The Maestro Giorgio Armani Takes Manhattan

Armani returned to New York for a seminal show at the Park Avenue Armory.

Mr. Armani, who celebrated his 90th birthday earlier this year and is looking ahead to the half-century mark of his brand next year, shows no signs of slowing down. Tonight at the Park Avenue Armory, he showed over 90 men’s and women’s looks inspired by the idea of being in viaggio, or on a journey. In a train station-esque setting, with audience members including Lili Reinhart, and Brie Larson sitting at mini café-style tables, he brought a taste of Italy to the East 60s.

Giorgio Armani isn’t one to sit still. Even at 90 years old, he’s still very much on the move. That message was made clear as guests poured into New York’s Park Avenue Armory for the designer’s spring 2025 show. The historic building had been outfitted to resemble busy Grand Central Station circa the 1930s. The evening’s conductor, of course, was Maestro Armani himself, who for the first time, presented his main line outside of Italy and off the traditional Milan Fashion Week calendar. The special one-off traveling show, fittingly titled “In Viaggio”—on a journey—was as much a classic runway affair as it was a celebration of Armani’s recent personal and professional milestones: In July, he rang in his ninth decade and next year marks the 50th anniversary of his namesake brand.

The location was significant, as the Armory is only a few blocks away from 760 Madison Avenue, an Upper East Side address that’s been home to the Giorgio Armani flagship boutique since 1996 and now boasts an Armani/Casa store, a restaurant, and the Giorgio Armani Residences. Mr. Armani hosted a slew of events to celebrate its opening, culminating in last night’s runway presentation. The black-tie event (because an Armani function is always a class act) began with a cocktail hour before trains, projected onto the walls, rolled into the “station” signaling guests—among them Amanda Seyfried —to take make their way to their seats around cocktail tables in a vast runway space reminiscent of a jazz club.

Perhaps in a nod to his status as an out-of-towner, the show opened with a woman in a neutral ensemble: jacket, trousers, boots, and a laden-with-bags bellhop following closely behind. Looks eminently suited for city living followed: flowing blouses and pants, a cape fastened with a brooch, a movie-heroine leather trench.

While Mr. Armani’s feet may have been firmly planted in New York tonight, and his roots are very much in Milan, he’s always looking westward, to the bright lights of Hollywood. He has dressed Ariana Grande and Imaan Hammam, among many other stars, for magazine covers. And in films from American Gigolo to The Wolf of Wall Street, he’s demonstrated his mastery of power suiting. Here, his classic tailoring was modernized in silk or in the form of insouciant shorts suits. And he paid homage to ’30s starlets with liquid gowns fit for a contemporary Carole Lombard.

For spring, Mr. Armani drew inspiration from the ’30s and’40s, decades that have been influential in shaping the designer’s view of New York, particularly through film. The cinematic show opened with a model confidently striding in a monochromatic ensemble—cropped trench coat, trousers tucked into high leather boots, knit cap, chunky earrings—trailed by a porter carrying two suitcases a few steps behind (the only way to travel!), setting the tone for cosmopolitan glamour ahead.

The accessories were strong, from statement hats and crocheted caps to woven belts, chunky bangles, square sunglasses and eccentric earrings. And the final passage of the collection featured showpieces in Manhattanhenge sunset hues, some of them intricately beaded and fringed.

While many designers might be inclined to lean into the all-black uniforms New Yorkers are known for, Mr. Armani stayed true to his house codes—namely his signature soft color palette and equally soft tailoring. Shades of gray, slate, charcoal and greige gave way to neutral camel and sand tones punctuated by saturated pinks and blues.

Nods to the city instead popped up in cheeky styling moments: a windswept tie, a trench coat draped over the shoulders editrix-style, bags carried in multiples. A particular highlight was when a model appeared carrying a tiny dog, perfectly matched to her tan ensemble, and perhaps inspired by the city’s denizens who bring their fur babies everywhere.

The overall focus was on clothes for journeys near and far with an emphasis on easy separates. Even Armani’s signature suits were more relaxed, sitting looser on the frame. Another Armani-ism present throughout was sheen; his preferred medium is lustrous fabric, which here felt reminiscent of the high gloss of Gotham.

For the finale, all the models, over 90 of them, came out and stood still on the runway, allowing viewers to zoom in and out on the collection’s intricate details before Mr. Armani, bathed in a spotlight, appeared to wave to the crowd. Capping off the evening was a performance by another legend, Chaka Khan , now 71, back in the city she once called home and still in top form.

In a recent interview Mr. Armani shared that he plans to retire in the next two or three years, but for now, he’s still operating at full speed ahead. Of course, when the day finally does come, his exit will be a bit more complicated than recent designer switcheroos, given the fact that after nearly half a century, he remains the sole owner and CEO of Giorgio Armani S.p.A. But if last night was the lead-up, you can bet his final act will be nothing short of fabulous.

The models gathered in a line spanning the Armory for the finale, forming a striking visualization of Armani’s long career arc, and then the maestro himself took a triumphant, and well-deserved, bow.