Giorgio Armani Does Couture

[metal-on-metal]

This is interesting.

From vogue.co.uk

GIORGIO ARMANI COUTURE

AT 70-years-old, you'd think Giorgio Armani had conquered every corner of the fashion world, but he still wants to make it in the world of haute couture. The Italian designer has announced that he will unveil his first couture collection in Paris in January to 300 guests and, despite being off the official calendar, it is likely to be one of Couture Week's hottest tickets. With the likes of Versace and Emanuel Ungaro announcing that they had pulled their incredibly expensive couture lines to concentrate wholly on ready-to-wear in recent seasons, Armani is going against the grain by launching the Giorgio Armani Atelier. He is, however, determined to silence murmurs in the fashion industry of his impending retirement and is going to great lengths to prove that there is plenty of design spirit left in him yet. Having created several intricately layered and embellished gowns for his spring/summer 2005 collection in Milan last September, he says that couture was simply "a natural progression to expand this point of view into the Giorgio Armani Atelier collection and bring it to Paris", adding that he is "now aiming to capture the very summit of the luxury market". (December 2 2004, AM)

 

[BrothaG]

Looks very hot. I like their move.

 

[EdK]

I hope he does well hes a very gifted man.

 

[macchiom]

I remember reading about this move a couple of month ago and I’m looking forward to see how it turns out.

 

[Mr-Dale]

So glad to see a new 'big name' in couture...sounds very promising!

 

[liberty33r1b]

2 DECEMBER 2004

As one of the most celebrated figures in the fashion industry, Giorgio Armani is a man with few goals left to achieve. But the silver-haired Italian, who is best-known for the understated chic of his ready-to-wear collections, has decided to flex his creative muscles by taking on the world of couture.

Ironically, he is producing his first haute couture show just as other big names like Versace and Emanuel Ungaro pull the plug on theirs. The Italian style guru will unveil the "Atelier Collection" in Paris next January and, although it is not officially part of Couture Week, the event is sure to draw plenty of attention.

Earlier this year, the designer’s latest prêt-a-porter range showed several silk gowns featuring intricate detailing and thousands of sequins. "It therefore seems a natural progression to expand this point of view into the Giorgio Armani Atelier collection and bring it to Paris," he said. "I am now aiming to capture the very summit of the luxury market."

Although his collection won't form part of the official event, the iconic Italian will showcase his couture debut during Paris Fashion Week. "I am now aiming to capture the very summit of the luxury market," he says
Photo: © AFP

from: hellomagazine.com

 

[Alura]

The gown were beautiful, they were glittering and shimmering beautifully on the Milan catwalk, this is a very interesting move in the middle of the democratization of luxury brands and their mass production.

 

[softgrey]

somehow...this actually makes sense...

thanks for the topic m-o-m...
and for the article liberty...

 

[mikeijames]

so new couture collections for givenchy, vionnet, and armani slated for next year. i guess the couture's not dead?

 

[purplelucrezia]

Originally posted by mikeijames@Dec 2 2004, 12:13 PM
so new couture collections for givenchy, vionnet, and armani slated for next year. i guess the couture's not dead?

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May the Givenchy finally be good.

 

[liberty33r1b]

Originally posted by mikeijames@Dec 2 2004, 12:13 PM
so new couture collections for givenchy, vionnet, and armani slated for next year. i guess the couture's not dead?

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definitely not!! I'm so glad!
what would be the fashion world without it's fashion wonderland that is couture?

 

[mikeijames]

Originally posted by liberty33r1b@Dec 2 2004, 12:21 PM
definitely not!! I'm so glad!
what would be the fashion world without it's fashion wonderland that is couture?

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fashion needs that couture laboratory where ideas rule and commerciality is irrelevant. i still say there's a growing appetite for the couture.

 

[Spike413]

As softgrey said, it makes total sense. The man's got talent. I'm very interested to see his first HC collection. At the very least, it'll help revive the couture from it's current state.

 

[LostInNJ]

Couture: Less Dead Than Ever
Giorgio Armani Atelier to warm up Parisian winter.

NEW YORK: Wednesday, December 01, 2004

Giorgio Armani’s a designer known for bucking trends, both personally and professionally, so it should come as no surprise that the 70 year-old enfant terrible of fashion is launching an haute couture line just as other old-guard favorites—Ungaro and Versace—opt out of the high-end hustle.

The Giorgio Armani Atelier collection will debut to 300 guests this January—in Paris of all places, and off-calendar, to boot. In a statement, Armani said he was “now aiming to capture the very summit of the luxury market.”

In these increasingly casual prêt-a-porter times, if anyone has the star-studded client loyalty to go haute, it’s Giorgio. So much for the new populism of the open seating policy and downtown vibe at last month’s Pier 94 Milan redux…

 

[oceanharlot]

cool. can't wait to see what they pop out!

 

[Spacemiu]

I don't think Armani has been very good the last few seasons, so I'm not expecting much.

 

[AlexN]

Originally posted by liberty33r1b@Dec 2 2004, 12:21 PM
definitely not!! I'm so glad!
what would be the fashion world without it's fashion wonderland that is couture?

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I feel the same way.

 

[softgrey]

Originally posted by mikeijames@Dec 2 2004, 12:23 PM
fashion needs that couture laboratory where ideas rule and commerciality is irrelevant.  i still say there's a growing appetite for the couture.

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appetite maybe...but are there enough people with deep enough pockets...
who will be the new couture customer?...lil kim?

i don't remember the new vionnet being couture?...
are you sure mike?...and givenchy still hasn't appointed a designer...are you sure they're doing couture?...

 

[Acid]

brilliant!
if anyone should do haute couture.......its armani
his dresses are already luxury.....so lets see what he can add to that

 

[LostInNJ]

Sorry! I didn't realize this topic had been posted in the Designers section