“I imagined it as a line with which to experiment, capturing new trends and introducing fashion for all; a container in which everyone can find something and make it their own, interpreting it in a personal way.” Giorgio Armani

THE WAY WE ARE is the new exhibition opened in Milan marking the 40-year anniversary of Emporio Armani, curated by Giorgio Armani himself.

Giorgio Armani founded Emporio Armani in 1981, with the intention to introduce a more democratic line that could be desired and worn by many people. For forty years, the strong, ever-contemporary flair of the line has been sustained by a corollary of images that show the spirit of the brand and shape a community sharing the same values. These images – crafted by image makers as Rosanna Armani together with photographers as Aldo Fallai, Albert Watson and Peter Lindbergh – are now part of the history of fashion. Clothing and images articulate the narrative of the exhibition, held at Armani/Silos, the space opened in 2015 and dedicated to the preservation and celebration of the Armani world, past and present.

The language of the exhibition captures the sense “of individuality and community, of research and freedom” as Mr. Armani himself said, characterising all the artefacts produced under the Emporio Armani symbol: the soaring eagle. He added: “These are the values I wanted to emphasise with this exhibition, because Emporio has always been a brand strongly anchored in the contemporary world, reflecting the energy and vitality of the metropolis, capturing its beat, and offering an experience made up of clothes, accessories and ideas”

The display is divided in 7 rooms / areas, each exploring one aspect that resisted throughout the four decades: ICON LEI; MILAN; HERO(T)I(C)ISM; MOOD BOARD; EMPORIO ARMANI MAGAZINE; ALTROVE / ELSEWHERE; ICON LUI / ICON HIM. The relationship between the sprezzatura of the clothes and striking imagery developed around them – well represented by the EA Magazine, published during the 1990s and encapsulating the culture (of fashion and lifestyle) of its era – emerges and show its nuances throughout the whole show, allowing the audience to reflect on the role of the brand in in opening its city, Milan, to the world.