Silvana Armani, Giorgio Armani’s niece, has spent more than four decades working alongside her uncle. “I began as a model, then, rather oddly, I turned into a receptionist, though I wasn’t quite good enough,” she quipped at a preview. She officially joined the company soon after, working mainly on Emporio Armani. When, 20 years ago, the maestro launched Armani Privé, he entrusted her with a role as his right hand. Now, following his passing in September, she has stepped into the spotlight, unveiling her own vision as creative director. In a couture week crowded with high-profile debuts by male designers, she stands as the only woman currently at the helm of a couture maison.
Her first outing, developed with the design team, revealed an elegant, feminine flair: lighter in spirit, fluid in line, polished, and quietly confident. Accessories were reduced to a whisper; hats were notably absent, despite Giorgio Armani’s well-known penchant for them: “I don’t like hats, I don’t find them particularly modern,” she said. Masculine tailoring was softened rather than challenged. The opening looks featured languid suits with relaxed blazers, sheer organza shirts and ties, and pin-tucked wide-leg trousers in layered organza or cady. The overall effect was cleaner, calmer, and more edited, with decoration confined to embroidery alone.
Couture for Silvana Armani leans towards the everyday, not as spectacle, but as something to be lived in: “From a woman, for women,” she remarked. There were fewer dresses, more daywear, and a welcoming ease that invited intimacy rather than awe. The color palette was pale and nuanced: jade tones, chosen for their symbolism of harmony and good fortune, appeared in celadon green and the softest blush pinks. If a hint of masculinity surfaced, it did so deliberately, in counterpoint to Giorgio Armani himself, whose work had become increasingly feminine in recent years. The edit was decisive: 60 looks instead of the customary hundred, with clarity prevailing over profusion.
Glamour, when it appeared, was handled with restraint, and with the empathy a woman designer brings to the table. Mille-feuille gowns shimmered with layers of micro-crystals, creating a luminous, almost weightless transparency. Elsewhere, structured bodices floated over long skirts constructed from elliptical panels, while sequined jumpers were worn with studied nonchalance over palazzo trousers. One entrance-making standout came in the form of a body-skimming column dress, entirely encrusted with translucent crystals, layered beneath a black satin opera coat lined in matching celadon. It was glamour of the most assured kind: pared back, yet fabulous.
The homage to the late maestro arrived in the closing look—a bridal gown designed by Giorgio Armani himself. A long-sleeved white dress with a fitted bodice opening into a fluted skirt; it was embroidered with circles of sequins. Created for his final Privé show but never revealed, it felt remarkably timed this season, as bridal looks have returned to couture runways: Silvana believed the moment was right for its unveiling.
Reverence for Armani’s legacy was palpable but not obsequious; his vision was honored, yet filtered through Silvana’s own lens, like a loving relative who knows when to hold her ground. It will be interesting to see where she takes the house next. “I believe he would have approved,” she said with a smile. “Though instead of editing things out, he probably would have added a little something—everywhere.”
