Giorgio Armani” is renowned as one of the world’s leading fashion brands beyond Italy. Its designer, Mr. Giorgio Armani, turned 90 years old on July 11, 2024. He is still active in his creations and has a presence beyond the fashion world, but how much do you know about Giorgio Armani and his brand? In this article, we will extract the elements that can be considered the true value of Armani.
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What is Armani?
Armani is a generic name for the fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who is acclaimed as “the emperor of mode,” “the 3G of Milan mode*1,” “the Michelangelo of the mode world*2, ” etc., or the multiple brands he has developed. Giorgio Armani was born in Piacenza, Italy on July 11, 1934. He entered medical school at the University of Milan, but dropped out after only a few years and became a buyer for La Rinascente, a large department store in Milan, in 1957. There he caught the eye of Nino Cerruti. As a freelance designer, he has demonstrated his skills in a number of brands, including Hitman, Montedoro, and Ciccons.
Photo by Vittoriano Rastelli
In 1975, he founded Giorgio Armani with Sergio Galeotti. In addition to the apparel business, including “Giorgio Armani,” “Emporio Armani,” and “A|X Armani Exchange,” the company has also developed a total range of businesses, including hotels, restaurants, and interior design. He has revolutionized the suit with the invention of the Ancona jacket, was one of the first to provide costumes and uniforms to the film and sports industries, and has been involved in humanitarian and charitable activities such as UNICEF ahead of other companies, to name just a few of his many accomplishments. And while many popular luxury brands remain under the umbrella of conglomerates, Mr. Armani remains the chairman and sole shareholder of the company. In this sense, Armani is a very prominent figure in the fashion industry.
1 In the 1980s, Giorgio Armani, along with Gianfranco Ferrè and Gianni Versace, were known as the “3Gs of Milan” and established an era as a leading fashion designer.
2 Matt Serra, head of purchasing at Saks Fifth Avenue, praised Mr. Armani in the same expression in Uomo Vogue magazine.
The following is an overview of Armani’s brands.
From here, Armani From here, we will introduce the elements that are the true value of the Armani brand from 6 perspectives.
The true value of Armani (1)Deconstructing and reconstructing the structure of the jacket and sublimating it to the dimension of fashion
Until Armani’s arrival in the 1970s, jackets had a history of being bound by the strict rules of classic dress wear. For Mr. Armani, existing jackets “looked the same no matter who wore them, and were the main culprit in preventing people from wearing their own unique style. He therefore dismantled the entire structure of the jacket and reconstructed it to allow the wearer more freedom of movement. With his knowledge of anatomy from his time as a medical student at the University of Milan, he was able to dissect the jacket with great skill and daring. He changed the stiff, heavy fabric to a lighter, more relaxed fabric, removed the shoulder pads and interlining, and created the so-called “unconstructed jacket. The jacket’s design was also fundamentally reformed by adopting wide shoulders, slender lapels, and a boldly narrowed waistline. Men in creative professions such as actors, artists, writers, and architects were quick to jump on board with Armani’s proposal.
Mondadori/Afro
The true value of Armani (2)
In the 80s, when Armani ran through its paces, decorative designs and loudly colored clothes were in fashion, and in terms of individuality and presence, clothes were surpassing people. It was an era in which clothes surpassed people in terms of individuality and presence. Amidst the frenzy of the 80’s, Mr. Armani decided to create “glazes” based on the idea that “the wearer should be the star, not the clothes. In the midst of this frenzy in the 80s, Mr. Armani introduced items with a sophisticated color palette centering on “glaze” based on the idea that “the wearer should be the star, not the clothes. Mr. Armani’s color palette is inspired by various landscapes. In particular, the original landscape of Piacenza, where Mr. Armani spent his childhood, black-and-white films from the 1920s and 1930s, and the inorganic atmosphere of the metropolis all inspired the color palette of glaze, which is refined and neutral, allowing the wearer to take center stage. And not only does glaze look great on skin and hair colors of all ethnicities, it also works wonders with vivid colors. Glaze is the color at the heart of Armani’s creations and remains a signature color.
