MILAN — There’s something familiar about Silvana Armani. Entering the gilded room of the Armani headquarters in the stately neoclassic Palazzo Orsini in central Milan, her mannerisms are reminiscent of her uncle Giorgio Armani, with her direct gaze, posture, and no-nonsense and practical attitude.
So much so that, for her first exclusive interview ahead of unveiling her initial collection for the signature brand, she posed for photos alone and with Agnese Zogla, a model long favored by the late designer, coolly and calmly, clearly aware that this is now part of her day job. While admitting to being reserved and shy, there was no trace of annoyance or desire to speed things up.
Soft-spoken and carefully choosing her words, graceful and chic, wearing blue pants under a blue sweater, she admitted that finding herself leading the creative direction of the women’s collections after the death of her uncle was at first “a bit scary because I was alone.” That feeling, however, was overcome by “working with the teams I’ve always worked with. That helped me so much, it all became very fluid.”
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The daughter of Giorgio Armani’s brother Sergio, she first trained as a designer in 1980 working on the Emporio Armani women’s line. Having flanked her uncle for 45 years on the group’s women’s collections allowed her to settle into the driver’s seat after his death in September. The fact that her debut as women’s creative director coincided with a couture show — starting with the highest form of fashion, the unveiling of the Armani Privé collection last month — speaks of her determination and confidence.
“One of the most important things he taught me is to always go forward, to materially carry out the work in a concrete way and offer clothes that are wearable,” she said about Armani’s influence. Wearable and practical are words that recur throughout the interview, and are applied in the fall collection she will show Sunday.
Cue the cashmere flannel pantsuit worn by Zogla over a cashmere sweater and silk printed blouse, all very deconstructed and weightless, soft and in a gray color palette. In short, very Armani, as continuity is also a word that reflects the designer’s attitude.
A brooch depicting a lion’s head sparkling on the jacket is a specific detail the designer added “to light up the gray. I don’t like too many jewels and tinsels, but some light is needed.”
For fall, expect a delicate color palette, also inspired by the hues of dawn, from azure to rose, and nods to the Far East — a theme that was dear to her uncle. She is working on a new bag, but it won’t be ready in time for the show. “I very much love shoes and bags as well, but I don’t like hats,” she said firmly — a clear dig at her uncle, who would pepper his looks with this accessory, sometimes unnecessarily so.
“It was impossible to convince him [to do otherwise], and he would silence me when I tried to. At one point I stopped telling him out of respect,” she shrugged.
Asked if being a woman helps as a designer, she said: “Yes, absolutely. Women know their own bodies, it makes the job easier.”
She admitted feeling “more at ease,” after the Privé debut. “I felt so much warmth, the reviews were very positive, and it gave me confidence.”
Does she read reviews carefully? “I start to, but without exaggerating. My uncle taught me to keep some distance, and not to listen too much to the outside voices to avoid being demoralized. Sometimes you must ignore the white noise and move on.”
The fall show will be held in the Armani theater nearby, a few doors down the road. “This collection must be seen close up and this theater is smaller than the one in [the Tadao Ando-designed headquarters] in Via Bergognone, so the space is ideal; it helps to see the very particular fabrics and details,” she said.
The soundtrack was chosen by Leo Dell’Orco, Giorgio Armani’s longtime partner, who designs the men’s collections. “He is the musicologist,” she said with a smile.
While in the limelight today, she has risen through the ranks over the years, as she recalled building her experience across the board, “starting at the switchboard — no nepotism here,” she said with a chuckle.
Her first steps in fashion began as a model for Walter Albini, Krizia and Cadette, among others. “I liked modeling but I am quite shy, and I used to destroy my hands biting my nails [before going out on the runway].”
Becoming Armani’s in-house model, she slowly grew passionate about designing, sketching at first. She admitted she now delegates that part “to a great group of designers who do it perfectly. I give my inspiration.”
Asked which part of creating fashion she prefers, without skipping a beat she said, “it’s a fun moment when you connect the fabric with the model.”
Over the years, she would stand up to her uncle, who during the interview she often referred to as Mr. Armani. “We did have different opinions, but the discussions were always about work. I would tell him how I felt, but he would say ‘don’t you worry’ [waving away her opinion].” However, in the end, he would “often do as I suggested without giving me the satisfaction of telling me right away,” she added with a small laugh.
Her take on interior design, a passion of hers, was not always aligned with that of the late designer, so she recalled that “when I showed him my home in Milan, I was a bit worried when it was completed. But when I invited him over for dinner, he did say ‘brava’ [gesturing with her hand for emphasis] — but after all, the decor there is more in his own taste,” she admitted.
On the other hand, her country home outside Pavia, in Casteggio, is definitely not in the Armani Casa style, she said, and much more suited to the hillside area, which is known for its vineyards and fruit orchards. She spends almost every weekend there and indulges in her passion for nature and animals — including her hens — and her beloved three dogs. She has set up a shelter close to Pavia, where 50 dogs have found refuge. “You must give them another chance,” she said simply.
Given her interest in design, she is considering being involved in the Armani Casa line in the future. “I would like that, I just had my first meetings [with that team] and I find it very interesting.”
For each brand, since she is also in charge of A|X Armani Exchange, she works with separate teams of designers, praising their support. They have been trained and guided by her uncle, so “it’s easy, we understand each other at a glance,” and for this reason, there has been no change after the death of Armani. She is also used to working with Dell’Orco, and this season this partnership was heightened by the decision to hold a coed show for Emporio Armani for the first time.
“Continuity is fundamental, and it’s my objective,” she argued. “It’s not easy, because there are so many outside elements that can condition our work, including social media, although I purposely don’t follow them. I don’t like them, I only follow Instagram for fun.”
For years, speculation swirled around the house of Armani and whether the founder could be considering taking on an outside high-profile designer. But this possibility does not seem to be an option for his niece either. Asked about her views on the current state of fashion and whether anyone has caught her eye or interest, she said: “I don’t let myself be influenced that much by others and I don’t think designers today are real creators; they assemble, it’s more like the job of a stylist. I don’t see any new Valentino [Garavani] or Armani.”
Asked if she ever wished for another career, she replied in the negative. “No, I never thought of having another kind of life. I like my job very much and I’m happy to have worked with [Armani] so many years because he taught me so much.”
Is there anything she would do differently from her uncle? “Yes, I want to keep some distance from the life he led, which was all about work. He sacrificed friends, love, and his personal time for work and I don’t want that impossible life for myself. In fact, my life has not changed too much so far.”
