There are many questions Giorgio Armani has attempted to answer during these recent months in which the home environment has become the main horizon of everyday life. Questions that concern not only the rationalisation of spaces so as to find the right balance between day-to-day activities and professional commitments, but also ones about how to achieve a more complete way of experiencing the home as an intimate place for relaxing and socialising once again.
“I took my inspiration for this Armani/Casa collection from Nature. We live on this planet, and we need to be in touch with the earth. Natural elements give us calm and serenity and provide the background against which we can express ourselves.” – Giorgio Armani.
Bowing to a strong wish to reconnect with the outdoors, the designer draws inspiration from the strength and infinite richness of Nature to imagine spaces, furnishings and accessories that tell of a need for unspoiled beauty that bestows peace and quiet. The result is a collection rich in elegant and discreet objects that map out different yet strongly linked worlds, expressing all the dimensions of the concept of “living at home”. Objects made in part with the intelligent reuse of different materials or produced through traceable and certified processes.
The reference to natural elements is the leitmotif of the new collection, which reflects a strong move towards life outdoors. This translates into delicate animal print patterns and textures, motifs that reference the perfection of flowers and leaves and the reproduction of stone veining. The range of colours is also a clear reference to Nature: light and dark greens, blues, turquoises and a wide range of earthy neutrals.
Bringing into play his aesthetic philosophy and his boundless creativity, Giorgio Armani thinks up furnishings that meet the essential criteria of function, quality and elegance, with special focus on design and decorative details that define the visual continuity between the different areas of the home. Understated yet deluxe pieces, such as the Rousseau desk, enrich the work area and facilitate the transition to the areas used for relaxation. Whereas in the living room, structural details can be found in the Rodeo pouf that coordinate with those of the generously sized sofas, lighter volumes are features of the dining area, where the minimalist design of the Rosemond table and Roslin chair in ash and satin-finish pale brass stands out. The same lightness can be found in the bedroom area, where the Ronin screen, lit from within, creates a subtle, evocative halo of light that defines its contours.
Products for rest and sleep are either fully upholstered or, by contrast, distinctive in their slender structures. The lamps with sculptural lines play with geometric shapes or have details that reference natural elements such as in Ramage and Retta, which echo the materials of the furniture, including satin-finish brass and rich dark woods.
The new addition to the iconic Armani/Casa bar furniture collection could be described as “a handmade sartorial piece of furniture”, in that the elongated cylindrical structure is defined by semi-circular sides that become the legs of the piece. What determines Royal’s unusual and evocative aesthetic is Giorgio Armani’s strong link with oriental culture, seen in the Japanese tatami-style paper and cotton covering, while the vein-like pattern of the marble and mother-of-pearl of the internal structure relates to Nature. A limited edition, Royal is available in only 88 pieces.
For times of sharing and relaxation, the Rugiada set, the result of a skilful combination of different materials, evokesthe pleasure of preparing cocktails to be served in style both indoors and outdoors.
The Armani/Casa games collection is dedicated to playful downtime and now sees the addition of Rubens, the go game of Asian origin and the dual purpose Regni throw on which a chessboard design is reproduced. The throw can be used as a playing board – laid out on the bed, on the floor or outside – with the large removable orange and dark green pieces in regenerated leather fibre.
Nature also makes an appearance in the most discreet area of the home through objects dedicated to self-care. Thus the fabric-covered Roomy boxes, examples of a focus on sustainability, are perfect for storing cherished items, while the fragrance diffusers for the wardrobes give off subtle scents.
The selection is completed by the the Pegaso candles in cruelty-free wax and the Riviere bottle with two glasses for the night-time.
As one of the convivial spaces within the home the kitchen has the welcome addition of the Robespierre barbecue set, which includes a fork, spatula and tongs with the GA logo, protected by a folding fireproof fabric case. The men’s apron with detachable pocket is made in the same material, while the women’s version (also in the protective fabric) has a tunic-like design. The Rowan selection of table accessories is made from marble-effect resin and includes a bento box with two compartments, joined by a leather strap, and jug with glasses. In addition, the chopping board, the handy spaghetti measurer and the small rolling pin are also made in resin and are protected by a special blue tumbled leather case.
Practical yet stylish items have been designed for idyllic life outdoors, evoking greenery and the outdoor landscape, whether a garden, terrace or poolside area where it is possible to enjoy moments of diversion and fun. These include the Rovo set, which consists of a gardening bag in check fabric – fireproof and washable in water – and leather, with six outside pockets for holding the steel tools with wooden handles, the soft throw with animal print pattern and the Reale fan made from reclaimed fabrics. The Pump collection of home fitness accessories, introduced last year, has been joined by a steel water bottle with leather details and shoulder strap.
There is reference to the natural world in the Armani/Casa fabrics that reproduce images of luxuriant gardens (Recanati), or dense sections of stones (Rostov). Other fabrics display micro/macro patterns inspired by more precious materials (Ravenna, Rivoli). Rediscovered wellbeing in the home has inspired the new high-performance fabrics with classic textures (Ragusa, Ravensburg, Riga). The palette stays true to the Armani tradition with its neutral shades, enriched by nuances of aqua, dark blue and light blue and silver, as well as the luminous accents of green and orange.
Launched in 2014, wallpaper reaches the pinnacle of luxury with the Precious Fibers collection, now in its third season. The eight new products reinterpret ideas from the operas and ballets from which inspiration is drawn. Refined materials, such as silk and velvet combined with lurex, define a precise code of elegance, designed to dress the home through delicate touches – expressed by watercolour shades, tonal colours and trompe l’oeil effects – or vivid contrasts, rendered by strictly controlled shapes, lively colour accents and designs taken from Nature. Alongside traditional techniques, the brand is also introducing new production processes for wallpaper for the first time, in an ongoing quest for innovation and the highest quality.
