Emporio Armani A/W 2019 Milan Fashion Week Men's

Emporio Armani A/W 2019. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans

(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Mood board: The latest collection from the Italian megabrand was called ‘Liberty’ – it explored the vitality of the animal world and the rhythm of life in a concrete jungle. This translated into the sporty and modular. The look was ergonomic and, at times, eccentric. Models wore a host of pragmatic clothes with a Zootropolis zeal, yet were resolutely sartorial in their colour palette and textile. It was classically Armani in its elegance – jackets had narrow shoulders. Fluid trousers were cuffed at the hem.

Best in show: The opening look was a fluffy, dégradé black knit which had the texture of feathers. Worn with cuffed track pants, heavy soled leather boots and a shearling bum bag worn across the chest, it was a strong, contemporary statement. The middle of the show saw standout ski-wear in Armani’s palette of fine greys and denim blue. Padded gilets, bombers and roomy cargo trousers had an elegant drape. A shiny nylon poncho in deep petrol blue was buckled at the chest; it had an operatic modernity.

Finishing touches: Patterns taken from the animal world were rendered in artisanal techniques. Long pile shaggy eco-furs, cushioned velvets, scored leathers and boucle wools lent a sensual tactility. Tailoring was athletic – two button jackets in black on black zebra, worn with slim trousers in light cotton. Standout were the steel velvet suits that had polar panache, worn with matching baseball caps and collarless shirts.

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London based writer Dal Chodha is editor-in-chief of Archivist Addendum — a publishing project that explores the gap between fashion editorial and academe. He writes for various international titles and journals on fashion, art and culture and is a contributing editor at Wallpaper*. Chodha has been working in academic institutions for more than a decade and is Stage 1 Leader of the BA Fashion Communication and Promotion course at Central Saint Martins. In 2020 he published his first book SHOW NOTES, an original hybrid of journalism, poetry and provocation.