King Giorgio: that’s the moniker bestowed upon Mr. Armani, honoring his legendary creative longevity. And every worthy king deserves a grand palace. On the eve of the Armani Privé 20th-anniversary show, Palazzo Armani was unveiled in Paris—a hôtel particulier whose ornate stuccoed salons provided the setting for the shimmering couture collection.
Armani Privé, launched in January 2005, stands as the crowning jewel of the Armani empire. “Haute couture allows me to step into a realm of fantasy and experimentation, expressing my vision through the art of savoir-faire in a way no other medium can,” Armani remarked. Introducing his minimalist, purist aesthetic to Paris—a city where haute couture tradition is infused with a flair for extravagance—was a bold, ambitious, almost defiant move. The bias-cut, fluid, and unembellished designs he presented in that first outing starkly contrasted with the seductive, coquettish spirit of Parisian couture.
Privé serves as Armani’s creative playground, where he embraces a bolder and more expressive approach —a side of Armani that feels slightly less Armani, where he explores diverse references and inspirations. Cultures he has admired, places he has traveled to, and the dreams and images they evoke. He called this anniversary collection Lumières, inspired by the most intangible of elements—light. It shimmered throughout all 93 looks, from the satiny, liquid surfaces of draped evening gowns to embroidered nets overlaying ethereal pantsuits and sequined sinuous designs with daring cut-outs. It was a glowing celebration of sparkle, shine, and glitter—Armani at his most unapologetically dazzling.
Yet Giorgio Armani remains unapologetically true to himself—the master of elegant comfort, the pioneer of the chicest, effortless pantsuits. Here, he delivered a masterclass on the genre—glammed up, infused with a dash of extravagance and imaginative plays of textures and embellishments. Trousers, the quintessentially Armanian staple, took center stage in a multitude of forms: slim, pleated, softly ballooned, tucked into high-heeled evening booties or gathered at the ankle à l’orientale, layered under asymmetrical tunics and billowing dusters, and topped by petite pagoda-sleeved jackets or tops and waistcoats juxtaposed nonchalantly.
As a counterpoint, red carpet-ready designs—draped, one-shouldered, with plunging necklines, bare backs, and daring cut-outs—all exuded the elegant sensuality that Armani delivers with the supreme ease of a true maestro. One of the last of his kind. For his bow, he appeared in a black velvet tuxedo, receiving a touching tribute from Demi Moore, Jessica Biel, Coralie Fargeat, and Marisa Berenson—at 90, he still looks incredibly dapper and handsome. He was the chicest in the room.
