Giorgio Armani S.p.A.

To every sovereign his kingdom. The "king" of Made in Italy in the world is no exception to this rule, Giorgio Armani who together with Sergio Galeotti founded Giorgio Armani S.p.A., a company operating in the field of fashion, luxury and design.

Since its foundation in 1975, Armani's company has contributed to launching made in Italy in the world, expanding its already vast field of action over the years. From clothing to perfumes, from furnishing accessories to watches up to the restaurant sector, there is no high level service that the group headed by the designer from Piacenza does not offer to an exclusive clientele, who love to pamper themselves at any cost.

Giorgio Armani S.p.A.: the genesis and the first years

The company Giorgio Armani S.p.A. was officially born in Milan, precisely on Corso Venezia, on 24 July 1975 thanks to the winning intuition of the stylist and his work and life partner Sergio Galeotti.

The official launch of the company took place a few months later, when Armani officially presented his first collection prêt-à-porter at the Plaza Hotel located in the Lombard capital. About three years later the company expanded its Italian borders thanks to the licensing agreement with the Gruppo Finanziario Tessile; in 1979, however, Giorgio Armani S.p.A. crosses European soil.

Giorgio Armani founded the Giorgio Armani Corporation, transforming his fashion house into one of the great certainties in the field of design, fashion and luxury in the world.

In the Eighties the company headed by the "king" signed a licensing agreement with the French company L'Oréal for the creation of perfumes: a winning move, from which the brand still benefits today, which allowed it to market some of the fragrances most loved by women and men all over the world. In the same years the group launched three of its best-known lines: Emporio Armani, Armani Jeans and Armani Junior.

The two-year period 1981/1982 is characterized by the opening of two important sales points in Milan: the first Emporio Armani store and the first Giorgio Armani boutique. In parallel with the expansion of the services dedicated to customers, Armani launches two new lines: Emporio Armani Underwear and Emporio Armani Swimmwear.

At the height of his success, Giorgio Armani lost his "half", Sergio Galeotti who had significantly contributed to the launch of the Armani maison into the great Olympus of fashion (1985). The designer decides that it is time to find new partners and enter into new collaborations: in 1987 Armani speaks Japanese thanks to the joint venture with Itochu Corporation and Seibu Department Store which lead to the birth of Giorgio Armani Japan, the Japanese division of Giorgio Armani S.p.A..

Another important partnership is the one stipulated by the fashion brand with Luxottica, which will allow the designer to "invade" the eyewear market starting from 1988.

Nineties and 2000s

At the beginning of the nineties Giorgio Armani S.p.A. expands further thanks to the acquisition of a company – Intai S.p.A. – as well as the obtaining of majority packages of Antinea S.r.l. in 1990 and Simint S.p.A. in 1996.

The end of the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s marked the entry into what we could define as "information revolution", also embraced by the well-known Italian brand which computerized its activities, also launching the e-commerce sector and creating the Accessories Division. In 2000 the web "hosted" the company website giorgioarmani.com, which later became armani.com: a winning move that allowed the brand to expand its clientele to every corner of the globe.

The year 2000 also marks the joint venture between Armani S.p.A. and the Zegna group to produce and distribute the men's clothing line Armani Collezioni. The activity of the designer and his company is frenetic: in these years other lines are born - Giorgio Armani Cosmetics and Armani/Casa - and the group opens the Armani/Manzoni shop in the fashion district: three floors of luxury and beauty.

In 2001 the company moved its headquarters to a former disused Nestlé factory (in which the Armani/Teatro will also be inserted) and opened the store Giorgio Armani Accessori. The following year is characterized by new, important acquisitions: Deanna S.p.A. (specialized in knitwear) and the four footwear factories Guardi S.p.A..

In parallel with these expansionist activities, Giorgio Armani S.p.A. further expanded its range of action, creating the Armani/Dolci first and the popular EA7 later. The latter is a line designed exclusively for sport. In 2005 Armani signed an advantageous agreement with the world-famous construction company EMAAR Properties which allowed the Milanese company to open fourteen hotels spread across the globe.

