“The trousers are so fluid they appear to be a size too big,” read the press notes for the Giorgio Armani menswear SS20 show, earlier today. This emphasis on fluidity ran throughout the collection – it had an ease. The focus was “summer dressing”; those sunny days and super-warm nights. The original wardrobe-realist, Mr Armani sent out a series of hot weather holiday essentials; all of which, fused the worlds of tailoring with that of off-duty. Translated, this meant lightweight suits in brown linen; kicky cropped jackets and a checked and dead-easy, beautiful suit. This was over-dyed in black – the check just visible underneath. This two-piece, specifically, speaks to the modern “ease” of which Mr Armani refers. Ease in the wear – his looser cut – but also in its “team with anything” ability.
The waistcoat – in all manner of fabrics – appeared in numerous looks. Worn over t-shirts, left open with a suit, worn above draw-string shorts; seen under a cream silk biker jacket. Can you? Easily. If Mr Armani’s design philosophy argues for anything, it’s repurposing and re-proposing classics in new ways. And new ways to wear. Time to rethink the waistcoat, then. For evening: silks and silk-mix fabrics in jewel tones; a navy blue jacket and wide trouser suit had a workwear shape; certainly, squarer than most. This was another standout show from Italy’s master tailor.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans
