Have you all by chance seen Giorgio Armani’s collection from the most recent Fashion Week? Quite something.
Look at these black velvet jackets. This first feels rather War and Peace-ish, to me. (Oh, and did you watch the BBC’s latest version? Great costuming.)
I like a little over the shoulder insouciance. Might be just another black blazer, but not.
And, how about Combat Jacket + As Ladylike As It Gets? Crop me, baby!
Oh I am a lifelong fan of the velvet jacket. I coveted them here (net-a-porter has several new for this year.) I pointed out a lovely less-expensive version here (now on sale, reviewed as bad for curvy people, might work on the rectangular).
But this Armani collection affected me on beyond specific objects of desire, distracting though they may be. Let us remember elegance.
Elegance shows up at the perfect intersection of Just Enough with A Bit More. It’s found in a classic silhouette, offered with full intent. It requires a willingness to stick with tradition, except when art insists. Elegance pays attention to boundaries; finds grace in obligation and ease in formality.
Elegance is a semi-colon.
In elegance there is no backing away from execution. We remember what can’t be seen. It requires investing in materials and patience for the stitch, but an elegant gesture becomes as affecting as a leap.
To be sure, even Armani himself doesn’t always get it right. His prints can be horrid. His dutiful versions of clothes on trend (a peplum, skinny pants, fit and flare dresses) fail. But where he lives — the perfect jacket, wide-legged pants, tops with a small fold, cocktail dresses — his clothes say more than “Put me on!”
I am not suggesting we all rush out and buy Armani. Impossible. Unless you are in a position where investing in pieces with impact is both doable in and valuable to your life. In which case, Mr. Armani is one of my favorites.
But designers like him, in their apogee, can stand for something we experience without a purchase.
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43 Responses
Just beautiful. Love Armani, but only have one jacket, saved for and coveted and loved for several years. So nice to see elegant fashion. I’m pretty tired of the trendy stuff.
@Laura Lewis, I have one pair of wide-leg pants. A beautiful jacquard linen. Just can’t give them away. A piece done beautifully should be a trend in and of itself.
YEP!
HE HAS THE ELEGANCE DOWN!!!!!!!!!
Well, LOOK at HIM………TROPPO ELEGANTE HIMSELF!
I think he should hire YOU to write for them……..this was BEAUTIFUL!
@LA CONTESSA, Yes.
@LA CONTESSA, He is sooooo elegant. Can you imagine having the job of being able to write for Armani’s marketing? It would be like love poetry all the day long.
The third one reminds me of a short, cropped black velvet jacket with frog closings that I have had for many years. Recently I donated the palazzo pants that came with it and kept the jacket but now that palazzo is back, maybe I should have kept that, too. Not really – the pants were not right on me, but the jacket is so elegant worn with a cream silk shirt.
@Jane, The jacket sounds perfect, and exactly the sort of thing one does keep for many years.
Gorgeous.
It’s worthwhile to look at clothing you can’t afford just to get a sense for what quality is, the details, the fabrics, the construction that separates poor quality from good quality.
I saw that piece of advice somewhere and resisted it for a long time, thinking “oh, that will just make me dissatisfied with what I can afford.” It didn’t, no more than visiting a museum makes me dissatisfied with my own art. Just like visiting a museum, looking at, touching and trying on designer clothing just made me more aware of the art of it all, and helps me see the details in clothing I can afford.
@Faith McWilliams, So well said. Exactly. And now that I think of it, true about so many things. If we only look at what we can do or have, we miss the opportunity to learn, just because of our feelings of sadness at not having. Very human, but something to note.
Lisa, I love this collection; so very elegant! We need more of this classic look
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
@Karena, It would be nice, wouldn’t it:).
Yes. Armani has always been a personal favorite of mine.
@Katherine C. James, Not surprised!
Armani oozes understated elegance…I think this style is so perfect for women of a certain age!
I love a velvet jacket but do not have one…a pair of dressy velvet jaguard pants will have to suffice for now…a gal can dream…
@Bungalow Hostess, Velvet pants and a silk blouse – wonderful.
I love the jacket with the shawl collar and cuffs in gray.
@Kathy, Ah yes, so cute and informal but still elegant!
When I worked as an interior designer, I wore a lot of Armani, 30 years ago. Pantsuits. I might look for an Armani velvet jacket for Fall/Winter? I think it would look great with jeans, and be more fun than my gabardine standby.
@Kathy, I would love it if my interior designer showed up in Armani. I would trust her taste implicitly:). And yes, velvet with jeans would be amazing.
Love his designs. Not for my lifestyle or budget, I’m afraid. Kinda would clash with my sweats. Ha! Would love to see a return to elegance.
@Mary anne, Ha! Perhaps we need elegant sweats, or elegant flannel pajama pants, in my case.
Huge fan of velvet here! Especially jackets. These are lovely looks, tailored but also so feminine. Yes he’s got it right! So much fashion right now is burning my eyes-horrible shapes and colours etc- but this is beautiful. Of course you make it more so with your elegant writing! XO
@DaniBP, Thank you! And you are clearly one of the real flag-bearers for every day elegant.
I’d go with the first one. I like the collar.
@RoseAG, I didn’t even notice that – it’s very nice. And it’s the collar on the third one that makes it my favorite, so there you go!
An elegant piece of writing! I really enjoy for blogs as I just love your writing.
@Susanna, Thank you very much!
Beautiful post of a great designer..apropos for a woman over 50..I love beautiful clothes and still have some vintage 80’s Armani’s that I cannot part with. That was then, this is now, and I cannot afford his clothes. I am also more casual now than then..as stated previously from an above comment, a lightweight velvet jacket with a pair of heels and dark or black jeans is my style now..
@linda b, I agree, Armani is wonderful for women over 50, or at least his approach when our budget shrinks, or gets occupied but things other than clothing. It’s interesting to hear how many have kept their vintage Armani. I’d guess he’s harder to let go of than some other, more showy designers.
I would drape myself in velvet if it were socially acceptable.
@Diane, We need a project, socially acceptable velvet, all over, all the time;).
I was once given a “gently loved” Armani suit by a friend who worked as an “organizer of life” so-to-speak, for several famous and wealthy clients. Unfortunately, the light gray Armani classic was ever so slightly too small for me, and I didn’t have the wherewithal to lose the extra pounds in order to fit into it. I almost decided to save it just so I could see it on a regular basis. But the memory is almost as good. Almost…
@Mamavalveeta03, Almost. And we do not want to keep Armanis who chide us, only those who speak in dulcet tones.
Back in 80ties,on a wedding,my friend’s sister-in-law wore Armani pant suit. It was the most beautiful fashion piece I have ever seen in my life,so far. I fall in love with Armani. Our relationship had some ups and downs,but this collection is so beautiful,again. Interesting, last week I was at Fenwick’s in London and there were some beautiful pieces,too and I was thinking how beautiful they were. I’m so glad that you wrote about him. The Master! So beautiful post,like Armani’s work,subtle and elegant!
I agree with Faith,looking at some beautiful pieces is like looking at some piece of art,because this is what they really are
And velvet…..
I’ve had (still have) one black suit in nineties and wore it so much,for every event in years,so timeless
Dottoressa
@dottoressa, Maybe we should counsel that every woman buys or receives an elegant piece of black velvet for her 30th birthday, knowing that she’ll wear it for decades thereafter? I think my next trip to the shopping center here I’ll go stroke the Armanis, lovingly:).
Back in 80ties,on a wedding,my friend’s sister-in-law wore Armani pant suit. It was the most beautiful fashion piece I have ever seen in my life,so far. I fall in love with Armani. Our relationship had some ups and downs,but this collection is so beautiful,again. Interesting, last week I was at Fenwick’s in London and there were some beautiful pieces,too and I was thinking how beautiful they were. I’m so glad that you wrote about him. The Master! So beautiful post,like Armani’s work,subtle and elegant!
I agree with Faith,looking at some beautiful pieces is like looking at some piece of art,because this is what they really are
And velvet…..
I’ve had (still have) one black suit in nineties and wore it so much,for every event in years,so timeless
Dottoressa
I would wear everything you posted. Yes to elegance. Armani at his best
personifies it. Elegance, to me, is restraint. It is as much about what you refuse as what you accept. It is an art in it’s own right, and it is becoming extinct. Thanks for giving us a visual reminder.
@Charlene, It is restraint. A generous, loving, non-punishing restraint.
Armani is probably my favourite designer since I became interested in fashion. I saw this collection, and read the MC interview after runaway. All very interesting.
I’d only buy Armani if I could. But I can’t, so I keep his collections as an inspiration.
@Chiara, Absolutely an inspiration. Armani is also a favorite of Jodie Foster, which seems about right to me!
It would be just pefect for you (me too ☺)
Yes,next time in London I’ll visit him again
D
If I had the means I would live in Armani. I still have come Armani collezioni from way back. So Elegant.
I can see you in deep blue velvet, and I’d love a velvet combat jacket in gray. I love this collection for the sense of elegance it evokes even as I can unequivocally say black is no longer my color, pants perhaps, but otherwise no, and eventually even black pants may disappear from my lexicon.
I wore a lot of Armani during my professional career, and one of the things I loved, aside from the wonderfully elegant lines, was that his collections often included the muted neutral colors that are so good on me. I haven’t saved anything and for the most part have few regrets about giving it all away, only hopes that someone else enjoyed my treasures for a time.
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