What term describes Giorgio Armani's iconic soft-shouldered suit style?

Giorgio Armani's iconic soft-shouldered suit style is described as deconstructed.

A deconstructed suit removes or reduces the internal architecture associated with traditional tailoring. Armani softened the shoulder line, minimized padding and used lighter, more fluid materials so the jacket followed the body instead of imposing a rigid shape. The result looked relaxed while retaining the authority of formal clothing.

This approach emerged in the 1970s and became one of Armani's defining innovations in menswear. He altered conventional proportions, including the jacket's length, button placement and relationship to the trousers. His designs helped make tailoring feel less restrictive and more compatible with everyday movement.

The style reached a global audience through the 1980 film American Gigolo, whose wardrobe Armani designed for Richard Gere. The film helped establish the image of the soft, sensual Armani jacket and linked the designer with 1980s power dressing. “Deconstructed” is sometimes confused with “oversized” or simply “soft-shouldered,” but those terms describe related features rather than the full construction concept. A deconstructed jacket is defined primarily by what has been removed or relaxed inside the garment.