The final Emporio Armani collection shaped by the late Giorgio Armani's own hand previewed during Milan Fashion Week on Thursday in the theater where just weeks ago more than 15,000 people paid their last respects.
Armani’s presence was felt in the elegant relaxed tailoring that mixed the masculine with the feminine, and distinctive with a traveler's touches: kimono fastenings on jackets, raffia crochet caps and flat walking sandals and soft leather booties.
The theater itself was appointed with architectural details that mirrored Armani's precise tailoring, while soft fabric suspended from the ceiling recalled the designer’s mastery of fluidity.
The womenswear collection for Spring-Summer 2026, titled “Ritorni,” or “Returns,'' was meant to catch the moment after vacation before the memory fades and real life resumes, according to the show notes.
Armani's models clapped in tribute as they made their final walk-through, and the fashion crowd replied in kind. After the finale, everyone’s eyes cast toward the doorway where Mr. Armani would make his final bow. It remained empty and illuminated, as the fashion crowd continued to applaud in appreciation.
Armani, one of the most recognizable names and faces in global fashion, died Sept. 4 at the age of 91. He signaled before his death that the creative hands would be handed to his niece Silvana Armani for womenswear and to his longtime collaborator Leo Dell'Orco for menswear.
The fashion house he founded in 1975 is marking the 50th anniversary of the signature Giorgio Armani line this year. In a final farewell, a Giorgio Armani show will take place Sunday at the Brera Art Gallery, among more than 120 garments Armani handpicked for an exhibition at the museum that will run through Jan. 11.
Picture Courtesy: AP Photo/Luca Bruno