Giorgio Armani A/W 2020 Milan Fashion Week Men's

Scene Setting: The show space – dressed as usual in complete darkness – had a new focal point. For A/W 2020’s cosy, chic collection, Armani had installed transparent recycled plexiglass sculptures in the centre of the runway. They represented melting ice. Around the venue, large digital screens mimicked a gentle snow shower. Armani had signaled his new commitment to sustainability with the launch of a recycled collection under the Emporio label. For his more formal line, the attitude was one of comfort and ease.
Mood board: Entitled ‘Tactile Impressions,’ the show focused on new attitudes to traditional constructions of menswear. Armani’s easy tailoring is enduring in its appeal, but how will its nuances, the relaxed put-togetherness, the warmth and grace translate in this new decade? Largely, there has been a move away from the hyper-streetwear/sports driven collections that brands have capitalized on for several seasons. There is a shift towards a new formality for a less stuffy age. Here, fluid jackets and blazers were cut like cardigans. Trousers were cuffed, Nehru jackets had a softer lean. Shawl collars were added to wraparound coats. Luxury fabrics fell around the body.
Best in show: When heavy themes dominate the headlines, clothes need to know their place and be unfussy. At Armani, the coming season brings with it a focus on the lightweight. There’s a rigour to the minimalism and a purging of stiffness, which is Mr. Armani’s métier. (He is famous for softening the suit, after all.) Velvet corduroy coveralls were worn with cropped ski jackets – cocooning puffa scarves wrapped around suiting. The look channeled a certain tactility with its mountain wools, jacquards, bouclés and velvets. It offered a wardrobe of opulent propositions.
Giorgio Armani A/W 2020. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
Giorgio Armani A/W 2020. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
Giorgio Armani A/W 2020. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
Giorgio Armani A/W 2020. Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
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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.
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