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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBRUSSELS AS A FASHION RUNWAY: A CITY THAT INSPIRES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Belgian capital is rarely mentioned in the same sense as Paris or Milan when it comes to fashion. However, this very city has served as a crossroads of artistic movements that have shaped the whole of Europe for more than a century. Back in 1893, the architect Victor Orta completed the famous Tassel House, a work that is considered the founding stone of the Art Nouveau movement. From that moment on, Brussels became the capital of that artistic direction, with almost a thousand buildings in that style still adorning its streets today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Walking through the neighborhoods of Iquel and Saint-Gilles, one encounters at every turn facades with sinuous lines, plant motifs in wrought iron and stained glass windows that transform ordinary daylight into something almost magical. It is this aesthetic, the combination of elegance and functionality, decoration and substance, that perfectly reflects the philosophy I wanted to convey with this outfit. Just as Art Nouveau erased the boundaries between art and everyday life, so a well-designed outfit erases the boundary between comfort and style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brussels is also the seat of European institutions, a city where the cultures, languages \u200b\u200band traditions of the entire continent meet. Here, the cosmopolitan spirit is felt in every square, in every buffet, in every gallery. It is this combination of old and new, formal and relaxed, that makes it the ideal background for fashion content that appeals to men with a refined taste for refined and sophisticated everyday fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nEMPORIO ARMANI: THE ITALIAN HERITAGE OF A VISIONARY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In order to understand Emporio Armani<\/a><\/strong>, we must first go back to the creator himself – Giorgio Armani. Born in 1934 in Piacenza, northern Italy, Armani originally studied medicine at the University of Milan. After three years of study and mandatory military service, fate took him in a completely different direction. In 1957, he began working as a window display and salesman at Milan’s La Rinascente department store, where he honed his eye for fabrics and tailoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There he learned how to display clothes in a way that attracts attention and arouses desire. He then moved to Nino Cerutti’s atelier, where he designed men’s clothing. That experience was crucial, it taught him the precision of cut and the depth of knowledge of materials that would later become trademarks of his work. Later in 1975, together with his business partner and lifelong companion Sergio Galeotti, he founded the Giorgio Armani house. According to some sources, they got the initial capital by selling their Volkswagen car. Thus began one of the most memorable stories in the history of fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Armani’s revolution lay in his approach: he softened the image of the man and strengthened the image of the woman. He used women’s fabrics for men’s clothing and created the so-called power suit for women. His minimalist, deconstructed approach to silhouettes, especially jackets and suits, redefined elegance in a contemporary form. The 1980 film American Gigolo, in which Richard Gere wore Armani creations, cemented that connection between fashion and seduction for an entire generation.<\/p>\n\n\n Emporio Armani<\/a><\/strong> appeared in 1981 out of a very specific need. Armani himself once explained that he saw a gap in the market where young people yearned for something fresh and new, and he wanted to offer it to them. The word emporio in Italian means emporium or store of various products, and that name perfectly describes the idea of \u200b\u200bthe brand: a place where everyone can find something for themselves, at a more affordable price than the main line, but with the same refined taste and refined style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The brand’s logo in the form of an eagle divided by horizontal lines with the designer’s initials was created almost by accident. In an interview with Italian Vogue, Armani told how he drew it while on the phone with Galeotti, who urgently asked for a decision on the logo. He drew something without much thought, and that spontaneous drawing became one of the most recognizable symbols in the world of fashion. It is interesting that the eagle looks to the east, which led many to interpret that it is a tribute to the American market, but Armani himself denied it, it was a matter of pure intuition.