Milan balances memory and reinvention at Fashion Week
A mannequin wears archival Giorgio Armani designs, displayed among Italian art masterpieces at the Pinacoteca di Brera, in the exhibition ‘Giorgio Armani: Milano per amore’, which marks the 50th anniversary of the fashion house, during Milan Fashion Week, in Milan, Italy. Photo: Reuters
Milan Fashion Week opened on Tuesday with a poignant mix of remembrance and reinvention, as the city paid tribute to Giorgio Armani, while Gucci staged a star-studded cinematic event for its new creative director, Demna.
At the Brera art museum, a retrospective celebrating half a century of Armani's work unveiled more than 100 garments that defined the late designer's pared-back elegance. From fluid red gowns to soft-shouldered suits, the collection underscored Armani's belief that simplicity was the ultimate sophistication.
Curated with his input before his death earlier this month at 91, the show coincides with the label's 50th anniversary. "Armani's aesthetic rigour is also an ethical rigour, like that of the greats of the past," said museum director Angelo Crespi.
The exhibition will run through January, but the most emotional moment will come Sunday evening, when Armani's final collection is shown at the same venue – a farewell to a man who shaped Milan's identity as a global fashion capital.
His legacy, however, is in transition: while Armani fiercely resisted takeover bids in life, his will outlines a phased sale, naming LVMH, L'Oréal and EssilorLuxottica as potential buyers. Until then, the brand remains in the hands of trusted collaborators and family.
If Armani's presence lent Milan a note of quiet reflection, Gucci supplied the spectacle. In a departure from tradition, Demna launched his first collection for the label not on the runway but on screen.
Inside Palazzo Mezzanotte, the brand premiered 'The Tiger', a short film co-directed by Spike Jonze and Halina Reijn. Actors Demi Moore, Edward Norton and Ed Harris, clad in Gucci's new 'La Famiglia' collection, enacted a lavish birthday dinner party in place of the catwalk.
Demna, who revitalised Balenciaga with his pop-infused edge, said he intends to redefine Gucci's codes. "There's only Gucci in my head," he told reporters. His first runway show for the brand will follow in February.
As Milan hosts Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Fendi in the days ahead, the city finds itself navigating two poles of Italian fashion: Armani's timeless restraint and Gucci's audacious reinvention. Together, they frame a week that blends mourning with anticipation, honouring the past while testing the future of luxury.