Giorgio Armani Spring Summer 2023
Image: Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani was thinking about gold when he began designing the Spring/Summer 2023 collection for his eponymous label. So much so, that he named S/S ’23 ‘Fil d’Or’, or ‘Son of Gold’—a thread of gold ran through all 56 looks. “This season, that thread is illuminated with golden gleams that punctuate the figure, form details, and blend with the textures of fabrics and accessories to adorn them with light,” explained the show notes.

That thread was sometimes subtle, sometimes overt. The opening looks were sleek daywear (like quintessentially Armani suiting), dressed up with gold sneakers, top-handle totes, and chunky gold jewellery. Models walked through a set impaled with oversized gold sculptures that evoked a (particularly chic) bamboo jungle. As the collection progressed, a highly elevated take on wardrobe staples developed—knits were embellished with sequins that caught the light, tapered trousers were dressed up with asymmetrical pleated blouses, scarf-hemmed dresses were styled over pants.

There was a nomadic feeling throughout many of the pieces—sarong-style skirts, netted shirts, harem-style trousers, some finished in fabulous mandala prints. The colour palette blended the aforementioned gold tones with a brilliant array of blues, starting with powder and cornflower blues, and developing into deep shapes of indigo and navy. It was a collection that spoke to Armani’s global appeal, but the end result was steeped in the designer’s deep reverence for his native country’s craftsmen and materials. At 88, Mr. Armani shows no signs of slowing down, and the industry is all the better for it.

Giorgio Armani Spring Summer 2023
Image: Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani Spring Summer 2023
Image: Giorgio Armani