<\/p>\n\n\n Emporio Armani<\/a><\/strong> and the eponymous main line were the only two ready-to-wear collections that Armani personally designed and both featured prominently at Milan Fashion Week. Over the decades, the brand’s campaigns have graced some of the world’s most famous faces, from David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo to Megan Fox and Rihanna. With the restructuring of the brand in 2017, the Armani Collezioni and Armani Jeans lines were integrated into Emporio Armani, which further strengthened this line’s position within the fashion empire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Giorgio Armani died on September 4, 2025, at his home in Milan, at the age of ninety-one. It was the end of an era, but by no means the end of a fashion story. The man who began his career as a window display and ended up building a fashion empire with more than 500 stores worldwide has left behind a legacy that goes far beyond clothing. His last act was endorsing a collection to celebrate the brand’s fiftieth anniversary, just days before his death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The family and employees took over the management of the company according to the plan that he had carefully devised during his lifetime. All boutiques are closed on the day of the funeral as a sign of remembrance, including the entire city of Milan. This very fact shows how deeply this man influenced not only the industry, but also the identity of a city. When I wear Armani pieces today, I feel that weight of heritage and responsibility to treat each piece with the respect it deserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first Emporio Armani<\/a><\/strong> piece in this outfit are pants made of a mixture of wool and jersey knit with a three-dimensional texture effect. Dark blue in color, with elastic properties that allow complete freedom of movement, these trousers are a perfect example of what the Armani group has been doing for decades, combining visual appeal with practicality to wear. A blend of wool and jersey gives them a structure that holds their shape throughout the day, yet provides a softness reminiscent of a home wardrobe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The three-dimensional effect of the knitted fabric is particularly pronounced in natural light, which I noticed myself while walking through the streets of Brussels. Every change in the angle of the light revealed a new dimension of texture, like the play of shadows on the facades of the Art Nouveau buildings around me. It’s exactly the kind of detail that distinguishes mass production from thoughtful design. The price of these pants is 510 euros, which puts them in the category of wardrobe investment that pays off many times over.<\/p>\n\n\n Another key piece from the Emporio Armani<\/a><\/strong> range is the polo collar sweater from the iconic Icon collection. Crafted from virgin wool, this sweater features an embossed knit that gives the impression of sophisticated simplicity. The white color emphasizes the clean lines and quality of the materials, while the polo collar provides that extra degree of formality that makes it suitable for both business and casual occasions. Virgin wool, as a material, has exceptional thermoregulatory properties, it warms when it’s cold and it cools when it’s warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Icon collection represents the heart of the Emporio Armani identity, pieces designed to last for seasons and even years. These are clothing items that are not subject to passing trends, but serve as the mainstay of every wardrobe. The embossed knit on this sweater gives it character without the need for bold patterns or graphic elements. Simplicity here is a conscious stylistic decision, not an absence of ideas. This is exactly what Armani has always preached: less is always more.<\/p>\n\n\n The third Emporio Armani<\/a><\/strong> piece in this outfit is sneakers from the ASV line, made of recycled nylon with details of regenerated saffiano leather. The ASV label stands for Armani Sustainability Values, making the brand clear that the future of fashion cannot bypass the issue of sustainability. This is not just a marketing story, back in 1996 the Armani group presented the first jeans made of recycled denim at the Innovation Fair at the Museum of Science and Technology in Milan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The nylon used in these sneakers is obtained from pre-consumer and post-consumer waste, including fishing nets pulled from the sea and plastic bottles. The saffiano details are made from regenerated leather, which means that no new animal material was used in their production. The group is a signatory to the Fashion Pact, a document signed by leading international fashion houses at the G7 summit in August 2019, with the aim of protecting the planet. The price of these sneakers is 260 euros, which makes them an affordable gateway to the world of responsible luxury fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The white color of the sneakers complements the white sweater perfectly, creating a visual vertical that elongates the silhouette. At the same time, the contrast with the dark blue pants gives the outfit depth and dynamism. This is a classic example of how three pieces of the same brand can be combined without the risk of monotony, precisely thanks to the variety of textures and materials.<\/p>\n\n\n Shearling Jacket: <\/em>Fa\u00e7onnable<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sweater:<\/em> Emporio Armani<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Trousers:<\/em> Emporio Armani<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sneakers:<\/em> Emporio Armani<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n The crown of the whole outfit is a monton jacket made of flipped leather from the Fa\u00e7onnable<\/a><\/strong> brand. To understand why this piece is so special, we have to go back to Nice, in the south of France, back in 1950. That year, master tailor Jean Goldberg opened a small shop on Parade Street, where he made tailored suits and tuxedos. Its quality quickly attracted the attention of movie stars who came to the nearby Cannes festival. Legendary actors such as Cary Grant and Tony Curtis were