Giorgio Armani; Emporio Spring 2018 Collection

Question: Which of planet earth’s countries has the imagery which would be most easily understood and grow prosperous on the quite peculiar planet Armani? It’s easy—just think for a minute. The answer, of course, is Japan.

With its utterly pure, supremely refined aesthetic, Japan naturally resonates with Mr. Armani’s exacting stylistic codes. In today’s Emporio collection, his dialogue between East and West was kept on modern turf, with no indulgence of exoticism or folklore. Kimonos and tuxedo jackets were having an elegant, relaxed dialogue; martial arts–inspired outerwear was shown alongside urban, sleek suits, finely tailored in the best Armani tradition.

Elements of Japanese iconography were almost whispered on sporty boxy jackets and parkas, worn with pants-skirts hybrids, layered on ankle-length culottes or billowy habutai silk cargo pants. The flow of Eastern and Western references blended seamlessly, as part of a conversation on urban modern allure and international style, spiced up with cultivated accents of cool.

Dark blue is Armani’s signature color, which grounded the collection on familiar, elegant territory; flashes of bright lacquer red kept the sophistication flame alive. Silk was the fabric of choice, highlighting the smoothness of surfaces and textures; floral jacquards, printed cherry blossom rampages, graffiti, and abstract calligraphy had a gentle, eccentric vibe. An exceptionally fit Armani made a smiling appearance at the end of the show. He looked so cool, he easily outshone Shawn Mendes, the 18-year-old Canadian music sensation, who took a turn on the runway and had throngs of teenagers in hysterics outside the Armani Teatro.