Giorgio Armani A/W 2014

Giorgio Armani dropped several pre-show hints about his Winter collection theme this season, beginning with the shocking lime coloured invitation. The theme continued into his show space where the curtain backdrop held a mellow yellow glow, finishing with a flourish underfoot with the runway illuminated in neon as the model's took their first steps. The fashion subject, obviously, was chartreuse and Armani gripped onto it with tenacious exactitude, allowing only black and shades of grey into the party. This was a wise move on the veteran designer's part, as the punchy brightness was set off beautifully with the neutral tones. Though he worked in all manner of material from slinky silk jerseys to slouchy velvets, the strongest part of the collection was his experimentation with heavier wools and cashmeres. These sturdier fabrications are not normally explored on an Armani runway, but they looked beautiful when cut into modern shapes such as in the swing jackets and trapeze coats, where deep black faded gracefully into increasingly lighter shades of grey, before melting into a soothing shade of lemon chiffon. Armani also tamed wilder shades of yellow with sheer cages of black chiffon, which calmed the hue's loudness to a quiet roar. He finished with a lovely line up of crystal-embroidered gowns, each one a testament to this designer's prowess when it comes to putting Hollywood actresses in Oscar gowns.

Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans