Giorgio Armani Spring 2023 Ready-to-Wear Collection

“The essence is a certain purity and the glimmer of gold. There is a very subtle shimmering of gold that crosses the whole collection, giving it a very charming and unique light. A light that calls to mind the sand of the desert.” So came the quote from Giorgio Armani’s office before a show that delivered a gentle transcultural trip across his softest iteration of womenswear. Titled Fil d’Or (Golden Thread), it opened with a series of richly fabricated, snowy silver looks accented with gold-tone high-top sneakers and bags, and closed with an eight-strong group of diaphanous goddess-meets-genie gowns that sparkled with golden sequins and crystals.

In between these two sections, the collection roamed far and wide, with passages of deep azure blue and looks that seemed to mesh transcultural references, drawing from garments as diverse as the kurta and the cheongsam. There was a great deal of embellishment, tasteful sheerness, and an overall emphasis on lightness and comely volume. At some points it felt hippie-luxe; at others like high-end modestwear.

Beaded dresses, sequin and stone embellishments, silk zip-up shirting and dresses, and necklaces heaped with clear resin “stones” added occasional points of hard definition before that shimmering golden finale. As Mr. Armani, 88, said after a show whose audience included Cate Blanchett and Lauren Hutton: “A few years ago it was out of place to wear outfits with paillettes during the day, but now it is accepted. The important thing is to wear it well.”