Armani/Silos Dedicate Next Exhibition To Photographer Aldo Fallai

There are many moving parts to a successful fashion image other than the fashion itself. To communicate luxury, one must be well-versed in fashion photography, an art Giorgio Armani knew plenty about. Cue the brand's thirty-year collaboration with Florentine photographer Aldo Fallai, who is just as central to the Armani story as Giorgio himself.

Celebrating this extensive partnership, the Milan-based museum Armani/Silos will honour the life and work of Fallai, focusing on the years between 1977 and 2021. Adding to the show, the Giorgio Armani store on London's Sloane Street will also host their own mini-exhibition, opening 12 May until 2 June. The story covers almost thirty years of uninterrupted dialogue between Fallai and Armani, an intentional move thanks to Armani being one of the show's curators alongside his sister, Rosanna Armani, and the head of menswear across all Armani lines since 1977, Leo Dell’Orco,

Telling the story of how the two young collaborators met - Armani was a young freelance designer while Fallai was a graphic designer - the exhibition delves into the making of two stars through a collaboration that would change the course of designer-photographer relations altogether. 'Cinematographic evocations and neo-realist hints blend with echoes of late Renaissance and Mannerist painting', notes the press release. 'A mise-en-scène that is reminiscent of life and is therefore profoundly authentic'.

In a press statement, Armani declared that '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 colours and materials, but that they represented a way of life.' Reflecting on the work he created with Fallai, Armani continued, 'Style, for me, is a total form of expression. 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.'

Speaking from his side of things, Fallai added:

'My work with Giorgio was the result of a natural, continuous dialogue and great trust on his part. Both of us were interested in highlighting an aspect of style linked to character and personality and this translated into images that appear just as relevant today as they did yesterday'.

The Armani-Fallai years may be over, but thanks to a body of work that continues to ooze glamour, style, and a relaxed approach towards Italian luxury 30 years on, Giorgio Armani still reigns supreme in 2023.