Emporio Armani: logo and history of a fashion empire
Milan, late seventies. The kingdom of fashion crowns its king: King George, as he will be nicknamed abroad. With Giorgio Armani, Milan quickly becomes the world capital of fashion, and Made in Italy is no longer just a label: it is now synonymous with elegance, refinement and class. How was this iconic fashion brand born? And where did the idea for that eagle come from? Read on to find out.
King George and the birth of an empire
Giorgio Armani was born in 1934 in Piacenza, northern Italy. After dropping out of medical school in Milan, he began working with the architects for the luxury Milanese department store Rinascente to renew its image. It is on the polished floors of Rinascente that the future designer honed his creative skills and aesthetic taste, and the direction for his future career began to become clearer. Shortly after, in 1964, he took his first steps into clothing design, thanks to a collaboration with Cerruti for Hitman, a brand that produced men's clothing. This first experience in the world of fashion, which lasted until 1970, was his most important education. So much so that only five years later, in 1975, the Giorgio Armani brand was born, an independent brand that produces men's clothing and, since 1976, also women's. The rest is history: from the Armani jacket worn by Diane Keaton to receive her Oscar in 1978 to the suits made for Richard Gere in the 1980 film American Gigolo. His admirers are many, including Madonna, Lady Gaga, Laura Pausini, Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Leonardo Di Caprio, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts and Renée Zellweger. It is impossible to list them all.
Now we come to the idea of Emporio Armani. It's the Eighties, and Giorgio Armani wants to broaden his appeal to young people and all budgets. And so a new, more accessible clothing line is born. The key to this new offering is denim. Obvious today, but less so then: no designer had ever included a pair of jeans in his collection. It was a revolutionary move at the time, derided by the more conservative people in the industry. But it was greeted with enormous enthusiasm by its many future customers: Emporio Armani offered simple, elegant and easy-to-wear garments at reasonable prices. Why the name “Emporio”? And what's behind that eagle on the logo? We're about to find out.
The Emporio empire: origin of the name and logo
Let's start with the brand name. It was Giorgio Armani himself who wanted the word "emporio" in the name of his new line, as he explained in an interview published in Vogue in 2018.
I liked the idea of a place where you could find everything and at a fair price. That idea is still valid today: for me Emporio is a collection of garments, accessories and ideas aimed at a broad, cosmopolitan and urban audience.
And now we come to the logo.
It is an eagle with the body divided into horizontal stripes and with the designer's initials. The font chosen is Didot LT, a very elegant serif. But why an eagle? It is said that the symbol is a tribute to its main trading partner: the United States. However, the eagle is looking away from the west, so it's just another good story. The true meaning is rather classic and is nobility. And this is reflected in the company's production.
Final considerations
In conclusion, we can say that Emporio Armani is a clothing line that has been able to interpret the needs and tastes of a young and dynamic clientele, offering quality, elegance and style garments at affordable prices. Emporio Armani has also been able to innovate and experiment, introducing denim into luxury fashion and creating a distinctive and recognizable logo. Choosing an Emporio Armani garment means wearing a piece of Italian fashion history, a symbol of class and excellence.
