27 June 2013

Long live the new elegance - Giorgio Armani Menswear Spring Summer 2014 fashion show

Giorgio Armani Men Spring Summer 2014 finale
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - finale


It's been a long time since I was moved for a fashion show, but it's incredible how Giorgio Armani has awakened my sleepy enthusiasm for fashion with the simple style of the SS 2014 menswear collection. His man doesn't blind people with vibrant colors, he doesn't impose his figure with oversized garments, he is not a rock star who screams his presence through studded leather and jewelry, and he isn't a decadent dandy who travels the world on a cruise; the Armani man is the contemporary gentleman par excellence.
Yes, because contemporary elegance comes from the mind, from the attitudes you have towards the others, by your way of being spontaneous and genuine that only few can match. The contemporary elegance, as seen on some of the Milan Fashion Week catwalks and at Pitti Uomo, is no longer made by squared tailored suits. The new contemporary elegance is all about casual and sporty mood, with versatile items designed for men on the move who don't want to shut their hyperactivity into dusty formal jackets.

Era davvero da molto, anzi, troppo tempo, che non mi emozionavo per una sfilata, ma Giorgio Armani con la sua collezione uomo primavera estate 2014 è stato capace di risvegliare un entusiasmo ormai sopito da qualche stagione, ricorrendo alla semplicità. Il suo uomo, infatti, non acceca gli altri con colori vibranti, non si impone con tagli netti e oversized, non è il rocker che grida la sua presenza attraverso pelle borchiata e gioielli, e non è neanche il vanesio dandy decadente che gira il mondo in crociera, l'uomo Armani è il gentiluomo contemporaneo per eccellenza.
Sì perché l'eleganza contemporanea parte dalla mente, dagli atteggiamenti che si hanno nei confronti del prossimo, dal modo di porsi spontaneo e genuino che in pochi possono vantare. L'eleganza contemporanea, come vista su alcune delle passerelle milanesi e soprattutto tra gli stand di Pitti Uomo, non è più quella dei rigidi completi sartoriali, ma è casual e sportiva, caratterizzata da capi versatili pensati per uomini in movimento, che non vogliono costipare la loro iperattività all'interno di polverose giacche formali.


Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - knitted items
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - casual knitted items
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - sporty jackets
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - sporty jackets
The Giorgio Armani SS2014 collection, however, has another feature which makes it unique: it is an emotional collection. Through its lines, its forms, its inspirations and its colors you can perceive all the Armani man feelings. The soft and sinuous lines which redesign the shoulders of the jackets inevitably enhance the gentle nature of the wearer; while the color mix of navy blue, dusty pink, white and sand declined on suits seem to convey a sense of relax that only a peaceful man can boast. Moreover, despite the sportswear influence, on the catwalk there is no trace of aggressive muscles (symbol of male insecurity), but only men who like comfort and who stand out among the crowd thanks to small details such as a knitted tie or shiny calfskin hand-bags.
The collection is featured by comfortable clothes such as: versatile jackets with 4 or 5 buttons, whose fit changes basing on the number of unbuttoned buttons; the pants with slim and straight leg which facilitate every type of movement; the geometric printed t-shirts reminiscent of Victor Vasarely optical works or the blue and green pseudo-camouflage prints mixed with African batik technique and tie-dye on t-shirts, jackets and slippers; and finally the trompe-l'oeil prints of canvas and wool weaves on jackets and trousers.

La collezione estiva Giorgio Armani però ha un'altra caratteristica che la distingue dalle altre, è una collezione emotiva: attraverso le sue linee, le sue forme, le sue ispirazioni ed i suoi colori si percepiscono tutti i sentimenti dell'uomo Armani. La linea sinuosa e morbida che ridisegna le spalle delle giacche esalta inevitabilmente l'indole d'animo gentile di chi le indossa; mentre il mix di blu profondo, rosa polvere, sabbia e bianco declinati su completi e spezzati, sembrano trasmettere un senso di relax che solo un uomo sereno può vantare. Inoltre, nonostante l'influenza proveniente dallo sportswear, non vi è traccia di quei muscoli gonfi di aggressiva insicurezza maschile, ma solo di uomini amanti della comodità che non rinunciano a distinguersi tra la folla metropolitana grazie ai piccoli dettagli di stile come la cravatta in maglina o la borsa a mano in vitello lucido. Ecco allora che in passerella si susseguono capi pratici, come le inusuali giacche a 4 e 5 bottoni che cambiano il fit in base al numero di bottoni sbottonati; i pantaloni con la gamba dritta e slanciata che facilitano ogni tipo di movimento; i dettagli delle stampe geometriche dei sotto-giacca che ricordano le opere optical di Victor Vasarely; la stampa pseudo-camouflage mixata con tie-dye e batik africani su t-shirt, babbucce e giacconi in blu e verde; mentre le stampe trompe-l'oeil che riprendono le trame del canvas o della lana si alternano sulle giacche e sui pantaloni degli spezzati.

Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - powder pink suits
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - powder pink
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - 5 buttons jackets
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - 5 buttons jackets 
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - Trompe-l'oeil prints
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - Trompe-l'oeil prints
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - optical inspiration to Victor Vasarely (1962)
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - optical inspiration to Victor Vasarely (1962)
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - green and blue pseudo-camouflage mixed with batik and tie dye
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - green and blue pseudo-camouflage mixed with batik and tie dye
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - shoes: loafers, slippers, sneakers
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - shoes: loafers, slippers, sneakers
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - fabric backpack and leather hand-bags
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - fabric backpack and leather hand-bags

We can say the new contemporary menswear elegance passes through sporty and high-tech materials creating a particular mix of layerings made of three-dimensional textures and printed patterns, ennobling even the simplest of the garments, turning it into a must have of the Armani classics.

La nuova eleganza quindi passa attraverso i materiali high-tech e sportivi che creando sovrapposizioni di texture tridimensionali e pattern stampati, nobilitano anche il più semplice dei capi, trasformandolo in immancabile must have dei classici Armani.


Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - printed patterns and fabrics mix
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - printed patterns and sporty fabrics mix
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - sporty white fabrics mix
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - sporty white fabrics mix 
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - knitted cardigan and pseudo-batik printed T-shirts
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - knitted cardigan and pseudo-batik printed T-shirts 
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - squared patterns and striped textures
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - squared dots patterns and striped textures 
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - squared patterns and textures
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - squared patterns and textures
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - canvas pattern and 3D zig-zag textures
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - canvas pattern and 3D zig-zag textures
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - classic pattern and textures mix
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - classic pattern and textures mix
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - crossed printed pattern and striped shirt
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - crossed printed pattern and striped shirt
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - squared printed pattern and striped shirt
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - squared printed pattern and striped shirt
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - herringbone textures mixed with squared printed trousers
Giorgio Armani Men's Spring Summer 2014 - herringbone textures mixed with squared printed trousers





Long live the new elegance, long live Mr. Armani!
Viva la nuova eleganza maschile, viva Armani!


Alessandro Masetti - The Fashion Commentator
Photo credits:  Vogue.it; FashionMag.it; Victoria&Albert Museum