Emporio Armani debuted their FW21-22 collection, “In the Mood for Pop,” via a digital runway show for Milan Fashion Week. The collection looks back at the style of the ’80s with high-waisted silhouettes and quirky accessories. Bright colors stand out against a black background and make us want to wear these clothes out to a dimly-lit club (one day!).

High-waisted trousers exemplify the ’80s look that has made a recent resurgence, and delicate suspenders add to the effect. Brightly colored blazers and chunky accessories such as thick bangles and sculptural earrings work to create an image of a professional woman who is unafraid to stand out. Other retro themes include smooth leather gloves and silk scarves.

There is an impressive cohesion to the color palette of the collection, demonstrated by monochrome looks which mix fabrics while sticking to one shade. Velvet bomber jackets and loafers shimmer in jewel tones and brilliantly catch the light.

These clothes don’t just imitate the fashion of the ’80s; they update and reinvent it. Familiar patterns like plaid are rendered in vivid colors, and houndstooth becomes deconstructed and abstract. Classic details like boule buttons and opaque tights find a new form here, merging with varied patterns. The collection maintains the brand’s longtime focus on relaxed and comfortable tailoring and meets our moment of isolation by creating looks that resemble upscale loungewear.

The menswear and womenswear lines are both on display in the video below, and recurring visual motifs put the lines in dialogue with one another. Models march to a pulsating beat on a neon backdrop, demonstrating the range and imagination of Emporio Armani’s ’80s-inspired vision.