Last update - 00:00 07/09/2007
Suits, not stories
By Ilit Mainemer
Emporio Armani's winter collection, now on the shelves and racks at the designer's store in Tel Aviv, is well made, but does not fire the imagination. Unlike other big fashion houses that have brought in young designers in an attempt to continue to dictate and lead fashion trends, Georgio Armani has remained loyal to his style since the 1980s. This season, too, he has designed classic clothes with a soft, clean look, with light, stylish touches and precise silhouettes. Herein lies its power: Anyone looking for a good suit will find what he is seeking here. Indeed, the Armani suit concept still has significant meaning.
Whereas in previous seasons the collection was built around stories (such as Napoleon and Josephine), this season the Italian uber-designer is focused less on an entire look and more on key items. The skirt, for example, is a must in any woman's wardrobe this winter. Armani has created skirts in three styles: the classic, high-waisted straight skirt; the wrap-around or classic, pleated skirt; and the balloon skirt, carried over from last season. In addition, Armani has designed pants in a number of fashionable cuts, from skinny to oversized and baggy. These go well with short jackets with three- quarter-length sleeves that do not hug the body, or with a lovely short, leather jacket with shearling fur. Armani's feminine, body-hugging look is strongly represented in dresses and tunics, which have apparently been inspired by the masculine wardrobe: pinstriped wool and a futuristic look, characterized by the short, square cut of the upper parts.
In keeping with fashion dictates, the collection also includes thick silk and cashmere knits, silvery Lurex T-shirts, and large bags.
The attractive men's line is less structured, showing the influence of the techno trend and blending the sophisticated metropolitan world with the less flexible, sporty one. This collection uses new high-tech materials combined with natural fabrics, such as cashmere with polyester and velvet with nylon. Some of the items are cut closer to the body, such as the narrow stretch-fabric pants and jackets; and the suits with two buttons, which are particularly fashionable this season.
Armani's denim line features torn, scrubbed jeans (bucking the global trend of going back to cleaner, darker blue jeans) and shirts with a washed, wrinkled look.
Emporio Armani, 72 Heh B'Iyar Street, Tel Aviv. Women's collection prices: Knits, from NIS 790; jackets, from NIS 2,890; skirts, from 1,290; dresses, NIS 1,490. The men's line: Buttoned shirts, from NIS 790; pants, from NIS 990; jackets, from NIS 2,290; suits, from NIS 4,690.