Message from Giorgio Armani to Emporio Armani AW22: “We should dress more in our daily life”

After canceling his menswear and couture shows in January due to Covid restrictions, Giorgio Armani returned to his in-house catwalk at Milan’s Teatro this week with a mixed Emporio Armani staging devoted to glamour. Its monochromatic masculine offer and its colorful feminine proposal with geographic patterns came together in an everyday sartorial approach that made particularly bold proposals in the world of Armani. British vogueFashion critic Anders Christian Madsen spoke to the designer.

What has been the most memorable event in your life since your last show?

The most memorable event in my life since my last show is that I worked like I always did, following my inspirations and trying to think about how the world changes, thinking about what I can do with my work to keep up with these changes.

What is the message behind the Emporio Armani collections?

The message behind the collections is one of rigor and movement, rhythm and color. It’s about how the colors and monochrome of gray can play with the patterns of clothing. The guiding principles of my work have never changed, but everything is constantly evolving. These collections express the pointed and taut elements that characterize the Emporio Armani line.

Did the decision to merge your Emporio Armani women’s and men’s shows have an impact on the collections?

There has always been a connection between the men’s and women’s collection at Emporio, as well as in my other lines. So the decision to show them together didn’t really influence the style, but there is a dialogue between the two where the gray monochromatism of the men’s wardrobe is enhanced by the colorful geometries of the women’s wardrobe.

Would you ever make a truly asexual Emporio Armani collection?

Never say never! After all, men and women can and always have shared wardrobes. So why not? Although I think genderlessness is sometimes just a catwalk gimmick, a way to make a bit of a splash. Personally, I would say that more than being asexual, what interests me is androgyny, which is an idea that I have always explored in my work.