On a recent trip to Milan I was lucky enough to visit the Giorgio Armani Exhibition which opened on 30 April 2015 – it is in Milan’s Via Bergognone 40 to mark 40 years of his career.
It was originally the granary of a major international company constructed in 1950 and measuring around 4,500 square meters on four levels, he decided to call it silos because this building used to store food, which is, of course, essential for life. For him just as much as food, clothes are also a part of life.’
Please find below excerpts from the exhibition text –
“I find the androgynous style full of mysterious seductive fascination.
As simple, pure and clean cut as possible: that is what fashion means to Giorgio Armani. In his thorough exploitation of the jacket, which is a must-have everyday item, Armani re-interprets the original concepts of androgyny yet stays true to a style that conveys understated, discreet femininity and elegance.”
“Renowned for his neutral colours and his reinterpretations of traditional male fabrics, Armani loves to blend rigorous male tailoring and soft female dressmaking, element that give life to a wardrobe designed with an unprecedented fluidity , Over the years , Giorgio Armani’s suit has evolved but essentially remained true to the original. My style has always blended masculine and feminine. I think women wearing clothes with a masculine cut are particularly intriguing.”
“The strong influence of non-western cultures can be seen in Giorgio Armani creations for which he uses elements inspired by far away ethnicities and interprets them with his signature style. Africa, China, Japan and Persia, Arabia, Syria and Polynesia are some of the places that have inspired the designer.
In my quest to discover pure fashion – ensembles that have both timeless perfection of the archetype and the kind of absolute elegance that transcends history – I have always felt an intuitive affinity with distant cultures.”
“There is a special sort of allure in the traditional costumes worn by different peoples with their distinctive decoration and line, in their unique colour and their wear ability. There is also poetry in them at least in my eyes as someone who travels in his imagination, someone who fantasises, letting himself be transported on the waves of thinking and style, I avoid merely copying traditional forms and, styles, and decorations, preferring instead to explore a reinterpretation that is both decisive and nuanced, This is my personal idea of exoticism. Re imagining and reinterpreting an “elsewhere” capturing it’s purity, it’s capacity to move the soul.”
“There is a strong bond between Gorgio Armani and the cinema. Male and female celebrities alike have decided to wear his clothes both on screen and on the red carpet, and over time have become friends.Oscars night preceded by the red carpet, has always been a magical moment for me because I love cinema and have a privileged relationship with Hollywood. When I stated to dress the Hollywood Stats it was a major moment of change.”
The actors were willing to wear clothes that would enhance them without disguising them, and it was the exact type of revolution that fitted with the one I was engaged in with my clothes. It was a conversation that originated in a very easy and genuine way. And to this day cinema stars will find that my style allows them to express themselves naturally and emphasise their personalities,”
I thought I would share some pictures of the costumes from this fabulous exhibition. I particularly loved the section of the display which included the costumes for the red carpet worn by movie stars. There was a wonderful dress designed for Glenn Close with fabulous beading and cut – I think it was my particular favourite! The same dress on display in the exhibition is the first picture in my slideshow.
I hope you enjoy viewing my pictures – I would certainly recommend the Armani costume display if you are lucky enough to be visiting Milan – Italy’s Fashion capital!
