Show notes at Emporio Armani instructed that the “New Pop” Fall collection was about digital signs for “high-tech heroines.” So much for show notes. As a rule, these days, it’s often much better to ignore them, and just get on with the looking. In this case, what we perceived with our own eyes was a graphic pattern of a circle and a triangle, much-repeated in various scales, on prints, on knitwear and beaded patches. What with the mint green and pale pink on black colors involved, it looked more in the mood of the early ’80s and the graphics of Ettore Sottsass’ Memphis group. (There's currently an exhibition of Memphis furniture, scattered amongst the clothes at the 10 Corso Como store in Milan, which might corroborate the similarity).
No matter! The ’80s are currently young fashion’s favorite throwback era. Jonathan Anderson and Alessandro Michele at Gucci have both been referencing aspects of that decade. Moreover, there’s a small but avant-garde group of millennials in London fashion who speak in awed tones about Giorgio Armani—possibly because they grew up seeing their parents coming home from work in his signature spare, gray suiting. Or maybe it's because word about his work has spread since Armani opened the museum which displays his archive going back to the ’80s at Armani/Silos, which is right opposite his show venue.
That throws an interesting sidelight on what young people might be looking for in the more accessibly priced Emporio Armani collection—i.e., not references to their own common language of emoji and so on, but clothes which retain the thread of what Armani did in the ’80s and ’90s. There is something Armani could potentially capture in speaking with that group, if he so wished. Those twentysomethings might possibly search out a parallel in the black tailored pantsuit he showed today, plus the pea green floppy silk velvet jacket and gathered pants, which were separated out in a couple of other looks. Still, Mr. Armani must have far bigger fish to fry this weekend, in Hollywood. At the other end of the scale of his business, his Armani Privé couture collection will surely be getting as many moments in the spotlight on Sunday as ever.
