Giorgio Armani
For all of us he is simply the “king“: Giorgio Armani is one of the greatest representatives of made in Italy in the world. His clothes perfectly fit the bodies of models and the most famous film and music stars; its perfumes are among the most coveted by women and men who love to surprise with elegance; his "empire" is not only thriving for himself and his employees, but also for the important social causes that the designer and entrepreneur embraces with passion.
Luxury, grace, humanitarian commitment: let's discover together the thousand faces of the "king" Giorgio Armani.
Biography
Born in Piacenza on 11 July 1934, Giorgio Armani began his high school studies in the Emilian city before moving with his family to Milan.
It is in the Lombardy capital that the future designer graduates, and then enrolls in the Faculty of Medicine which, however, he will not finish due to the call from the Army. Once his military service was finished he returned to Milan, where he began working as a window dresser and sales assistant for the famous department store chain la Rinascente, a job he held until 1965.
The first real approach to the world of fashion took place thanks to the job entrusted to him by Nino Cerruti: redesigning the fashion of the Hitman brand for the Lanificio Fratelli Cerruti. The talent of the "king" was evident right from the start: in 1974 Armani signed his first line, Armani by Sicons and the following year he founded the company that bears his name together with his partner Sergio Galeotti, signing his first, true "solo" line.
Since the foundation of his brand Giorgio Armani continues to pigeonhole an endless series of successes. Since the 2000s, the Piacenza native has signed some very important partnership agreements, first with Zegna – with which he undertakes to co-produce and co-distribute the Armani Collezioni lines – then with Safilo, together with which he produces and distributes a line of glasses (Emporio Armani Occhiali).
Armani's activities also include the creation of perfumes and "contamination" with other sectors, such as cinema and sport, for which the designer designed costumes and uniforms. In 2006 a biography was dedicated to the designer: "Essere Armani" by Renata Molho, published in Italy by Baldini Castoldi Dalai.
Private life
Giorgio Armani has always been particularly reserved about his private life.
The only public admission made by the stylist concerns his full-blown bisexuality. The most important bond for the entrepreneur was that with his colleague and business partner Sergio Galeotti which lasted until the latter's death in 1985.
Giorgio Armani cultivates many passions: he loves being on boats (and this is why he bought a yacht as large as two hundred feet!) and music. Over the years, the designer has published many albums of ambient, electronic and experimental music entitled Emporio Armani Caffè, which boast the collaboration with the DJ-sound designer Matteo Ceccarini.
The link between Armani and music, however, does not end here: the designer from Piacenza, in fact, creates clothes for the singer Alexia, married to Andrea Camerana, Armani's nephew.
Armani and sport
In addition to fashion and music, Giorgio Armani cultivates a frantic passion for sport, which led him not only to create the uniforms for Chelsea, for the English national football team and for our team at the London Olympics (raise your hand if you don't remember the famous EA7 outfits!), but also to acquire ownership of the basketball team Olimpia Milano, after having previously been its sponsor. From 2021 Emporio Armani will also become a sponsor of Napoli.
The style of the brand
If red is the color that distinguishes Valentino's maison, blue is instead the favorite nuance of "king" Giorgio Armani whose clothes, accessories and home furnishings are characterized by class, elegance and sobriety.
Tradition and innovation combine well in the collections of the great designer, capable of giving an alternative, fresh and modern look to jackets and dresses, also playing on the alternation of neutral tones - white, beige, gray and black - and drawing from Arab and Oriental "tradition".
In fact, there is no shortage of garments with Mandarin collars , dresses and coats that recall the typical Maghreb tunics, patterns with a Middle Eastern appeal .
Another medium that significantly influences Armani's style is cinema. The designer has also collaborated with big names in the Seventh Art, creating costumes for successful films such as: “American Gigolo“, “The Dark Knight“, “The Untouchables“, “The Wolf of Wall Street“. Giorgio Armani also participated as a producer in Martin Scorsese's documentary “My trip to Italy“.
Giorgio Armani S.p.A.
Giorgio Armani S.p.A. was founded on 24 July 1975, a company operating in the field of luxury, fashion and design co-founded by Giorgio Armani and his work and life partner Sergio Galeotti.
The company distributes numerous items ranging from clothing to accessories - glasses, jewellery, cosmetics, watches -, also ranging into furniture and furnishing accessories. The group includes within it numerous fashion brands, such as Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani, Armani Casa, Armani Privè, EA7 but also other lines such as Armani Dolci and Armani Fiori, which deal with the production of confectionery and floral decorations respectively.
The first Armani store opened in 1981, in the structure known today as “Palazzo Armani“. In 2016 the Armani Foundation was established, with the aim of protecting Giorgio Armani's managerial project. Alongside the designer within the foundation we find two of his most loyal collaborators: the manager Pantaleo Dell'Orco and the banker Irving Bellotti.
Armani also boasts the opening of places and cafés around the world.
Armani is also present on the web. By clicking on the official page of the maison Armani.com it is possible to purchase garments, accessories and perfumes signed by the great Italian designer.
Muses, testimonials and collaborations
Actresses, directors, musicians, Italian and international VIPs: there are many public faces who love and are reciprocated by Giorgio Armani.
The designer has often drawn inspiration from the career of show business stars to create clothes and perfumes. A clear example is the creation of men's/women's perfume Remix, created in 2006 and freely inspired by the then-outgoing album by Madonna.
One of the most famous testimonials of Armani perfumes is Cate Blanchett, but not only that. Milla Jovovich, Ornella Muti, Clive Owen, Fiorello: many and different bodies wrapped in a sumptuous Armani, which also received the important task of dressing some of the most beautiful actresses in the world on their most beautiful day: Penelope Cruz, Katie Holmes and Nicole Kidman.
Not just a stylist: Giorgio Armani is also a sort of pygmalion, who provides young emerging artists with a more than tempting opportunity. The entrepreneur, in fact, makes his Armani theater available to all future designers who want to present their works in an official fashion show.
Honours
The honors received by Giorgio Armani since the beginning of his career are numerous and varied.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic — 14 July 2021
- Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - 10 October 1986
- Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - 27 December 1985
- Golden Collar for Sporting Merit — Rome, 15 December 2015
- Knight of the Order of the Legion of Honour
