Topical Guide 531
Mark Dorset
Clothing: Men’s Fashions: Armani, 1980s
Reservations Recommended, Chapter 6:
He chooses a gray shirt with a spread collar, a gray silk tie embellished with what look like brush strokes of white here and there, as if applied by a hasty, impassioned artist. […] He wears a charcoal-gray suit that fits him better than any other he owns, black silk suspenders, wool-and-silk socks in a pattern that resembles herringbone but with one side of the V about half the length of the other.
Tony Sylvester, “How Relevant Is 80s Armani?” in Permanent Style, July 2, 2021:
Every era has its acolytes and naysayers, but perhaps the most maligned decade of 20th Century menswear is the 1980s. […]
The 1980s are viewed as a time when a vibrant underground provided the sartorial dynamism, while the mainstream remained irredeemably naff and drab. I would like—in this article—to provide a counter-argument in the form of the pioneering work of Giorgio Armani.
In 1975, Armani launched his eponymous label after a decade working as a freelance designer for fashion brands in Italy. Immediately focusing on luxury, ready-to-wear menswear, his first collection for SS76—shown at Pitti that year—exhibits an incredible confidence.
The nascent hallmarks of his signature approach are already there: a generously draped silhouette, a muted palette, and a preference for soft inviting textures. […]
The use of pale greys, washed greens and beiges, meanwhile, signals the influence of militaria and field clothing, and contributes to a faded lived-in feel. […]
There is much to take from in the collections, and it’s astonishing how many of the outfits have resonance today. Bigger proportions have been around for several years among both mainstream and designer brands, and tonal dressing has become a constant theme for both the fashionable and sartorial.
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