dressed by Goldberg, in his signature style that combined classic tailoring with a modern twist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 1961, son Albert Goldberg took over the workshop and made key changes. After visiting the New York store of Brooks Brothers, he decided to switch to ready-to-wear and renamed the company Fa\u00e7onnable<\/a><\/strong>, a word derived from the French verb fa\u00e7onner, which means to shape or create. Albert Goldberg is considered the originator of the term sports chic, a full decade before Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein. The brand quickly spread through Monte Carlo, Cannes, Saint Tropez, Lyon, Marseille and Paris, carrying the spirit of the Cote d’Azur wherever it went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2000, Fa\u00e7onnable was sold to the American chain Nordstrom for 170 million dollars, and in 2007 to the Lebanese private fund M1 Group for over 210 million dollars. Despite various changes in ownership, the design and production headquarters remained in Nice, preserving the brand’s French heritage. Today, Fa\u00e7onnable continues to represent what it has always been: a refined expression of the Mediterranean lifestyle where classic cuts meet the cheerfulness and lightness of the coast.<\/p>\n\n\n This suede leather jacket with a Spanish merino wool insert is a real gem. Stylishly shaped in a bomber shape, with a double zip and side pockets with branded buttons, it combines robustness with refined softness. Merino wool on the inside and around the collar provides an exceptional feeling of warmth without unnecessary weight. Suede leather on the outside exudes luxury that doesn’t shout, but speaks softly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The distinctive zigzag stitching under the collar and the embossed logo on the outer band speak to the attention to detail that has been a hallmark of Fa\u00e7onnable<\/a><\/strong> since the days of Jean Goldberg. This jacket cannot be washed or ironed, it requires a gentle dry cleaning, which is common for pieces in this range. The original price of 1190 euros testifies to the kind of craftsmanship that goes into its making. The material is 100% tumbled lambskin, which makes it one of those things that only gains character over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the context of the entire outfit, this jacket functions as a connecting element that unites all the other pieces. The dark blue color matches the Armani pants, while the softness of the material contrasts with the structured knit of the sweater. The Shearling jacket is a piece worn from autumn to spring, and in coastal cities even during cooler summer evenings. This is exactly the type of investment that justifies every cent invested.<\/p>\n\n\n Mixing brands in one outfit requires understanding their shared values. At first glance, Emporio Armani and Fa\u00e7onnable seem like an odd couple: one from Milan, the other from Nice, one part of a huge fashion empire, the other a smaller family brand with a history of haute couture craftsmanship. However, both brands share the same essential philosophy: quality materials, clean lines, timeless elegance and respect for the man who wears their clothes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The key to a successful combination lies in the harmony of colors and textures. Dark blue as the leading color connects the pants and the jacket, while the white color of the sweater and sneakers brings freshness and contrast. Texturally, we have four different experiences: the three-dimensional knit of the pants, the embossed virgin wool of the sweater, the brushed leather with merino wool of the jacket and the smooth recycled nylon of the sneakers. Each material tells its own story, but together they form a coherent narrative about a man who knows what he wants and doesn’t blindly follow trends.<\/p>\n\n\n The images for this story were created in the heart of Brussels, where every corner offered a new visual dimension. Brussels is a city that rewards the attentive observer who stops, looks up and notices a detail that others miss. This kind of attentiveness is reflected in the attitude towards the wardrobe. A good outfit, like good architecture, does not ask to be noticed by force. Instead, it draws the eye with its subtlety of proportions and quality of workmanship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Walking past Victor Orta’s buildings, I thought about how Art Nouveau artists strove to have art present in every aspect of everyday life from furniture to doorknobs. Similarly, brands such as Emporio Armani and Fa\u00e7onnable strive for clothing to be not only functional, but also an expression of personal identity. In this sense, the fashion blog post that originated in Brussels is no coincidence. This city, with its unique blend of cultural heritage and cosmopolitan present, is the perfect metaphor for the style I appreciate.