Armani/Casa Unveils First Outdoor Collection, Opens Up Couture Salons to City
MILAN — Giorgio Armani for the first time opened his Milan Palazzo Orsini headquarters to the public to display his latest Casa collection — and the line of people eager to take advantage of the opportunity was hard to miss on Via Borgonuovo.
In another novelty, the designer presented his first outdoor collection in the beautiful garden, one of the hidden gems of Milan’s stately buildings and accessed from the 17th-century courtyard.
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“My work, both in fashion and in design, is a constant pursuit for balance that comes from the choice of materials and the expert skill of the hands that create it,” said Armani. Opening the doors of the villa to show the Casa collection “in such an intimate setting is a way of highlighting this process. It’s also a way to accentuate the variety of the offering,” and the precious materials and superior craftsmanship, he added.
In the garden, the solid teak furniture series included the Terence sofa and armchair with a footrest, the Timothy lounger, the large Thomas dining table, the Turner and Terry side tables, and the Thelma folding armchair. Every year, Armani assigns a letter in alphabetical order to his furniture and T was the chosen one for 2023. The clean, rounded lines contrasted with wooden surfaces embellished with a unique engraved finish that recalls the interweaving of wicker.
The seats and cushions were upholstered in a textured and luminous Armani/Casa jacquard fabric, specially designed to withstand the elements, embellished with stylized palm motifs.
In the stunning frescoed rooms usually reserved for Armani Privé’s atelier and haute couture collections on the first floor, passing through the porticoes and an imposing staircase, a few wicker pieces created continuity with the outdoor collection, as in an imaginary patio.
The Ted table and the revisited Melrose table with tops in exquisite Taj Mahal quartzite and brass details, as well as the Sharon sofa and armchair with footrest, were in sync with Armani’s belief in timeless objects and his consistent aesthetic.
The craftsmanship of the Sofia chair, of the Antoinette dressing table and the Camilla desk presented in new versions was emphasized by the mother-of-pearl tiles applied by hand in a mosaic pattern over the entire surface, creating an almost hypnotic weave with a palpable textured finish.
The Oriental and Art Deco inspirations so relevant for Armani were reaffirmed throughout the collection.
His classic neutral palette was revved up by touches of agave green, cobalt blue, orange, gray and lacquer red.
Together with Murano glass vases with lacquer details, candles, bento boxes with hand-crafted embellishments, and palm wood-lined boxes with Art Deco flair, Armani presented whimsical accessories, such as the Tale tarot cards with photos of models wearing Armani clothes, and the Tool tape measure that morphs into a charm.
The weave theme was reflected by small objects such as the cylindrical candle holders with wire mesh.
Nature is always key to Armani’s collections and colorful ceramic objects inspired by Mediterranean vegetation were a fun additional touch.
Just as he has masterminded the growth and expansion of his fashion empire, which reported sales of more than 2 billion euros in 2021, Armani has built a solid furniture and interior design business. Armani/Casa was formally established in 2000 and is now present in 29 countries with 40 stores around the world in leading cities from Milan and Paris to New York and Tokyo.
The designer has also built a solid business with his hotels in Dubai, which bowed in 2010 in the Burj Khalifa, and in Milan a year later, in a venture with Dubai-based developer Emaar Properties PJSC that was established in 2005.
Last year it was revealed that an Armani Hotel will rise in Diriyah, a 300-year-old site located a 15-minute drive from Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is expected to be completed in 2026. The area is home to the UNESCO world heritage site At-Turaif, recognized as one of the world’s foremost mud-brick cities and the valley and lush palm groves of Wadi Hanifah.
Armani is also redeveloping his four-level, 16,000-square-foot Madison Avenue store in Manhattan into a 96,000-square-foot building that will house a flagship and 19 luxury Armani/Casa residences, a project that is expected to be completed in 2025.
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