Armani creates classic appeal for New Normal collection by casting enduring talent

Armani New Normal spring/summer 2016 campaign

Italian fashion label Giorgio Armani is advocating a shift toward simplicity with a series of minimalistic portraits featuring some of fashion’s iconic faces.

The spring/summer 2016 advertising campaign for Armani’s New Normal collection of timeless apparel features four supermodels in their 40s and 50s, capturing a sense of timelessness through the casting of women whose beauty has withstood the test of time. New Normal is designed to fill the everywoman’s closet with classic basics, making this undramatic approach more powerful at portraying the collection’s message.

“Taking images in black and white strips everything down to basics,” said Kimmie Smith, co-founder/creative director of Accessory2, New York. “It allows the subject to be seen without any confusion for a simple juxtaposition.

“This is a great way to tell the story and how these women are integrated within the brand,” she said.

“The faces are iconic, which tells the ongoing nature of the brand in terms of what it represents as a house.”

Ms. Smith is not affiliated with Armani, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

Armani did not respond before press deadline.

Back to basics
Last summer, Armani first embraced the “norm core” trend with a new collection titled New Normal.

The brand announced in March that it would be adding a line to its women’s wear offerings that would include “classic” pieces (see story).

Now in its second season, New Normal is getting an ad campaign that is fittingly streamlined. Starring Nadja Auermann, Yasmin Le Bon, Stella Tennant and Eva Herzigova, the effort is designed to place more emphasis on the faces than the fashion, creating imagery that transcends the world of fashion.

Campaign image for Armani’s New Normal

Photographer Peter Lindbergh shot the foursome in black-and-white, capturing the women’s personalities outside of their roles as models. The models stand in front of a calm sea in relaxed poses, standing casually or sitting curled up.

A short film shows the women modeling in classic apparel such as a white button-down shirt, neutral suit or classic black trouser. These are pieces that a woman turns to in everyday life and are classic rather than extravagant.

Giorgio Armani – New Normal – 2016 Spring Summer Campaign

In a post on the brand’s Live Journal, the label’s namesake founder Mr. Armani is quoted saying, “For this campaign, I wanted four iconic women with strong personalities to show that feminine beauty is ageless. I chose Peter Lindbergh, with whom I have collaborated several times, because his photographs are timeless and are true to real life.

“I wanted to convey a sense of reality, of clothes that offer natural elegance and the normality of everyday life.”

Enduring appeal
Other brands have tapped some of these models to portray a sense of agelessness.

French fashion label Dior is defying gravity to show how its Capture Totale skincare works to correct the signs of aging with the help of Ms. Herzigova.

Dior presented Capture Totale on social media with a prompt for consumers to consider: “What if anti-gravity were the new anti-aging?” Since Dior is not traditionally associated with skincare, the brand often touts its scientific prowess to legitimize its standing in the personal care space (see story).

The supermodels of the ‘90s are becoming a popular choice for fashion campaigns today due to their longstanding appeal.

For instance, French fashion house Balmain is enlisting a trio of top models in its army for its spring/summer 2016 campaign.

The pared down black-and-white imagery shot by Steven Klein features Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell, three supermodels who became household names by the early ‘90s and who have inspired creative director Olivier Rousteing from adolescence (see story).

“Black and white is not only simple but dynamic in its reach,” Ms. Smith. “It has the ability to show how it can be complex and simple without overshadowing its related context. These thoughts mirror the focus of the brand effortlessly.”

from Luxury Daily » Apparel and accessories http://www.luxurydaily.com/armani-creates-classic-appeal-for-new-normal-collection-by-casting-enduring-talent/
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