The Emporio Armani Spring collection is essentially a briefer, perkier version of what Giorgio Armani showed for his main label. Armani’s design team (whom he now sends out to acknowledge the applause before taking his own bow) reworked the season’s nautical theme and came up with an alternative take on summery stripes, using fine-gauge knits to make flippy sweater dresses and cardigans in red, black, and white.
Those younger, go-faster stripes also appeared on the models’ swim-cap headgear, making an abstract link to the tight, stretchy dresses that were almost brief and clingy enough to compete with bathing suits. The athletic streak surfaced too in zippy, scuba-inspired bustiers and prettified racing shorts made of high-tech synthetics. It came as something of a surprise when the collection switched to a fluorescent palette, with bright multicolored bikinis followed by lime and pink dresses decorated with sixties-style plastic paillettes. But the show ended back on track with a simple, slick-to-the-body black beaded sheath dress—a much simpler option for speedy girls on the go.
