GIORGIO ARMANI x YUICHI TOYAMA. Eyewear collection
Giorgio Armani is pleased to announce a new eyewear collaboration with Japanese brand YUICHI TOYAMA. This capsule collection represents a fusion of Giorgio Armani’s elegant and refined Italian style with the latest Japanese technological innovation.
The collection presents a series of minimal designs that demonstrate Giorgio Armani’s commitment to creating pieces that are timeless and essential. Here, his aesthetic vision has been complemented by designer Yuichi Toyama, who is known for pushing the envelope of Japanese manufacturing technology while also employing traditional Japanese craftsmanship.
the envelope of Japanese manufacturing technology while also employing traditional Japanese craftsmanship.
The resulting combination of Italian elegance and Japanese innovation delivers a beautifully nuanced effect. With frames in the finest Japanese titanium, with subtle detailing and shading, the collection is lightweight, comfortable and stylish. Here form and function blend seamlessly.
The campaign was shot at the Sayama Pond Museum in the suburbs of Osaka. This building is a creation of Japanese architect Tadao Ando, whose work famously makes use of geometric shapes and light and shade. Ando has a deep connection with Giorgio Armani as he created the Armani/Teatro for the designer in Milan.
The imagery captures the delicate beauty of the new eyewear through the use of simple monochrome and the subtle expression of the three-dimensionality of the pieces.
About the Products
More than 96% of the Made in Japan eyewear items in this collection are manufactured in Japan’s Fukui Prefecture.
All models in the collection have a unisex specification, and there are four styles in total with each released in four different colours. The pieces are made to the highest quality and reflect a marriage of traditional Japanese craftsmanship with contemporary innovative technology. The designs employ YUICHI TOYAMA’s signature “Double Dutch” design, which was released in 2016. This took its inspiration from the “Double Dutch” game in which two “turners” face each other and spin a rope in opposite directions, while one or more jumpers simultaneously jump over it. The playful “Double Dutch” design has become synonymous with YUICHI TOYAMA, and its use in this collection enhances the minimalist silhouette and elegant functionality of the eyewear.
AR 5135T
A titanium “Infinito” style incorporating the “Double Dutch” design. This 1980s-style model features hinges engraved with the brand marks of both Giorgio Armani and YUICHI TOYAMA.. It has a titanium nose pad that delivers comfort and is surprisingly lightweight. This style is available in matt silver and matt pale gold.
AR 5136T
A titanium optical style that embodies lightness, comfort and strength, and possesses a minimalist beauty. The design is infused with a functional elegance. The brand marks of both Giorgio Armani and YUICHI TOYAMA. are engraved on the hinges, and the model employs the “Double Dutch” design. Additionally, the nose pad is the “spoon pad”, an original design by YUICHI TOYAMA; the rounded design of this pad ensures comfort. This frame is available in matt silver and matt blue.
AR 6147T
With titanium and acetate at the front, this style features a smooth, rounded silhouette that combines custom-spec hinges and a beautiful signature design. The incorporation of titanium into the acetate results in a model that is light and comfortable to wear. The custom-spec hinges feature engravings of the brand marks of both Giorgio Armani and YUICHI TOYAMA.. These unisex sunglasses come in the “Black on Black” combination of matt black and shiny pale gold.
AR 6148T
These sunglasses are a perfect representation of the contemporary minimalist look. The “hood design” of Giorgio Armani from the 1980s is here reproduced using a combination of titanium and Japanese acetate. The model uses the “Double Dutch” concept and comes in the “Black on Black” combination of matt black and shiny rose gold.
About Giorgio Armani
Modern and sophisticated, the Giorgio Armani collection of ready-to-wear and accessories summarises over forty years of timeless elegance and style. The brand values the pursuit of excellence and attention to detail and is distinguished by the purity of its lines and the use of high quality materials. Giorgio Armani eyewear features cutting-edge technology and each unique product is designed to provide practicality and comfort.
About YUICHI TOYAMA.
Yuichi Toyama has developed his Made in Japan eyewear brand over 30 years.
The signature look of the collection derives from its ability to combine seemingly contradictory details and materials into harmonious designs.
The design philosophy here is one of respect for traditional craftsmanship aligned with an equally evident curiosity about the possibilities that come from the use of innovative technology.
The brand is constantly evolving as it pursues an expression of simplicity, elegance and timeless beauty.