The curtain rises on the new SS25 Emporio Armani collection with a photo taken by Tom Munro, dating back to the 2000s, used as a poster for an exhibition Giorgio Armani held at the Guggenheim in New York. Armani – who has a sense of time that is both cyclical and linear – captures the spirit of the moment, in line with the desire to define a style that remains consistent with itself, that changes in order not to change. The symbolic image of the female model in a masculine suit with a tie encapsulates this concept: the essence of what has been, but also a prelude to what is to come. Thus, the tie, originally worn by women as an elegantly provocative statement of gender equality, now becomes a playful touch, an amusement. The entire collection is an invitation to embrace dressing with freedom and irony, as always; a balance of masculine and feminine elements guides the narrative: soft jackets with natural shoulders, fluid pants, or jodhpurs, blousons, parkas, and trench coats alternate with small dresses featuring enveloping drapes, long skirts, and ultra-light dresses. Snow-white jackets are paired with ice-colored pants. Materials with a matte finish – silk, linen, and cotton – in a light and natural palette blend with iridescent surfaces in pink, sage, and light gray, while sober, dark, and natural solid colors coexist with watery prints and vibrant notes of blue and fuchsia. Capturing the idea of a future perfect, of continuity that looks ahead, is the most instinctive of style gestures: a wide white shirt worn with embroidered pants and, of course, the tie. Overall, the tone is soft and natural, emphasized by flat shoes, ballerinas that turn into ankle boots, roomy suede or woven bags, or micro bags, and wide-brimmed hats.
The collection also includes menswear pieces, yet it still contains well over 100 looks: an expression of strength. It takes as its starting point a 1990s image of Emporio, shot by Tom Munro, featuring a model in a suit, and alternates phases of gamine and colorful womenswear with touches of menswear. Sporty tank dresses with kaleidoscopic horizontal stripes, parkas, and harnesses in rainbow watercolor tones are emblematic of this vision; the brand’s core codes were reflected in a sequence of light gray suits with traditional patterns, wide trousers, fitted jackets, and meticulously structured shoulders. The collection plays with oversized volumes, extending jackets to mid-thigh. A simple yet never banal expression of personal style and the Armani touch.
