Armani's Nude, Limited-Edition Capsule Collection - Wall Street Journal

Oct. 18, 2013 12:42 p.m. ET

TO SAY THAT Giorgio Armani knows his way around a neutral palette is an understatement that lands somewhere near the Earth's core. This is a man for whom greige and beige are a way of life.

Still, his fall haute couture Armani Privé collection, shown in Paris in July, was his first to be nearly 100% rendered in a non-color color. He called the show "Nude," and, true to its name, everything—from tailored skirt suits to ethereal beaded gowns—came down the runway in a serene rosy beige. "The nude color has almost a cosmetic effect on the skin," said Mr. Armani. "I played with the idea of a garment that is not necessarily transparent, but flesh-colored and creates an elegant illusion—almost as if it were designed in zero gravity."

The show was a hit with his clients and the fashion press. And so the designer has decided to turn the concept into a limited-edition, ready-to-wear collection at somewhat less-than-haute prices. The eight-look capsule includes clothes for both day and evening: trim jackets and tapered trousers, a funnel-neck coat and cocktail dresses. There are shoes and bags to match.

Starting Nov. 1, the collection will be available at Giorgio Armani's flagship on New York's Madison Avenue, and at Manhattan department store Bergdorf Goodman (customers elsewhere can place orders by phone). Mr. Armani sees the capsule as an homage to the Big Apple, where, on Oct. 24, he will stage a show featuring the "Nude" haute couture collection and his new capsule. "New York was one of the cities that shaped my success," he said, adding of the capsule: "I wanted to honor the women with something cohesive and different."

—Meenal Mistry