Giorgio Armani Makes a Material Point With Its New Accessories

Satin, grained leather and suede do more than dress Giorgio Armani’s new accessories. They decide which details deserve our attention.

A clutch is a clutch, until you put two very different ones side by side. Neither needs an elaborate fastening or an unusual shape to make an impression. The difference is in the material.

Two clutches, two attitudes

On the viscose-and-silk satin clutch, the fabric softens what is otherwise a sharply rectangular bag. The gold-toned fastening is an assertive detail, but the broad sweep of satin gives the clutch its evening mood. One hard gleam against one much gentler one.

The leather clutch is a different proposition. With a smooth front and a split-leather lining, it draws attention towards its crisp edges rather than its sheen. Put the two together and you see how much character a familiar bag can gain, or lose, simply through its choice of material.

Armani is willing to turn up the shine, too. The glossy-leather bucket bag takes a useful, everyday shape and makes it feel more dressed up. Its wide body gives the finish plenty of room, while the split-leather lining offers a more practical counterpoint. Put it against a plain knit or coat and the bag would have no trouble holding its own.

Beyond the shine

The grained-leather handbag makes almost the opposite impression. Its broad panels and top handles would be comparatively severe in a completely smooth finish. The grain gives the expanses of leather some variation and is more rewarding the closer you look. Unlike satin, it doesn’t need to catch the light to register.

La Prima Soft takes the idea further. Calf-hair leather gives its rounded body a velvety appearance, punctuated by metal clasps. It’s an appealing contrast, particularly on a bag whose basic design needs little introduction.

The leather-and-suede La Prima is less interested in softness. Its laser-cut geometric motifs bring a pattern to the flap, where glossy leather meets matte suede. One La Prima catches your eye through its nap. The other draws you towards the cut-work. Neither needs to abandon the design that makes it recognisable.

Knowing when to leave well enough alone

The leather handbag with a geometric base and snap-hook clasp changes the emphasis again. Your eye moves from the shaped base to the rigid handles and the fastening. Smooth leather allows those features to be seen clearly, an effective contrast to the calf hair and cut-work elsewhere in the edit.

The same judgement works in footwear. On the leather boot, welt stitching, laces and a substantial treaded sole create a sturdier character than the bags suggest. The upper stays straightforward. This is a shoe defined by the details that make it wearable, not by an ornamental finish.

The leather-soled lace-up is a more formal proposition. Smooth leather, traditional lacing and a classic sole give it a familiar appeal. There is nothing to decode here, which is part of its attraction. Not every new arrival has to look like one.

And then there is the ballet flat, arguably the most useful test of restraint. A rounded toe, leather upper and leather sole give it everything it needs. Rather than styling it into something more complicated, Armani leaves a familiar wardrobe staple recognisable.

The second version keeps the same straightforward cut and leather sole. One pleasure of a familiar shoe is finding the version that works with what you already own, rather than having to buy into a new design for its own sake.

Fashion has a habit of treating change as an end in itself. The strongest pieces here are more convincing than that. A different leather, or satin where you expected it to be leather, can be the whole idea.