Armani's 80s Styles Comeback
When Giorgio Armani stated that 'Savile Row is out of fashion', Japan's bubble economy was at its peak, and Armani was one of the most glamorous guests at the party. Despite being out of fashion for decades, Armani remains one of the top destinations for men's clothing.
It is currently popular to discuss fashion trends from the 70s and 80s, including broad shoulders, oversized silhouettes, baggy pants, and flared pants. These trends have been featured prominently in fashion week, social media, and popular Netflix shows set in big cities.
As James Laver once said, styles that have fallen out of favour will always return if they have been around long enough.
When Dior Homme was in fashion, the 20s and 60s were considered outdated, and when Tom Ford was popular, the late Tommy Nutter (70s) would have been amused.
Armani's first impression in the 80s was of loose, heavily padded shoulders and an outwardly extended shoulder line.
This trend, along with the pioneering designers of the late 70s, became the mainstay of the 80s and the beginning of Power Suit.
Armani and Hugo Boss should be considered the most popular representatives of this era of development, where possibilities were endless and every younger felt they could succeed and gain unlimited power.
Armani and Hugo Boss was considered the most popular. During the era, loose-fitting clothing was a symbol of youthfulness and fashion, while narrower suits were deemed 'classic'. Picture a young man in a slim-fit suit with tapered trousers and an older man in a wider suit passing each other on the street, silently ridiculing the other as 'old-fashioned'.
Armani is a unique designer brand, withstood the test of time. Despite financial challenges and having to offer shares, Armani has maintained its position as a leading brand.
Those familiar with fashion history will undoubtedly hold Armani in high regard.
The brand is known for its versatility, having been synonymous with the Power Suit in the early 1980s. However, the question remains: where is the power now?
The outfit's broad, flared shoulder line was retained, but removing the shoulder pads gave it a slouchy and casual appearance. This change in structure altered the overall impression.
Although he was known for his Power Suits, Armani was also a trailblazer in popularising Italian-style soft structures.
One of the main reasons for Armani's popularity is challenging the stereotypical image of menswear that had persisted for over a century. Since the 1970s, he has been renowned for his soft structures, often incorporating women's materials into men's clothing to reflect the shift towards a more casual and vacation-oriented lifestyle as people moved from the city to the suburbs.
He created suits that were so light and soft that they were barely noticeable.
At the time, people commented his suit look like a silk nightgown.
The trend of lived-in casualness was represented by lining-less, softly structured silk shirts and knitted ties.
Armani had an eye for the male body and believed that unstructured clothes emphasized the robust beauty of the male body rather than hiding it under rigid lines.
Armani's signature elements, such as the low neckline, low waistband (button-down), and long lower neckline, continued into the 90s.
He believed that a low button-down shirt could create an illusion of longer legs by suggesting the start of the waist.
In the late 1980s, he once again broke away from traditional structure and created a relaxed Italian style, using earthy colours to evoke a southern Mediterranean under the bright Tuscan sun.
Although ready-to-wear sales surpassed bespoke as early as the 1890s, it wasn't until the 1980s that ready-to-wear finally took the lead in fashion trends.
However, in the 1980s, designers rose to prominence, and one of the most iconic global fashion figures was Armani.
Until the 1970s, Italy was often seen as taking orders from larger European countries and producing mainly affordable ready-to-wear clothing. However, since the 1980s, this perception has changed with the emergence of Italian brands such as Armani. Today, Italy is synonymous with high-quality fashion and ready-to-wear clothing, with Armani being one of the most important brands.
With the trend returning to the 80s, it is worth revisiting Armani's impact on the industry.
