Armani puts silence in fashion

A visibly moved Giorgio Armani, 87, switched off the music to hold his Milan fashion show in a silent salute to people caught in the Ukrainian conflict.

Models strutted down the catwalk in an eerie quiet - broken by occasional applause - wearing short jackets in pastel hues and shiny, sequined black and silver dresses. "My decision not to use any music was taken as a sign of respect for people involved in the unfolding tragedy in Ukraine," he said. "The best thing to do is send a message we don't want to celebrate because something very disturbing is happening around us."

Designs from Armani's main line traditionally bring down the curtain on Milan Fashion Week, which this season hosted mainly in-person catwalk shows rather than Covid-cutting digital presentations and included the likes of Prada, Gucci and Dolce&Gabbana.