Giorgio Armani celebrates thirty years of collaboration with photographer Aldo Fallai

This exhibition, told in the present, of almost thirty years of uninterrupted artistic dialogue between Giorgio Armani and Aldo Fallai, explores the boundaries of a unique collaboration that defined the very essence of an aesthetic that has made its way into the collective imagination.

By Michael Hartmann. March 10, 2024. Updated on March 11, 2024. Photos and video: Facebook/Armani/Silos.

Aldo Fallai per Giorgio Armani, 1977-2021.

In the mid-1970s, Giorgio Armani is a young freelance designer, conscious of the social changes underway whereby women are gaining power and men are dressing more consciously. He is determined to rewrite the rules for dressing and create a new lifestyle.

Photographer Aldo Fallai assists him. The use of black and white—and the narrative abstraction this offers—is the winning move: the images are pure invention yet they capture a real instant, they are immediate, timeless.

The pair aspires to portray the best life possible, with scenes and situations in which the spectator could see themselves.

They succeed because the images were portraits first and foremost, almost resembling stills from a full-length film: although conceived to show the collections, they focus on the character of the models, making the clothes a subtle complement to their existence and way of being, reflecting the designer’s idea that elegance is not about being noticed, but about being remembered.

“Working with Aldo allowed me from the very beginning to transform the vision I had in my mind into real images: to communicate that my clothes were not just made in a certain way with certain colors and materials, but that they represented a way of life. Because style, for me, is a total form of expression,” declares Armani.

“Together, with a constant fluid and concrete dialogue, we created scenes of life, evoked atmospheres and sketched portraits full of character. Today, looking back at everything we did, I myself am struck by the power that these shots still emanate, and by Aldo’s great ability to capture the nuances of personality.”

“My work with Giorgio was the result of a natural, continuous dialogue and great trust on his part.” said Fallaid. “I have vivid memories of our 30-year collaboration.”

The Aldo Fallai per Giorgio Armani, 1977-2021 exhibition is curated by Giorgio Armani, Rosanna Armani and Leo Dell’Orco. It will be open to the public from 5 December 2023 to 11 August 2024.  Tickets are available at armanisilos.com.

Armani/Silos
Via Bergognone 40, Milano
Tel +39 02 91630010

Armani/Silos is a permanent exhibition space in Milan, showcasing a unique selection of Giorgio Armani’s most memorable creations. Follow on Facebook for news and updates.

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