<\/p>\n\n\n All the pieces in this outfit share one thing in common: longevity. None of them are bought because they are fashionable this season, but because they will be relevant in five years. Over time and careful storage, the Monton jacket made of turned leather patinas and gains character. A wool sweater with a polo collar works equally well under a jacket or on its own. Pants with a three-dimensional texture can be combined with a shirt for a more formal look or with t-shirts for a more relaxed approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sneakers made of recycled nylon, on the other hand, represent a step forward in thinking about what luxury means in the modern world. Armani himself has said that the philosophy behind his brand has always been sustainability, offering clothes that last and can be worn for years. According to him, the question of ethics comes even before strategy. That thought especially resonates today, when an entire industry is facing the need for change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The less is more approach is not only about design but also about the number of pieces in the wardrobe. It’s better to have twenty pieces that work perfectly together than a hundred that sit unused. This outfit is a living proof of that principle, which consists of four pieces, two brands, one coherent story.<\/p>\n\n\n If we imagine Brussels as a stage, Milan would be a celebrated director, and Nice a multi-awarded scenographer. These three cities, each in their own way, shaped what we consider European elegance today. Milano gave the world the deconstructed jacket and the idea that a suit doesn’t have to be tight to be beautiful and attractive. Nice, on the other hand, offered a relaxed Mediterranean aesthetic where sporty cut meets high fashion. Brussels, for its part, was the cradle of the artistic movement that proclaimed that beauty belongs to everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This outfit rests precisely on that triangle. Armani pants, sweaters and sneakers carry the spirit of the Milanese workshop, where every stitch is carefully planned months in advance. The Fa\u00e7onnable tumbled leather jacket brings the warmth of the southern French coast, where the craft of tailoring has been passed down from father to son for generations. Brussels, as the place where these photos were taken, closes the circle and reminds us that fashion, in its best form, has always been a form of applied art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every time I choose what to wear for a photoshoot, I think about the story I want to tell, the message I want to convey to the people who will read my fashion story. This time the story was about the meeting of two great traditions: Italian precision and French lightness. It was about a city that created an artistic movement based on the idea that beauty must be present all around us. It was about brands whose founders started with almost nothing, and left a mark that lasts for decades after them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Giorgio Armani once said that his only regret in life was that he spent too many hours working and too few hours with friends and family. That statement reminds me that fashion, no matter how beautiful it is, should always serve life, not the other way around. So, the next time you’re choosing what to wear, remember that it’s not just about the brand or the price. It’s about how you feel in your own skin, about the stories you carry with you and about the places that inspire you. Brussels taught me that elegance doesn’t have to be aggressive and overemphasized. Just like the art nouveau facades that quietly change on the streets of this city, true style is recognized in the details that are noticed only by those who know where to look. I hope that in this text you have found something of that quiet luxury that inspires me every day. Until the next fashion story and the next city, beware of passing fast fashion trends and be authentic, don’t forget to wear your favorite clothes with the good intention of showing the world who you are without speaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How did you like my outfit today? I really tried to prepare this post with lots of love and I hope you like it! If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or messages for me, you can write me below in the comments. Of course, as always, you can contact me via e-mail or social networks, which you can find on the CONTACT<\/a><\/strong> page. See you soon in new fashion adventures on the Mr.M blog!<\/p>\n\n\n\n With Love from Brussels,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mr.M<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nTHE BIRTH OF EMPORIES: STREET FASHION FOR ALL GENERATIONS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGIORGIO ARMANI: A LEGACY THAT LIVES ON<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
EMPORIO ARMANI TROUSERS WITH A THREE-DIMENSIONAL EFFECT: THE ART OF ULTIMATE KNITTING<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nEMPORIO ARMANI SWEATER FROM THE ICON COLLECTION: VIRGIN WOOL IN THE SERVICE OF ELEGANCE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nEMPORIO ARMANI SNEAKERS WITH AN ECOLOGICAL SIGN OF THE FUTURE IN EVERY STEP<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOUTFIT<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nFA\u00c7ONNABLE: THE SPIRIT OF THE FRENCH RIVIERA IN THE HEART OF BRUSSELS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nFA\u00c7ONNABLE SHEARLING JACKET: THE MASTERPIECE OF SUEDE LEATHER<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nHOW I BLENDED THE TWO WORLDS OF FASHION IN BRUSSELS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBRUSSELS WALK: WHERE FASHION AND ARCHITECTURE MEET<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nTHE PHILOSOPHY OF SMART INVESTMENT IN THE WARDROBE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCONNECTION BETWEEN BRUSSELS, MILAN AND NICE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
WHY IS THIS OUTFIT MORE THAN ORDINARY CLOTHING?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n