Emporio Armani Autumn/Winter 2019 Menswear Collection

Giorgio Armani went fur-free in 2015, long before Gucci and Burberry chose that same path. But the move hasn’t kept the world’s richest designer away from the furry fashions, at least the faux kind. A fervent animal friend, who considers himself the caretaker and not the owner of his vast menagerie at his home outside of Milan, Mr Armani now favours so-called lamb-effect eco wool to fluff up his collection, something his autumn/winter 2019 Emporio Armani show testified to. Through all the shades of grey that makes his heart grow fonder, the designer legend exercised the possibilities of the new faux: double-breasted coats that resembled raccoon were particularly attractive and served to represent the is-it-real illusion of these materials more impressively than when used in accessories and detailing.

It might be a paradox but even if you don’t want to wear real fur, you still don’t want your faux fur coat to look fake, mainly because it tends to rhyme with flammable. Mr Armani l, however, didn’t shy away from tackling the ironic qualities to faux fur, too, in Yeti moon-boots covered in furry eco wool, buzz-cut teddy bear coats and quite glam long-haired jackets that looked like exaggerated mohair. Amidst the furriness, puffa coats and snow patrol uniforms came out on models in groups like something out of a James Bond film. It felt distinctly Armani, because Maestro does action well. That element pretty much represented the only sense of athleisure in this collection, much of which focused on the designer’s talent for his very own trademark tailoring. On the last day of a Milan Fashion Week that has flown the flag for more elegance and less casual comfort dressing, it was nice to get Mr Armani’s two cents on that debate, too.