AFTERIMAGES

Many brands are vying for attention with shock value or radical designs, but Giorgio Armani is winning with a continuous belief in timeless, understated fashion.

- Terence Poh

DESPITE THE NEED for varied collections to accommodate the seasons, diverse consumers and current socio-political narratives, a sense of continuity reverberates through the work of most luxury brands and designers.

In a given year, brands that keep with tradition release four collections. For those that have adopted the new-found “drop” style of operation, popularised by luxury streetwear designer, Virgil Abloh, their offerings emerge limitlessly through the year, in the form of capsule or collaborative collections. Yet, recurring motifs and techniques, in design or part of an ongoing narrative, creates consistency across a house’s product categories. Although several brands have undergone radical overhauls throughout the years, many have also found success in eschewing change and focusing on timeless creations. Italian luxury brand Giorgio Armani, founded in July 1975 by the Italian designer Giorgio Armani, is a prime case in point. At 85 years old, Armani sits at the helm of the brand, and is a fine example of an industry leader that continues to implement a characteristic design language that has endured through the years.