Good Vibrations

Over the past several years, Armani Privé has given new meaning to haute couture with classic Italian tailoring. Giorgio Armani talks evolution of couture, disparities between Milan and Paris, and why orange is the new black.

- Amy Yasmine

What inspired Armani Privé Spring/Summer ’17? 

I wanted to centre around a major concept, which I then translated into different styles. My focus is often a particular shape or texture. However, for the new collection, I decided to focus on the “vibration” of a single colour: orange. It’s a dynamic shade, used in a variety of tones; a happy, energetic colour that flatters all women, combined with black to enhance its intensity. The new Armani Privé collection embodies my idea of glamour and elegance. It is characterised by flowing, essential lines, enriched through the use of precious materials and carefully handcrafted details. Orange, set off by black, is used for small flecks as highlights or for solid areas; it gives various looks an exotic accent. But this is filtered exoticism, reduced to a subtle suggestion, never overtly obvious. Haute couture is an ancient art, which I want to root in the present. Undoubtedly, these are special clothes for special women, but they are most definitely made to be lived in and worn. 

Is haute couture, with its rules and references to the past, still relevant today? What does it mean to you and what attracted you to this form of expression?