Three cheers for Giorgio Armani, who took a big swing this season and put all of his models in flats — mostly delicate satin boxer boots — even for evening, and even with trousers.
It was an unconventional move, but consistent with the designer’s maverick attitude. After all, he helped to liberate women from the stiff tailoring of yesteryear and has been dressing them in his soft-edged power suits since the ’70s.
“Women don’t need to be slaves to height, and they shouldn’t feel pressured to dress or behave in a mysterious, sexy way,” said the designer, adding that all a woman really needs is a nice outfit and a sparkle in her eye.
The booties were just the beginning. This whole collection, which Armani called “Vibes,” was about freedom, energy and movement. “The vibrations, the movement comes from color and the way the clothing is built to move with the body,” Armani said.
The colors were pure Pantelleria, the Mediterranean island where the designer spends his holidays, and included a coppery brown for the razor sharp jacket that opened the show; marine blue for a strapless dress with ribbony folds, and sea green for a trench with wavy, origami-like pleats.
A bright blue, sleeveless top had an undulating pattern, while the blue and green ruffles on a dress tumbled like waves over over a pair of trousers. Sparkling embroideries on vests and tops resembled floating sea creatures.
Some of the styles had a beachy feel, with sheer printed jackets layered over bandeau tops; sparkly skirts as languid and easy as sarongs, and long boho skirts dotted with sparkles.
These certainly were clothes meant for moving, whether that’s up the steps to the awards podium; across the grass to the cocktail reception, or straight into the board meeting with the agility of a gazelle, and no risk of tumbling — or bunions.
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