Emporio Armani tapped primitive instincts while maintaining a balance between formality and sport in the Armani group's line for younger fashion-forward men. Designer Giorgio Armani wrapped men in shaggy synthetic fur and lined coats with warm lambskin, an interpretation of another era's animal fur capes he says was inspired by the natural world.

The collection was a display of richness, from big oversized furry sweaters and velvet coats over double-breasted suits to synthetic fur neck wraps. Stand-out pieces included shaggy overcoats and the similarly inspired shaggy fur boots that were paired with sportier attire. Both formal and casual trousers were cinched at the ankle with either a snap or elastic. And when the occasion demands, the Emporio Armani man is not so primitive he won't wear a tie now and then - a rarity on Milan menswear runways. A series of pure white activewear trousers with matching parkas glowed down the runway, eliciting a spontaneous round of applause mid-show

Beyond the classic black and winter white, the color palette was icy, recalling Nordic lands where the designer said one might live a more tranquil life. "It is difficult to find a place to live well. Today, one lives badly everywhere. A bomb goes off, the yellow vests protest, there are armored vehicles. Where can you live tranquilly?" the designer said backstage. Not even an island - that gets submerged by the sea, which is all a consequence of our activity and our way of influencing nature." Armani skipped showing his main Giorgio Armani line at the January shows and instead plans to have a combined menswear and womenswear show next month at his Silos museum in Milan.-AP