AND THE DRESSES ARE LIKE GIANT BLOSSOMS WITH A SUPPORTED YET WEIGHTLESS STRUCTURE, AS IF IN AN ENCHANTED GARDEN.
SURPRISING COLOURS MAKE A STATEMENT IN THE CLASSIC WORLD OF COUTURE: JADE GREEN, MAUVE, CORNFLOWER BLUE, SLATE, INDIGO, AND AN UNEXPECTED RANGE OF PINKS FROM BLUSH AND POWDER TO KASAYA AND POMEGRANATE. THE REFINED ACCESSORIES ALSO FEATURE A CLEAN DESIGN: UNIQUE NUDE-TONED, SOCK-BOOTS STUDDED WITH CRYSTALS, LOW AND ELONGATED SHOES, FABRIC BALLET FLATS, AS WELL AS PUMPS WITH ULTRA-SLIM HEELS, SMALL CLUTCHES COVERED WITH STONES, AND BAGS MADE OF NEARLY WEIGHTLESS FEATHERS.
