Armani's heirs carry the vision forward as the house faces its next chapter

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MILAN (AP) — Giorgio Armani’s legacy lived on during a runway show at his historic headquarters and home in the heart of Milan, followed by a casual dinner in the garden attended by celebrity friends and business associates alike.

As the Giorgio Armani Foundation continues its search for a buyer for a 15% stake in Armani’s fashion group as stipulated in the late designer’s will, every runway show carries the extra weight of demonstrating that his creative vision is not only enduring but evolving.

“We tried to continue the message that he wanted to convey,’’ Silvana Armani, Armani’s niece and the head of womenswear design, told reporters after the co-ed show closing Milan Fashion Week on Monday evening.

The Giorgio Armani menswear collection for next summer, mixed with womenswear cruise looks, exuded Armani’s trademark nonchalance, which was evident not only in the relaxed silhouette but also in the models’ casual gestures.

One fiddled with a ring as she approached photographers, another slung a jacket over his shoulder.

Still, Silvana Armani and menswear designer Leo Dell’Orco added some distinctive touches.

Jackets were a few inches longer than standard Armani, while trousers were just a tad slimmer to balance the silhouette. Longtime Armani watchers noted that the 160-odd looks conveyed a sense of real people heading out on the town, not models on a runway.

“When the models came for their fittings, they were always a bit taken aback,’’ Dell’Orco said. “It felt as though they could easily just walk out onto the street.”

Safari jackets and elongated blazers were layered effortlessly over plunging shawl-collar vests or paired with shirts and long neckties, depending on the occasion. A rich palette of sun-bleached greens, cobalt blues and sandy neutrals evoked the Mediterranean. Linen, cotton and textured knits reinforced the collections relaxed summer mood.

The womenswear cruise looks — the first designed by Silvana Armani — were seamlessly interspersed, characterized by jackets, coats and dresses that draped lightly over the figure.

“I think he would have applauded,” Dell’Orco said.

Front-row guests included actors Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Strong and Lucy Boynton, along with pop singer Conan Gray. Afterward, guests including film director Paolo Sorrentino and former Gucci CEO and Armani board member Marco Bizzarri strolled from the courtyard venue into the adjacent garden for a casual cocktail dînatoire.

Armani’s will instructed his heirs to sell a 15% stake in the company, which includes the Emporio Armani label as well as Armani/Casa and Armani Hotels, within 18 months of his death last September.

For now, Silvana Armani and Dell’Orco – his longtime collaborators – are carrying on his creative legacy.

Dell’Orco is also chairman of the foundation, the key governance vehicle for Armani’s empire, and holds 40% of the fashion group’s voting rights.

After the show, Dell’Orco shut down rumors that Dario Vitale, who exited Versace after just one season, would be joining Emporio Armani. The reports “are not true,’’ Dell’Orco told the news agency ANSA.