Emporio Armani: "The Theory of The Leisure Class"
By Michelle Taylor
Photos by Giovanni Pucci

MILAN, Aug 3, 2004/ FW/ --- In 1899, the controversial American economist and social critic Thorstein Veblen (1857-1929) penned “The Theory of The Leisure Class” wherein he coined the phrases, “conspicuous consumption” and “conspicuous leisure,” forms of pecuniary emulation.

Over 100 years later, at the via Bergognone auditorium, during the Emporio Armani Menswear Spring 2005 catwalk presentation, Giorgio Armani refines Veblen’s theory in fashion terms, promoting leisure as conspicuously as possible.

“In order to gain and to hold the esteem of men it is not sufficient merely to possess wealth or power. The wealth or power must be put in evidence, for esteem is awarded only on evidence,” wrote Veblen in the chapter titled “Conspicuous Leisure,” theorizing that “absenteeism from labor” is a form of pecuniary emulation.

Armani called his collection, “The New Tropical,” and dressed his models in widely cut pants that is just perfect for lounging around in a yacht or cruise ship.

The wearer can be in the Mediterranean or the Bahamas, even in the South Pacific, where the sun always shines. It does not matter where they are, as long as they are obviously part of the leisure class.

Because for Summer 2005, that is what the Emporio Armani gent is all about, an idle playboy in a world tour of beautiful beaches. But please do not equate “idle” with “lazy” because according to Veblen, those two words are not synonyms when it comes to the rich.

Idleness is a form of pecuniary emulation, to quote Veblen again. And as sociologist Alan Wolfe wrote in his introduction in one of the many editions of the book, Veblen "skillfully . . . wrote a book that will be read so long as the rich are different from the rest of us; which, if the future is anything like the past, they always will be."

So, the beach bum in the Armani swimsuit is not really a bum, but a young rich guy who does not have to work for a living anymore. For all we know, it might be one of the former Microsoft executives who “called in rich” during the turn of the century, deciding that they don’t have to work anymore after cashing in their options.

In the end it does not matter, because the Emporio Armani dandy will just look gorgeous in those big sailors pants and buttoned pareos with some great casual jackets in faded silvers or wrinkled anthracite.

And they will surely turn heads with their stripy cricket blazer with metallic trim and patchwork seersucker.

Emporio Armani

Emporio Armani

Emporio Armani

Emporio Armani