The Fashion Businessmasculine rectitude, introducing instead “deconstructed” jackets, without
padding and stiff interlinings. The shoulders dropped and broadened, the
lapels and buttons crept downward. Armani used softer, more easily draped
“luxury” fabrics (such as cashmere and silk-and-wool blends), which have a
greater tactile appeal than the tightly woven wools more typical of men’s
suits. He also expanded the repertoire of colours available to men; in addition
to traditionally masculine colours like navy blue and steel grey, he added
softer warmer shades, like camel. Then Armani turned around and interpreted
his menswear look for the female.
Much of Armani’s popularity – and the appeal of the Italian look in general
- derived from the way it “came to bridge the gap between the anti-Establish-
ment 60’s and the money-gathering 80’s” (as fashion journalist Woody
Hochswender astutely noted). If the tailored suit had long signified business-
like respectability, now it also projected an image combining sensuality and
physical power – for men and women alike. An Armani suit symbolized easy
self-assurance and understated elegance. As gender stereotypes became less
rigid, women appreciated the powerful image created by an Italian suit, while
men were increasingly willing to present themselves as sex objects.
Gianni Versace was the other pivotal figure in the emergence of Italian
fashion. The favourite designer of extroverted musicians and actors, he
brought colour and Baroque vitality to rock ‘n roll fashion. Not since Pucci’s
psychedelic prints had fashion seen such a riot of colour and design. His use
of leather was also brilliant, especially in his so-called S&M collection of
1991, which introduced hundreds of socialites to a style derived from the
gay leatherman look. Perhaps his most famous single dress, however, was
the neo-punk safety-pin dress worn by Elizabeth Hurley. The murder of
Gianni Versace brought an untimely end to a larger-than-life talent, but his
sister Donatella continued to design for the company.
New talents have continued to flourish in Italy. Miuccia Prada, for example,
is the designer of choice for many chic fashion editors. The heir to a leather
goods company, she first received international attention in the mid-1980s
with her black nylon backpack, which brilliantly undermined contemporary
status symbols, like the “gilt ‘n quilt” Chanel purse. Prada soon became
known for her fashion-forward styles, which unerringly combined classicism
and audacity. For younger and/or more playful women, she launched her
secondary line Miu Miu.
Meanwhile, over the course of the 1990s, Tom Ford, the American designer
at Gucci, transformed that near-moribund company into one of the world’s
hottest fashion labels, known for ultra-sexy clothes and must-have accessories.
Yet, as Ford demonstrates, fashion today is no longer rigidly segmented by
country.