A new lightness 

Playful and witty in mood, exploring line with an adventurous sense of shape, the Autumn/Winter 2009-2010 Emporio Armani collection for women is supremely Armani in its stylistic concept, but invigorated by an unexpected sense of lightness adding extra brio and energy to the classic values of an Armani wardrobe. 

“There are five senses,” wrote Alighiero Boetti, considered one of the masters of conceptual art, “and then the sixth, which is thought, the most extraordinary faculty possessed by man, one that has no natural equivalent.” It is this sixth sense that is the inspiration for the new collection, a restatement of the Armani code in tune with the present time. 

Consequently, the skirt is shortened, emphasising the lithe beauty of the leg, which is highlighted by sheer tights and socks with necktie mini patterns. This achieves a continuous look with the brogue-style shoes and also provides an occasional touch of fun and bravura. 

A novel treatment of jewellery – draped over the hip like a chain or on the jacket – hints at the delights of modest extravagance. Look for the well-defined waistlines, long jackets doubling as coats, or stylised and nimble overcoats.  Knitwear resembles fabric, fabrics that are as soft as knitwear, adorned by a foam of petals as frills and ruffles on the sleeves and collars. This is a collection that is so feminine that it excludes trousers, and in its attention to detail each single garment is transformed into a small everyday indulgence. 

The colour palette supports the shapes: very dark green mixed with asphalt grey and shadowy black; carbon paper blue that merges into midnight black and then fades into the pale radiant tones of dawn. At this point, jackets give way to delicate pullovers, slightly glossy jersey knits, and caressing velvets.