James Reid recalls Giorgio Armani encounter, eyes fashion week return
MANILA, Philippines — Singer-actor James Reid is hoping to return to the fashion week circuit, remembering how he met the legendary Giorgio Armani a couple of years ago.
James was among the guests for the Philippine launch of EA7, the athleisure line of Emporio Armani, in a Pasay mall on Wednesday, September 16.
The brand is personal to the artist, having been made his Milan Fashion Week debut in January 2024 as a “special guest” alongside his partner Issa Pressman.
James met the fashion house’s late eponymous founder and his daughter Roberta. The senior Armani passed away a year later in 2025 aged 91 from liver failure.
“[I met him] on the catwalk after the show, it was quite special meeting him for the very first time,” James told members of the media including Philstar.com. “It was such a huge honor to be able to be there, hopefully I get to go back!”
The artist’s last fashion week experience abroad was Paris, also in 2024, for Louis Vuitton, where he reunited with GOT7 member BamBam. Since then he has only attended local fashion week events.
“[Returning to Fashion Week] is always in my plans but a lot of things come up. I was actually hoping to go this year but there were so many projects happening at the same time,” James said, adding that he had no complaints about his busy schedule.
The year has been busy for James with his television return after a decade in “Someone, Someday” opposite Kathryn Bernardo. He also released his third album “Honey I’m Home” and will soon be seen in his first movie in eight years, “Haunted Carnival,” an entry at this year's Metro Manila Film Festival.
“I’m super happy with how the year is turning out… but Fashion Week is always in the plans, so hopefully in January,” he ended, eyeing the season when leading brands present new men’s wear collections.
Covering an area just over 250 square meters, the newly-opened EA7 in Mall of Asia is now the brand’s largest store in the world and the last one approved by Armani himself before his passing.
The brand is already eyeing to open at least two more branches in Metro Manila, possibly even putting up an even bigger flagship establishment.
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