On 6 June 2008 Armani entered the world of professional sport at full speed, purchasing 80% of the shares of the basketball team Olimpia Milano, of which he was already a sponsor. In the following years, the Armani brand conquered the USA and China thanks to the establishment of "physical" and virtual stores.

More recent years have seen Giorgio Armani S.p.A. adapt to the tragic changes caused by the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. Armani holds the show at Milan Fashion Week behind closed doors, broadcasting it via streaming. The designer wishes to make himself useful to his country, lending his skill and talent to the cause of healthcare personnel who are fighting strenuously against the pandemic. The company begins to donate to Italian hospitals and create gowns for healthcare personnel.

The period following the outbreak of the Coronavirus saw Armani adopt a strategy to counter the economic crisis caused by the pandemic: lower production, higher quality .

Brands

Armani S.p.A. it hosts within it several brands , some of which over the years have merged into other brands. This is the case of Armani Collezioni – merged into the Giorgio Armani label -; by Armani Junior – included in Emporio Armani -; by Armani Jeans – merged with Armani Exchange -.

• Giorgio Armani, the maison's flagship label;
• Emporio Armani, with a more youthful style;
• Armani Exchange, straight from the catwalks to the kids' wardrobes;
• Armani Casa, brand designed for luxury furnishings;
• Armani Fiori, furnishing accessories and floral decorations;
• Armani Dolci, production of confectionery products in collaboration with the Venchi company;
• EA7, a brand designed for sport whose number 7 is a dedication to the AC Milan champion Andrij Ševčenko;
• Armani Privè, line designed for high fashion.

The company has also opened some locales around the world:

• Armani Caffè/Emporio Armani Caffè;
• Armani Restaurant/Emporio Armani Restaurant, also present in London, Hong Kong and Tokyo;
• Armani Privé, nightclubs present in Milan, Hong Kong and Dubai;
• Armani Hotel & Resort.

Armani Foundation

In 2016 the Armani Foundation was established with the aim of safeguarding and developing the managerial work of Giorgio Armani. The designer manages the foundation with two trusted men: the manager Pantaleo Dell'Orco, who has always been close to the designer, and the Rothschild banker Irving Bellotti.

The Fondazione Armani aims to guarantee innovation, quality research and the development of new skills through a massive investment campaign. Other very important aspects pursued by the Foundation are of a purely social nature.

Social commitment

Giorgio Armani S.p.A. is a company that has always been attentive to social issues. The company led by "king" Giorgio Armani has embraced various humanitarian causes over the years, first of all that promoted by the non-profit organization Product Red to fight AIDS.

In 2011 Giorgio Armani promoted a joint initiative with Green Cross International and UNICEF. The campaign, called Acqua For Life, consists in the donation, for each pack of Acqua di Giò perfume sold, of one dollar to finance the UNICEF project aimed at bringing drinking water to the most needy African countries.

In 2019 the Armani company helped the Venetian citizens affected by a disastrous flood; the following year the designer made important donations to Italian hospitals to help healthcare workers fight the Coronavirus.

Always careful not to have a negative impact on the environment, Armani S.p.A. is committed to creating garments that can last a long time, ensuring the management of production that does not damage the planet.

Disputes

Like almost every large company, Giorgio Armani S.p.A. it has been involved in some unpleasant events which have not affected its charm and credibility.

The most serious controversy saw the group defend itself against a very serious accusation. In 2008, the Spanish Association for the Defense of Minors pointed the finger at the brand, accusing it of having created an advert that appears to incite the practice of sexual tourism.

Between 1998 and 2000 the company had to sue the owner of a stamp factory, Luca Armani, for having improperly used the armani.com domain. In 2003 the company won the case; in 2016, however, Luca Armani challenged the sentence and filed a second lawsuit.