Time defying fashion house and its designer: Who is Giorgio Armani?
We have compiled the branding adventure of Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who first introduced his empire with men's suits, then expanded his product range with his own company and became iconic.
Giorgio Armani was born on July 11, 1934 in Piacenza, Italy. He is the child of his mother, Maria Raimondi, and his father, an accountant Ugo Armani. Armani has an older brother named Sergio and a younger sister named Rosanna. Considering a career in medicine, Armani started his education at the Department of Medicine at the University of Milan. After studying for three years, he left in 1953 and joined the army. Later, he considered planning a different career path.
In 1957, Armani became a display and sales clerk at La Rinascente in Milan, then continued as a salesman in the menswear department. In the mid-1960s, Armani began working at the fashion house Nino Cerruti, where he designed menswear. His skills were gaining traction, and he continued to work for Cerutti for the next ten years.
He met Sergio Galeotti, an architect, in the 1960s, and it was the beginning of a long-lasting personal and professional relationship. In 1973, Galeotti persuaded Armani to open a design office in Milan. This led to an extensive period of collaboration where he worked as a freelance designer for various fashion houses including Allegri, Bagutta, Hilton, Sicons, Gibò, Montedoro and Tendresse. The press acknowledged his talent after fashion shows at the Pitti Palace in Florence.
His experience allowed Armani to develop his style in new ways and he was now ready to devote his energies to his own brand. On July 24, 1975, with his friend Galeotti in Milan, "Giorgio Armani S.p.A." He founded his fashion house. In October of that year, he managed to present the 1976 Spring and Summer men's ready-to-wear collection under his own name.
Armani aimed for an innovative relationship with the fashion industry. As part of this relationship, it was characterized by an agreement with Gruppo Finanzario Tessile (GFT) in 1978 that made possible the production of luxury ready-to-wear under the supervision of the company's designer. The following year, the company began manufacturing for the United States, introducing its main line of products for men and women. The brand has become one of the leading names in fashion internationally, with the launch of several new product lines, including 'G.A.Le Collezioni', 'Giorgio Armani Underwear and Swimwear' and 'Giorgio Armani Accessories'.
In the early 1980s, the company signed an important agreement with L'Oréal to establish its perfume and cosmetic products 'Armani Beauty'. Then it introduced the Armani Junior, Armani Jeans and Emporio Armani lines, and Emporio Underwear, Swimwear and Accessories were on sale in 1982. With the opening of a new store for the Emporio line in Milan, the first Giorgio Armani boutique followed.
It culminated in the development of a younger product with the same styling quality as Armani's high-end product line, but at a more affordable price. Due to the democratic nature of the Emporio line, Armani wanted to use new and unconventional advertising methods. These were a home magazine with TV spots and massive street ads mailed to consumers who were Armani Eagle users.
Also, Armani wanted a relationship with cinema, both for promotional purposes and to encourage creativity. He had the honor of working for the notorious "American Gigolo," particularly with actor Richard Geere, who portrayed the character. Showcasing his work through film really helped develop Armani's talents. Additionally, Geere has appeared in the best ever ad campaign in cinema for a fashion brand. It reflected Armani's name, company, and style to a wider audience than any fashion magazine could reach. The film also gained notoriety by making Gere and Armani stars as well. He also designed more than a hundred costumes, one of the most notable of which is "The Untouchables" (1987).
Despite the death of his friend Galeotti in 1985, Armani continued to advance its commercial developments and licensing deals. Company opened Japan. Then it introduced eyewear line in 1988, socks in 1987, a gift collection in 1989, and a new men's and women's line known as the A/X Armani Exchange (1991). Last collection project represented the company's attempt to enter the American mass market by offering lower prices for comfortable and stylish clothing.
After its frenetic expansion in the 1990s, in 2000, the brand's twenty-fifth anniversary, it embarked on a frenzy of investment, including stock sales and acquisitions of new brands, aimed at increasing control over the quality and distribution of its products. The company's line of men's and women's ski wear and casual ski wear was designed in 1995. In 1996, two Emporio Armani stores opened in Clapton, New York City.
In 1998, the company prepared to enter the Chinese market by opening its first store in China. Designer Armani has been influenced by other cultures while inspiring some of his works. In 2000, Giorgio Armani SpA expanded its accessories range while introducing new cosmetics and home furnishing lines. In 2001, Armani was declared as the most successful designer of Italian origin.
In 2008, Armani designed the bullfighting suit worn by Spanish bullfighter Cayetano Rivera Ordóñez at "Corrida Goyesca" in Ronda, Spain. In 2011, Armani, the first luxury designer to accept Livia Firth's Green Carpet Challenge to promote sustainable fashion, designed a dress for himself out of recycled plastics and fabrics.
He founded the Giorgio Armani Foundation in 2016 to "protect the management assets of the Armani Group and ensure that these assets remain stable over time" while aiming to finance social projects. In February 2020, the firm became the first fashion brand to decide to close their runway shows to the public with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and hold the event without an audience. The firm banned animal fur in 2016.
The company has been a sponsor of Scuderia Ferrari since 2021, providing the Ferrari team's management, drivers and technicians with formal wear and travel apparel to be worn at official events and during transfers in connection with Formula 1's international races. In addition, the company also makes jerseys for Serie A football team Napoli under the brand EA7. The company announced that it will no longer use angora wool from the 2022-23 autumn/winter season.
Armani is known for its pioneering red carpet fashion. He also became the first designer to ban working with models with a 'body mass index' below 18 after model Ana Carolina Reston passed away from anorexia nervosa. Additionally, he has made several stage outfits, including those worn on pop superstar Lady Gaga's record breaking Monster Ball Tour and Born This Way Ball Tour. He has also designed for many award ceremonies such as the 52nd Grammy Awards and the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards she.
As of 2009, the company has a retail network of 60 Giorgio Armani boutiques, 11 Collezioni, 122 Emporio Armani, 94 A/X Armani Exchange, 1 Giorgio Armani Accessori and 13 Armani Junior stores spread across 37 countries. As of 2017, the firm's annual turnover is $1.6 billion, and Armani's personal wealth is estimated at $8.1 billion.