Giorgio Armani, with a nonchalant shrug, declared, “I am me. The others are the others,” following his morning show. When conceptualizing my collections, I focus on the women I encounter everywhere, devoid of intellectual or sexual provocation. Instead, their faces inspire me. While today’s fashion landscape embraces almost anything, I remain averse to witnessing a joker parading down Via Monte Napoleone in her underpants. It’s moments like these that fuel my disdain for the term ‘fashion,’ and I yearn for its abolition.

However, labeling Milan’s maestro of maturity as inherently conservative would be a misjudgment. Mr. Armani’s enduring success stems from the radical disruption he initiated nearly 50 years ago, reshaping the fashion industry. His latest collection, closing Milan Fashion Week, epitomized his influential taste. Notably, he defied convention by starting the show just 15 minutes after the advertised time, emphasizing his readiness with subtle lighting adjustments backstage. The presentation took place in the unpretentious yet central Via Borgonuovo space.

The runway opened with Gina di Bernardo, a prominent figure in Aldo Fallai’s defining 1980s campaigns for the designer. She graced the stage in a technically paneled, shades-of-gray overcoat, paired with pleated silvery separates. A fedora and flats adorned with winter flower illustrations completed the ensemble. Throughout the collection, loose velvet combats and softly tailored herringbones harmonized with gently embellished, oversized outerwear. Look 12 featured a navy field jacket—a prime example of Armani’s enduring aesthetic. Silk satin jodhpurs in black or navy, worn above loosely belted jackets, occasionally boasted collar and fastening details inspired by Asian dress, a recurring theme in Armani’s work.

Eveningwear featured elegantly tailored black gowns adorned with delicate dragonfly embellishments. Armani acknowledged that these dresses could serve as excellent options for those seeking red carpet attire. Prior to posing for a group photo with the dedicated corps of Italian fashion correspondents who have faithfully followed him for years (often overlooked by designers arriving in this city), Armani expressed, “I don’t believe I’ll ever cease working, as dressing people remains my greatest passion.”