The iconic Italian luxury label celebrated 40 years in the industry by launching its latest Spring/Summer 2022 fashion show, and a special edition of the Emporio Armani Magazine.
When it comes to luxury, Giorgio Armani has always been ahead of his time by expanding the reach of his label through experimenting, capturing new trends, and making fashion accessible to all.
Last year, the designer celebrated the 40th anniversary of Emporio Armani—a brand that has been through several changing times but has remained faithful to its business strategy. Created in 1981, Emporio Armani has always had the intention of making fashion accessible to all, but they never created a manifesto until now. THE WAY WE ARE was personally curated by Giorgio Armani, which consists of a 360-degree takeover of the Armani/Silos spaces that showcases the essence of Emporio Armani—four decades of the brand’s history showcased through clothes, images, and videos that summarise its spirit and philosophy.
The manifesto reads: “Within an EMPORIO (an emporium), there are no limits of time or space. An Emporio acts as a container, an encyclopedia, an algorithm. An Emporio holds everything, for everyone, at all times. An Emporio has no set schemes. Emporio Armani is all of this, under the banner of the eagle. It is here, now, today, in every way. It is me, you, us—we are all the same because we are different. Free. It is pragmatism and imagination. It is EA.”
But the celebrations didn’t stop there. On the occasion of the exhibition opening, a special issue of Emporio Armani Magazine was launched. Like previous issues, editor Rosanna Armani edited this issue as well, which symbolically bears the same title as the exhibition, THE WAY WE ARE. This special-edition magazine aims to encourage facing the present by being aware of what has been, looking ahead but without nostalgia. The magazine features unique contents, as well as garments and accessories from Emporio Armani’s autumn/winter 21/22 collections.
The exhibition rooms were covered in huge photographs, as well as mood boards, videos, clothing, and a history of Milan from pages of the Emporio Armani Magazine, highlighting the unconventional spirit of the designer. The visitors were invited to interact with each of the rooms, watch the films, and appreciate the collections. The exhibition also supported education and school dropout prevention programs promoted by Save the Children, the international organisation helping children’s rights and interests.
In addition to the mural in Via Broletto in Milan, the event was preceded by a series of billboards that appeared in some of the most significant places of the city, such as Corso Garibaldi and Via Tortona. The plans also involved the customisation of bus and tram shelters throughout the city, including Garibaldi and Centrale stations in Milan, some areas of Malpensa airport and Termini station in Rome, as well as the personalisation of the historic newsstand in Largo Treves in Milan. The intense and varied series of activities underscores the dynamic and democratic spirit of the brand, which, since 1981, has echoed and interpreted the way people live in metropolitan cities. The events also reflect and celebrate Emporio Armani’s contemporary and inclusive attitude.
Forty years going strong, Armani has proved that he will always have a penchant for giving the world of fashion an accessible range of all things classy.
