The show was, at once, heavy and light.
Heavy, because it was Giorgio Armani’s final collection for Emporio, and because no one took a bow at the end. The audience waited and waited, and some wiped tears off their cheeks, but no one appeared at the end of the catwalk, where the set resembled the steps of a ziggurat or an Aztec temple.
The inspiration for the collection was that magical, in-between time when travelers return to the city after a holiday, still on a high from all they’ve seen and experienced — and before reality takes hold. It also telegraphed Armani’s love of travel, and the influences on his collections from around the world.
The designer, who died earlier this month, captured that dreamlike state in a beautifully paced show that began with sandy, coppery neutrals and ended with a pop of fireworks. They came in the form of harem pants, halter dresses, bikini and bandeau tops slicked with sequins in hot pink, periwinkle, purple and seafoam green.
It was a sophisticated take on Emporio, which was always meant for a younger audience, and took in all of the things that Armani loved best: the rich fabrics, surface textures, ikat prints and languid tailoring.
There were long robe coats in a lightweight cotton twill that fastened neatly at the neck; loose, hippie vests done in suede or silk tapestry; ribbed cotton jackets, and puckered silk shirts. Armani paired them with wide-leg, cuffed trousers or harem pants, the latter of which came in black, and sheer fabrics, some with his beloved ikat prints.
There were sporty touches, too, such as drawstring backs on tailored jackets and scooter skirts with pleats at the front and shorts at the back. All the shoes — even the boots — were low-heeled or flat. Just how the Maestro, who strove to empower women, liked them.
Clouds of sheer, colored silk added an even lighter touch — periwinkle for a windbreaker or a button-front T-shirt; peach for long floaty skirts, and seafoam green for a show-stopping strapless dress cinched with a black obi belt.
Sheer pastel dresses had sequins streaking across them, and came with matching knee-high boots made with the same fabric. The look had a Tinkerbell-like charm. Although he wasn’t there to deliver it, Armani’s message this season was clear. Lighten up.