Simply Abu Dhabi XXII

2 7 8 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I EMPOR I O ARMANI MENSWEAR SS 2 0 1 6 R af Simons’ spring 2016 menswear collection for Emporio Armani is best described as an encounter between different worlds; a blend of cultures, the East quietly stepping into the West and manifesting itself as an Eastern feel mixed with Western tastes. This fusion brings with it a combination of colours, techniques and materials. Simons merges basic blue, grey and green with teal to create natural, subtle shades of taupe and sand. Traditionally used in winter, for spring/summer paisley is applied using four different techniques: digital printing for shirts and blouses, jacquards for ruffled jersey jackets, embroidered over fabric and laser-engraved on outerwear, with small lasered patterns creating the illusion of all-over tattoos. The paisley presence creates a pure symbol on light warm- weather garments again to illustrate a non-traditional merger. Fine materials such as wool, curpo, washed silk and cotton express a winning all-season approach to meet the needs of Emporio Armani’s fans around the world. A featherweight nappa leather bonded with a Georgette lining has a crisp feel to it. Ever-present backpacks are embroidered to create three- dimensional effects. Shoes span sneakers, sabots and slip-ons. New Oxfords come with a closed front and open back, with the foot held in place by a strap around the back of the ankle. Another fusion that is present in this collection and also in the Gucci’s spring collection is that of old and young. The fashion industry, obsessed with youth and novelty, is the last place you'd expect to find trenchant commentary on this relationship; however, it is something that appears to interest Simons. Raf never knew his grandfathers but he has become familiar with their idiosyncrasies through photographs. The way, for instance, they – and their friends – would go on wearing the same suits they had worn for years. No need for novelty, their clothing was their crutch. The way clothing shapes and expresses identity has been an obsession of Simons' from the very beginning of his career. That's what his gangs are always about. He said this spring collection was ‘very gang,’ and the inclusion of hoods is the biggest clue. Hoodies have become a contemporary emblem of truculent youth, but Simons made his hoods mediaeval in shape, as if they should be worn by monks. That automatically creates a connection between the brotherhood of a mediaeval monastery and the brotherhood of a 21st-century gang. ‘Generation communication’ has been Simons' motivator from day one. It's not like the senior citizens of the world are suddenly going to demand to be kitted out in Simons' trousers that flare to puddles of fabric on the floor, or his lean coats that also fall in a cascade of cloth. But, in his mind at least, he is building a kinship between past, present and future. The collection features a lot of knitwear, the fabric synonymous with grandparents, some of it pieced together to literally extend its life, other bits of it shrunken into crop tops. There are tailored ensembles that hint at suits lovingly preserved over decades. And that is the enduring melancholy that touches everything Raf Simons does. All things must pass.