The true value of Armani (3)Armani created the power suit that gives confidence and dignity to workers
The suit is one of Armani’s iconic items. In the 1980s, among the business elite, a luxurious suit was considered a sign of business success and power, and was positioned as indispensable to inspire them. This type of dress was known as “power dressing,” and Armani suits were hailed as “power suits” and established themselves as the coveted suit brand. Armani often said, “I like to make clothes for people who are working,” and he strongly emphasized that his suits were not for special parties, but for businessmen who could wear them during the workday and gain inner confidence. This suit was not only welcomed by men, but it also won the enthusiastic support of businesswomen who were taking on the challenge of women’s advancement into the workforce, which was extremely difficult at the time. Today, Armani’s “Made toMeasure” suits byGiorgio Armani and “Made to Order” suits by Emporio Armani continue to stand tall and inspire confidence and courage in their wearers.
The true value of Armani (4)The honeymoon with the movie industry and his talent as a marketer
Armani’s deep involvement with the movie industry and its many stars is essential to his story. Armani’s close relationship with the film industry and its many stars is indispensable. Having spent his childhood in the movies, Mr. Armani had a dream of becoming a “film director. Although he decided to pursue a career in fashion rather than film, he has made his presence felt in the film industry as a costume designer. Among his films, “American Gigolo,” released in 1980, is the most representative of his work, and was the catalyst for the explosion of Armani’s popularity, especially in the U.S. The film features Richard Gere as the titular character, who is a young man who is in love with a woman. Mr. Armani designed most of the costumes worn by the main character Julian, played by Richard Gere. This was the beginning of an endless stream of offers from the film industry to Armani, and the list of Armani’s clients included a succession of Hollywood stars.
Photofest/Afro
Incidentally, Armani has designed hundreds of costumes for films. One of the reasons why he has been providing so many costumes for movies on a continuous basis is that he is a movie buff, but he is also an excellent marketer who realized early on that providing costumes for movies would be an effective promotion after the hit movie ” American Gigolo. He was also quick to provide costumes for stars attending the Academy Awards ceremony and for soccer players. Along with his superhuman talent as a designer, his extraordinary keen eye as a marketer is astonishing.
The True Value of Armani (5)Deep insight and practice into the ideal man
In his own attire, Mr. Armani is famous for his preference for navy blue items. In recent public appearances, he is often seen wearing a navy T-shirt and jacket, dark trousers, and white sneakers. He explains that he is partial to navy blue because it most accentuates his individuality and allows him to maintain a comfortable distance from others. He is also very stylish, with a well-proportioned, muscular, slim figure. This is no wonder; he is a health-conscious person who is particular about food, and at the same time, he has a gym at home where he trains every day. However, he does not engage in high-intensity weight training like a bodybuilder, but mainly walks and exercises. This is where his aesthetics can be seen, as he does not approve of excessive flamboyance in clothing and objects to the overdone staging of runway shows. In her book ” The Complete History of Apparel: Reading the Innovators, ” clothing historian Kaori Nakano recalls one of Armani’s unforgettable quotes: “‘A strong man is a man who does not blatantly show that he is strong. Mr. Armani has a steel will to always reflect the ideal image of a man, not only in the clothes he produces, but also in his own looks and attire. Many of us may identify with his style and philosophy.
KCS/Afro.
The true value of Armani (6)The pride of Italy in name and reality
Armani is the highest designer and the finest brand that everyone knows. Many people may not know the name of the Italian prime minister, but they know the name Armani. In addition to the name recognition, many people in Japan and other countries have a favorable image of Armani. In Italy, on the other hand, Armani’s fame is so high that he is considered “the pride of the nation,” and he is one of the few civilians to have received the ” Cavaliere di grazie croce decorato di grazie cordone,” the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy, one of the six levels of the order. This is the highest of the six levels of the Order, and most of the recipients are current or former presidents. The majority of the recipients of the decoration are current or former presidents, so the actual highest decoration available to civilians is considered to be one level below the highest. As the only fashion designer to have received the same decoration as a former president, it is clear how proud the Italians are of Mr. Armani.
courtesy of Giorgio Armani
While business success is one aspect of Armani’s success, we believe that Armani has achieved this position because of his powerful philanthropic activities. The company donates to NPOs that provide meals to the poor, works on environmental issues such as greening, and is willing to support medical and educational institutions. It is also known for its support for the fight against AIDS long before the current emphasis on CSR …
courtesy of Giorgio Armani