Armani Unveils Post-Giorgio Era: Leo Dell'Orco's Debut Collection

What exactly Giorgio Armani looks like without its eponymous founder at the helm has been the burning question in the fashion industry since the designer’s death in September. In Milan on Monday afternoon, it got its answer as the designer’s collaborator and right-hand man of four decades, Leo Dell’Orco, made his debut at the Italian fashion house where he will oversee menswear for the foreseeable future. It was the first Armani collection that the late designer had no involvement in. If Armani under Armani was known for its relaxed, deconstructed suiting and fluid folds in silk, velvet and cashmere, all in his signature shade of “greige”, Dell’Orco kept all but the colour palette, shifting focus away from the famous portmanteau towards jewel-like tones. Here, the everyday Armani uniform of relaxed velvet coordinates, brushed cashmere shackets and velvet polo shirts came in amethyst, sapphire and lapis blue hues Elsewhere, a 1980s sensibility came to the fore, with leather bomber and aviator-inspired jackets, jacquard knitwear and rakish suiting that was one-part Withnail, one part member of A-ha. The latter is a savvy move in many ways, tapping into the increased appetite for vintage Armani. In the days after Giorgio’s death, eBay reported a 192% spike in searches for the brand, while searches on Vinted were three times higher than normal. The general consensus from the menswear press in response to the show, which took place in the same basement room at Armani HQ that it has done in recent history, with many of the same models walking the runway, was positive. “It definitely felt like the brand wasn’t trying to reinvent itself after the passing of Mr Armani,” says Zak Maoui, the style director at Gentleman’s Journal. “Dell’Orco left his mark without distorting the lasting memory we have of, ultimately, the iconic brand that Armani built. That said, there was a mood shift and the music was more upbeat … it felt like a celebration of Armani.” Paul Toner, the deputy editor at 10 Magazine, agrees. “After working with Mr Armani for so long, Leo Dell’Orco knows the codes of the house like the back of his hands and this had everything you expect from a great Armani show with some great additions that felt youthful, like those buttery soft leather jackets.” Since Giorgio’s death, there has been much speculation around the future creative direction of the fashion house’s bi-annual collections. As it stands, Dell’Orco has taken the reins of the menswear and Armani’s niece, Silvana, continues in her role as womenswear design director. Several names have been recently rumoured to be in the frame for the role, the most recurring of which is the former Celine and Dior Homme creative director Hedi Slimane. While the brand itself hasn’t commented on any creative succession plan, the show notes made a point of saying “Dell’Orco’s vision emerges naturally after 40 years working alongside Giorgio Armani, and from a desire to make a personal mark on what stands as his debut” suggesting it may be less of an interim measure and a more long-term positioning of Dell’Orco, who took his bow alongside his nephew and head of the menswear style office, Gianluca Dell’Orco. As for the future of the group, a new board of directors that was appointed in November is said to be currently activating the posthumous wishes of Giorgio Armani whose will was striking for its specificity. Despite priding himself in remaining an independent brand during his lifetime, Armani instructed his heirs to sell a 15% stake in the business within 18 months, and an additional 30% to 54.9% to the same buyer within the next five years, name checking L’Oréal, EssilorLuxottica and LVMH. An announcement has yet to be made on the next steps.