Emporio Armani’s new sustainably-minded collection is inspired by natural landscapes

Untamed nature, desert landscapes, undiscovered worlds – so run the evocative inspirations for Emporio Armani’s latest ‘sustainable collection’, which symbolises a wider shift towards environmentally-conscious design at the Italian house. 

Comprising fabrics, materials and details that are 100 per cent recycled and recyclable, as well are natural fibres derived from organic agriculture – produced without the use of GMOs and farmed in such a way as to preserve and improve the fertility of the soil – it ‘affirms the brand’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and is the unifying theme on which the S/S 2023 sustainable collection is based’. 

Emporio Armani: The Sustainable Collection S/S 2023

Primed for summertime getaways, the comprehensive wardrobe of garments draws inspiration from desert landscapes with its warm, earthy hues and diaphanous, layered looks. Lightweight jackets, shawls, oversized shirts and wide-brimmed hats – in natural linen, cotton and jute – recall the ‘adventure and independence’ of desert living. Colourful prints are interspersed.

Other pieces come in rich blues and greens, reminiscent of lush forest flora and waterfalls – from simple jersey T-shirts and twill drawstring trousers to an azure-blue organic cotton-muslin shirt. The house calls the collection ’a tribute to nature’s vibrancy... in which the earth’s warm tones blend with the blues and greens of the forest.’

Each garment comes with its own ‘digital passport’, enabled by a QR code which shows the detailed breakdown of the garment’s construction and its various sustainable credentials and certifications. Such technology is made possible by the Armani Group’s membership in the SMI (Sustainable Market Initiative) Fashion Task Force – ‘a project aimed at promoting more transparent communication with customers and raising awareness about environmental impact [of their] purchasing choices’.

Also in the collection is a collaboration with Artisan Fashion, an initiative set up under the United Nations Ethical Fashion Initiative. Based in sub-Saharan Africa, its aim is to employ experienced artisans via a connected chain of social enterprises – oftentimes with all-female artisans – to create jewellery, homeware, bags and accessories for brands worldwide (alongside Emporio Armani, these include Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney).

Here, a community of women in Kenya collaborate with Emporio Armani on a limited-edition series of shopper bags. The scheme ensures fair wages and access to an international marketplace, as well as preserving local and traditional craft.

Emporio Armani ‘The Sustainable Collection’ is available now.

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