Milan Fashion Week: Emporio Armani gets defiantly modern with ‘Kajal’
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‘KAJAL’, he called it, which according to Wikipedia is either an Indian actress (Kajal Aggarwal) or another name for Kohl, the dark eyeliner, used since ancient times. Turns out, he meant the latter.
You might be forgiven for thinking this might signal a collection cut entirely in black, but the significance for Armani, was how ‘Kajal’, or dark shades, played off his soft pale palette, shades indeed reminiscent of face make-up, as seen in Giorgio Armani’s cosmetic line.
It was a neat idea and one that played to Armani’s strengths. Tailoring, the bedrock of any Emporio collection, looked sharper than ever with these delicate hues set against pitch black, the deepest green or midnight blue. It gave the collection a fresh, ultra-defined look. The fondant-pastel section mid-way through, in layers of pearl, pistachio, pink and pale blue, looked practically edible.
Armani also had fun with shape – silhouettes stood away from the body with the surprising use of … neoprene. Yes, Giorgio Armani used the fabric unsparingly, rough-cut on coats and bonded with velvet for those dramatic finale dresses in deep green, aubergine, purple and ruby. He also put mohair into the mix – the season’s favourite fuzzy yarn – and these came in big sweaters and even… trousers!
The accessories were pure Armani – cloche hats that recalled the 1920s and sharp shoes, from flat jewelled moccasins to men’s lace-ups. ‘Lightweight Jaipur-style’ chandelier earrings and multiple bangles gave an ethnic spin to these defiantly modern clothes.
