Armani captures the spirit of New York in new collection

Veteran designer dresses models in neutrals

NEW YORK:

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani brought his sleek, silky looks to New York on Thursday night, presenting his spring 2025 collection for his namesake brand as he opened a new building in the city.

The veteran designer, 90, called the line "In Viaggio" (On a Journey), paying tribute to "the city that embodies the collective dream". He opened the show, held at the Park Avenue Armory, with a female model wearing a short beige jacket and trousers tucked into dark boots, followed by a male model dressed as a porter and carrying suitcases.

A selection of outfits in beige and grey came after - shiny suits for men and loose jackets, blouses and trousers for women. Armani also used darker greys, blues and browns for his designs, which nodded to the travel theme throughout with loose comfortable looks as well as wraps worn as tops.

Long silky blouses were paired with matching trousers, while silk jackets and shorts were worn with sheer tops.

"New York, for me, has always been linked to the many films that have deeply shaped my imagination," Armani said in a statement before the show. "Thinking of the city in the '30s and '40s never ceases to inspire me and I evoke that mood in the new... collection."

Models also wore long dresses, short printed jackets and silky trousers in pink and peach.

For the evening, there were sparkling embroidered frocks worn over slim trousers, sometimes with sequined jackets, mainly in soft pink and blue.

Accessories included boots, sandals, caps and woven belts. Armani usually holds the catwalk shows for his Giorgio Armani and Emporio Armani lines during Milan Fashion Week.

But he opted for New York for his main line this season to coincide with the opening of his new building, containing private residences, Armani boutiques and a restaurant on Madison Avenue.

In an interview published on Sunday, Armani who founded brand in 1975 and has been tight-lipped about succession plans, said he planned to retire within the next two or three years. Reuters