LOVE STORY

Surprisingly, the spark that ignited Giorgio Armani’s lifelong obsession with Japanese culture had nothing to do with fashion. It was and . He was watching these movies and studying the work of woodblock artist Utamaro when he designed one of his most iconic collections, A/W 1981, which referenced traditional Japanese dress partnered with modern Italian fabrics. Armani has continued to travel to Japan and be inspired by its culture, particularly evident in his A/W 2008, A/W 2011 and S/S 2015 Privé collections, and he returned once again this year to stage his cruise 2020 show in Tokyo. “I love the simplicity and refinement of Japanese culture,” Armani, now 85, told the gathered media before the show. “It has a cleanness and a rigour that I continue to be inspired by.”The collection, shown at the Tokyo National Museum, is an accessible one by intention (“Resort collections are mainly commercial — they have to be sellable,” he explained), which centres on fluid tailoring and sporty menswear. Eighties-style power suits in charcoal grey were belted with leather harnesses; perfectly cut slacks were held up with suspenders. “What is always important for me is to do Armani but to bring it forward,” the designer continued. “This collection has a more relaxed attitude but is still rooted in tradition.”