Why did Armani Privé choose jade for its first couture collection without its founder?

Credit: Armani Privé

 

A sea of soft, delicate green, paired with beige and pastel pink. And countless stones: embroidered, but also strung one after the other to create fringes or even a cardigan. This is the Spring/Summer 2026 collection by Armani Privé, the first couture show since the passing of its founder, Giorgio Armani. It was presented yesterday in Paris under the creative direction of his niece Silvana, who stood by his side for 45 years and chose jade as the symbolic source of inspiration.

But why jade? In mineralogy, the term jade refers to two types of materials, jadeite and nephrite, often confused due to their similar color and very similar “consistency” (both are extremely durable and lustrous). In Asian culture—especially in China, where jade is widespread, particularly in religious contexts—it symbolizes serenity, reliability, and coherence.

Three fundamental concepts for this first collection without “King Giorgio”: a clear message to long-standing clients, the press, and buyers that the brand’s stylistic direction will not undergo upheaval, but will instead move toward continuity with what was also the founder’s creative vision. In recent years, he had embraced a softer femininity, less inspired by menswear.

Yet in its duality (the two minerals grouped under the same name), jade also represents an affirmation of presence: the direction follows that of her uncle, but Silvana will bring her own contribution—gently. She does so from the very beginning, making the collection, in her declared intention, “more wearable.” She introduces knitwear—a major trend this couture season—while maintaining the highest level of artisanal craftsmanship. And she closes symbolically with a garment designed by Giorgio himself, a moving final farewell to the man who helped write the history of Made in Italy.