In his 90th year, Giorgio Armani is enjoying something of a renaissance. There was a glitzy runway show in New York to celebrate his birthday year, the opening of Palazzo Armani in Paris last month, and a surge in interest from younger consumers who are hunting out his 1980s and 1990s designs on fashion resale sites. That’s not to mention a slew of other critically lauded runway shows, some high-profile celebrity ambassadors (Demi Moore wore Giorgio Armani Privé to win her Golden Globe for The Substance), and plans for further celebrations later this year as Giorgio Armani – the eponymous label which started it all – turns 50. ‘Creating is my reason for existing,’ he told Wallpaper* – after his latest Armani Privé show, in January – of his seemingly endless reserves of energy.
Inside Emporio Armani’s luxurious takeover of Selfridges’ Corner Shop
Opening today (11 February) is the designer’s latest outpost: a one-stop Emporio Armani store in Selfridges’ ‘Corner Shop’ space. Its design, says Mr Armani, is inspired by Emporio Armani’s Milanese concept store at Manzoni 31, a vast outpost of the label that also houses a restaurant and Armani/Libri bookstore. Situated on the London department store’s ground floor, the new space evokes the distinct Armani aesthetic – a kind of monumental minimalism melded with Milanese elegance and warmth – through its textural assemblage of glass, concrete, bamboo and chrome, alongside crisp white lighting and a series of floor-to-ceiling screens displaying imagery from the brand’s recent campaigns.
The store will centre around the house’s S/S 2025 collections for men and women, as well as a trans-seasonal denim offering and an array of accessories ‘embodying a modern sophistication’. Alongside will be a number of installations for shoppers to discover – Mr Armani says he imagines people ‘meandering’ through the space – including Armani/Fiori, an arm of the label that creates dramatic floral displays inspired by the Japanese art of Ikebana (a vast bamboo structure in the window is decorated with bold red anthurium flowers). Meanwhile, an outpost of the Armani/Libri bookstore will feature a curation of books spanning fashion, design and architecture (Stefano Boeri’s Gio Ponti e Milano and Josh Sims’ Icons of Style are two of the titles on sale).
The ‘Corner Shop’ space – which has previously been taken over by Prada, Loewe, Jacquemus, On and Celine – will also allow for culinary indulgence with an outpost of Armani/Dolce, the house’s chocolatier. Not only allowing shoppers to purchase the latest Armani/Dolci by Guido Gobino collection – the award-winning artisanal chocolatier has created a rich assortment of pralines, delicate chocolate discs and ‘Giandujotto’, a hazelnut chocolate that originates from Piedmont – the Armani/Dolce space will also serve hot drinks and pastries, making it a welcome haven away from the furore of Oxford Street.
Emporio Armani at Selfridges Corner shop is open until March 9, 2025.
400 Oxford St, London W1C 1JS.
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