In the new Armani Privé collection, the fabrics tell the story of an encounter between East and West, as in a traveller’s tale. Here are extraordinary fabrics, culled from the culture of Italian textiles, inspired by diverse ethnicities, that through exclusive workmanship re-configure the chevron pattern – multiplied, sectioned, enlarged and structured to naturally follow the lines of a trouser suit, creating geometric patterns.

Within this story of tribal luxury that has been imagined and elaborated by a culture that seeks the "other", the waistcoat becomes a critical focus – waistcoats constructed of miniscule strips of fabric that have been hand cut and woven, and become twine- and ribbon-like; for the evening they are precious and decorated. Sometimes these are worn directly on the skin, and at others as a light shawl with transparent sleeves.

Tight trousers that flare out and stop at the ankle are tailored in Mikado-like satin, which, thanks to its weight, defines the silhouette.
Ethnic allure can also be seen in the dresses' prints that suggest dense tattoos, even in their colouring: chocolate, earth, ruby, acid and savannah green, and a combination of all these hues.

In this magnificent world, accessories have a strong evocative power. A "sceptre", wrapped in fabric, runs throughout the collection, defining silhouettes and necklines, lending a magical sense of proportion.

The black hats are typical of the Mediterranean. The shoes are crafted in the same fabric as the dresses, keeping in line with Haute Couture rules, or are tightly woven like the bags, which, both large and small, feature long fringes that suggest the murmur of the wind.

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