Italian executive Giorgio Armani is an iconic clothing designer best known in America for his popular men's suits.
Born
on July 11, 1934, in Italy, Giorgio Armani is an iconic clothing
designer who has expanded his empire to include restaurants and hotels.
His popularity skyrocketed in America in the 1980s when his men's 'power
suits' appeared frequently on the television series Miami Vice and in the 1980 film American Gigolo, which starred Richard Gere in Armani's signature garb.
Designer
Giorgio Armani was born on July 11, 1934, in Piacenza, Italy. With his
body-conscious yet understated clothing, Giorgio Armani has become one
of the most popular names in fashion. He first launched his business
empire in the mid-1970s, and it has grown substantially over the years.
The Armani brand now includes makeup, housewares, books and hotels.
The
son of a shipping manager, Armani grew up in a small town outside of
Milan. It was a difficult time in Italian history. Giorgio and his two
siblings—older brother Sergio and younger sister Rosanna—experienced the
hardships of World War II firsthand. Some of his friends were killed
during Allied bombings. "We were poor and life was tough," he explained
to Harper's Bazaar. "The cinema in Milan was a refuge—a palace
of dreams—and the movie stars seemed so glamorous. I fell in love with
the idealized beauty of Hollywood stars."
At an early age, Armani
developed an interest in anatomy, making "dolls out of mud with a
coffee bean hidden inside," explained to the Guardian
newspaper. His fascination with the human form led to two years of
medical study at the University of Piacenza.
Taking a break from school,
Armani had to complete his required military service. He soon got his
first taste of fashion. "I was doing my military service and I had 20
days off on vacation in Milan," he explained to Time magazine.
Through a friend, he got a job at a department store. "I started
assisting the photographer, designing the windows and things."
After
completing his military service, Armani dropped out of university and
went to work at La Rinascente, a famous Milan department store. He then
joined the staff of Nino Cerruti as a designer. With the encouragement
of his friend Sergio Galeotti, Armani started to do freelance design
work for other companies as well.
Armani and Galeotti became
business partners, founding Giorgio Armani S.p.A. in July 1975. The
company's first collection—a men's clothing line—debuted that year.
Armani launched a women's collection the following year, which received
a warm reception. His clothes were revolutionary at the time,
introducing a more natural fit and using a subtle color palette. "My
vision was clear: I believed in getting rid of the artifice of
clothing. I believed in neutral colors," he later told WWD.
While
his designs were popular in Europe, Armani didn't make a big splash in
America until 1980. His clothes were worn by actor Richard Gere in the
film American Gigolo (1980), which helped generate a lot of interest in Armani.
He also provided much of the wardrobe for the hit television series Miami Vice
(1984-89), starring Don Johnson. Soon, many top Hollywood stars
started wearing Armani on the red carpet, including Michelle Pfeiffer,
Jodie Foster and John Travolta, among others.
During the 1980s,
wearing Armani became a symbol of success for many business
professionals. They especially sought out the brand's "power suits."
With demand high, Armani and Galeotti were able to grow the business,
opening up Armani stores in Milan. Armani, however, suffered a great
personal and professional loss in 1985 when he lost longtime friend and
business partner Galeotti to AIDS. While some thought that the
business might suffer after Galeotti's death, Armani showed the world
that he was just as talented as an executive as he was as a designer.
Armani
expanded his operations, opening his first restaurant in 1989. He also
bought clothing manufacturer Simint S.p.A. and shares in other
businesses. Not even legal troubles could slow down Armani's momentum.
He received only a suspended sentence in 1996 after pleading guilty to
bribing Italian tax officials in 1989 and 1990.
By the end of the
1990s, Armani had over 200 stores worldwide and annual sales of
roughly $2 billion. His company continued to add to its product
offerings, expanding into the home goods market and book publishing. In
2005, Armani debuted his first haute couture line. He launched this
high-end venture because he liked the challenge.
Think how liberating
it is for a designer to make one dress, perfectly, to satisfy only one
customer," he told In Style magazine. Today, Armani’s brand can
be found in major department stores around the world along with 500
exclusive retail stores.
Hotels have become Armani's latest
venture. In 2010, he opened his first hotel in Dubai, and another one
is expected to open in Milan. It seems that Armani has nearly tapped
into every available design opportunity at this point in his career.
Despite
his great success, Armani remains modest about his efforts. "I like
the idea of having built this beautiful empire, but I still like to
think of myself as the stable boy," he told WWD. Several
family members work for him in this vast enterprise. His sister Rosanna
works at Armani as do two of his nieces, Silvana and Roberta.
With
more than three decades in the business, Armani has enjoyed a
longevity as a designer experienced by few others. Some compare him to
such fashion greats as Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent. In his 70s,
Armani stands as one of fashion's most distinguished leaders. He seems
"almost presidential—wise, serene and comfortable in his role now as the
reigning eminence of Milan fashion," wrote a journalist for The New York Times.
No comments:
Post a Comment