The Tuareg tribesmen of Saharan North Africa inspired an elegant exploration of ethnicity as Giorgio Armani worked almost entirely in midnight blue, as deep as the night sky over the sand dunes, and based on the indigo robes and veils favored by these nomads of the desert. This was, effectively, in direct opposition to the Crayola-friendly season Milanese designers have sent out. The models, turbaned in silk, knotted and sashed to one side, paraded against a video backdrop of endless shifting sands, as the wind moaned.
The central Africa inspiration was where the slim trousers, their shape gently tapered to a narrow ankle, came from. The silhouette was long and lean, with skirt hems flaring out slightly below the knee and short jackets layered over longer tunics and loosely, tapered trousers. The models carried jeweled saddle bags, their arms embellished with grosgrain, jeweled cuffs and their necks adorned with large, stone amulets, framed in fabric, fine braid or metal. No extreme juxtapositions of proportions here; the overall effect was dark, moody and mysterious, enhanced by crystals and sequins that, once unveiled, revealed signature strapless columns and high-waisted, long gowns.
