Italian fashion
heavyweight Giorgio Armani played with various shades of red for his
main womenswear line for next spring, using the color as a thread
throughout his usual clean cut and elegant designs as he wrapped Milan’s
six days of catwalk shows.The
81-year-old designer, who once worked as a window dresser and now has a
global fashion empire, used red throughout the spring/summer 2016
collection on Monday, colouring ribbed and beaded jackets, shorts,
dresses and
evening gowns.
The tones varied in flame and geranium but there were also paler shades mixed with gray, cream and black. In front of an audience including
Italian actress Sophia Loren, models strutted down the catwalk in soft
jackets teamed with loose organza trousers, short jumpsuits and chiffon
dresses, accessorised with wedge sandals and sometimes large wavy hats. Armani,
nicknamed “King Giorgio” in Italy, is known for being hands-on in
creating one of the world’s most recognized fashion brands, seen both on
the street and red carpet.
He mixed
textures, patterns and played with veils to create layers — sheer
skirts and dresses were worn over shorts and trousers with sparkling
fringed ponchos adding the finishing touch.Shiny beading decorated jacket and shorts combinations and dresses. The show ended with a trio of sparkly evening gowns.
Armani, who celebrates 40 years in fashion this year, unveiled his autobiography afterwards.
The
hefty book, priced at $150 or $350 for a deluxe version with royalties
donated to the United Nations Children’s Fund, features famed fashion
shots and previously unpublished photos.
“I
wanted (to write) this book, because I had memories, feelings inside of
me that I wanted to share rather than take away with me,” Armani said.
Milan
Fashion Week ends amid an upbeat mood; Italy’s national chamber of
fashion has forecast a five percent rise in sales this year to 64.5
billion euros ($72 billion).
“The
numbers seem to say that things are going well,” the chamber’s head,
Carlo Capasa, told Reuters. “It seems all is going in the right
direction.”
