Illustration of the week #5

[alden]

In a few hundred years one might have fun with this picture and the following question: one of the men on stage became the wealthiest clothes designer of his time, which one?

Among the internet readers in a few hundred years will be a history buff who will do a vast amount of research and come up with the answer: the runt on the far left of the stage, the one who refuses to dress, the one who lacks the courage to show his cards, or, the one who is intelligent enough to know his own limitations and abstains.

What is your view?

Cheers

M Alden

[storeynicholas]

My view? A censorable phrase of total agreement.
NJS

[radicaldog]

I sometimes wonder what Mr Armani's customers make of the fact that he doesn't follow the fashions he supposedly creates. The only good thing about his dress is constancy, which of course fashionistas are supposed to shun. Go figure.

As an aside, isn't it bewildering that incompetent journalists often write that Armani invented the unconstructed jacket?

[pvpatty]

As an aside, isn't it bewildering that incompetent journalists often write that Armani invented the unconstructed jacket?

Maybe they meant that in the sense that his jackets contain no substance.

[Gruto]

As an aside, isn't it bewildering that incompetent journalists often write that Armani invented the unconstructed jacket?

Maybe they meant that in the sense that his jackets contain no substance.

Naturally, Armani didn't invent the unstructured jacket. No single person has done that. But when he started in 1975, jackets had a lot of structure, at least jackets formed by fashion. That was the case in the 1960s, the 1950s too, and even the 1940s I think. Armani really did something to change that. He introduced a very soft sleek RTW jacket with sloping shoulders. I know, I know it all went bizar in the 1980s, but in the beginning and from the 1990s again, Armani deserves credit for the spread of the soft sleek RTW jacket.

[radicaldog]

Armani deserves credit for the spread of the soft sleek RTW jacket.

Fair enough. So he was the first RTW maker to realise that there was a type of bespoke construction that hadn't been imitated by RTW yet? Admittedly it must have taken some engineering expertise to adapt soft tailoring to industrial production.

[uppercase]

Can anyone tell me why I don't hate the puddling of Valentino's trousers pictured above?

(I don't know myself....)

[radicaldog]

Can anyone tell me why I don't hate the puddling of Valentino's trousers pictured above?

Good question, actually. I'll try and guess a few answers. The trousers appear quite full and straight. In general it seems to me that fuller trousers can tolerate more puddling. Also, the puddling is concentrated at the bottom, rather than creating an unsightly chicane half-way up the leg -- in this way the final visual effect is not too dissimilar from that of a small break at the bottom. Finally, the puddling seems to 'rest' on a strong, well proportioned trouser cuff, thus the trousers still fall in a rather composed way.

[uppercase]

Can anyone tell me why I don't hate the puddling of Valentino's trousers pictured above?

Good question, actually. I'll try and guess a few answers. The trousers appear quite full and straight. In general it seems to me that fuller trousers can tolerate more puddling. Also, the puddling is concentrated at the bottom, rather than creating an unsightly chicane half-way up the leg -- in this way the final visual effect is not too dissimilar from that of a small break at the bottom. Finally, the puddling seems to 'rest' on a strong, well proportioned trouser cuff, thus the trousers still fall in a rather composed way.

Yes, I think that you're right. The suit cloth seems to be quite dense: silk or silk/mohair perhaps? Gabardine?

The trouser drape is elegant, loose and luxurious on Valentino right down to the shoes, where the cloth starts to bunch. It works though.

How wrong it would look to put him in a Neapolitan trouser: slim and short.

Though Valentino has an 'Italian' figure, it is not plug-like: shortish and stout. I could not imagine him in a Neapolitan uniform; he would not be Valentino anymore!, with anyother silhouette than the cool, sublime, classic elegance of the Roman he wears.

The Roman silhouette is perfection for him.

[Jovan the Un1337]

I laugh when I look at this picture and think of those wonderful stereotypes and accusations he made about Savile Row.

[rjman]

Armani always says that the black T-shirt is a classic piece of clothing.

Not sure about the orange complexion, which appears to be de rigueur among Italian designers of a certain age.

I thought the richest clothing designer in the world was Pierre Cardin, due to his licenses. If not him then perhaps Ralph Lauren.

[tteplitzmd]

At the other end of the financial spectrum: I believe the company that purchased G. Ferre's name, declared bankruptcy last week.

I believe RJman is correct on the winner of the gold medal for licensing, but the silver might have gone to the often forgotten Oleg Cassini.