Giorgio Armani Privé Spring 2025: Around the World
As the world becomes more divided, and countries more isolated amid withering diplomacy and rising self-interest, designers are once again using their platform to acknowledge the beauty and complicity to be found in faraway places.
On Tuesday night in Paris, Giorgio Armani used the occasion of his latest Privé couture collection, marking its 20th anniversary this year, to acknowledge once again how the “linear elegance of Japan” has informed his designs — not forgetting the “shapes and colors of China,” the opulence of India, the decorum of North Africa and the landscapes of Polynesia.
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All these rich cultures were etched ever so gently in silhouettes and expressed more vividly via prints, embroideries and beading. Here was an collection defined largely by shimmering or sparkling surface decoration — more than usual chez Armani, from those glass-like fabrics he’s been fond of lately to fully beaded gowns with a tulle overlay bearing even more embellishments.
Perhaps this came from his zeal to mark the 20th anniversary of his haute couture line, which has recently become a highlight of Paris Couture Week — and a northern star for red carpet regulars and clients in search of an eye-catching pantsuit for evening.
He staged back-to-back shows at his new headquarters on the Rue François 1er, the models passing through small, gilded rooms on an opalescent pathway, pausing to rotate here and there.
While padding out hips has been a key story this couture season, Armani paraded mostly body-conscious gowns, often adding sexy portholes around the waist, and carving out the back on many gowns. Models sported neat, close-to-the head chignons, or sparkling little beanies.
Tailoring was cardigan-easy, with fancy vests the centerpiece of many pantsuits, and trousers often tucked into flat, transparent boots.
The designer took a freewheeling, diverse approach to print and colors, which spanned from watercolor-soft pastels to vivid blues and reds. Something to flatter most complexions could be found among the 94 exits.
The Italian designer, marking 50 years of his namesake brand in 2025, has been on a roll this season with standout men’s collections in Milan earlier this month, and now this sophisticated, accomplished couture range.
In his press notes, he said it’s targeted at a well-traveled woman who has “internalized her experiences as glimmers of beauty to wear on her body.”
Launch Gallery: Armani Privé Spring 2025 Couture
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