The 'sexy coolness' of Giorgio Armani
With the death of Karl Lagerfeld, the ranks of the venerable designers in the fashion industry are almost extinct. One is still left: Giorgio Armani. The Italian celebrates his elegant sense for the essential on his 90th birthday.
The little lies of his profession, perfected after all these years, were once again evident a few days ago during the fashion show in Paris. The Italian, slim, with white hair and a tan, showered customers and celebrities with generous compliments for their clothing choices. And at the end, he praised himself for his work: "My most beautiful collection ever," yet again.
The man from Milan can afford it. The competition from the past is no more. Lagerfeld, Yves Saint-Laurent, Gianni Versace: all gone. Armani, however, can celebrate his 90th birthday on this Thursday.
Many consider him the last great fashion innovator with an unmistakable style: casual, elegant, and simple. He reinvented the sacko and made it possible to wear a T-shirt with a suit - something he still does, preferably in blue.
At Home in Milan
Unlike many other giants in his industry, Armani was never at home in Paris but always in Milan. In Via Borgonuovo, a very elegant street, he owns several buildings. The headquarters is a palace from 1662.
New collections he shows even in the basement of his house. Four times a year in Milan, twice for men's and twice for women's fashion, plus twice a year in Paris. They all come. Since Lagerfeld's death in 2019, he is for many the most famous fashion designer in the world.
Born in Milan, the "Prince of Fashion," as they call him in Italy, was not in fact born in Milan but an hour's drive away, in the small town of Piacenza, as the second child of a housewife and a speditions merchant. The mother valued clothing, even in wartime. But the greater influence in matters of fashion was probably his grandfather, who earned his living as a mask maker and wig maker at the city theater.
"A constant act of love"
One of the few times Armani was not seen in trousers, a pullover, and perhaps a sacko or a T-shirt was when the University of his hometown made him an honorary doctor last year: He wore a tunic and a cape, as befits a doctoral robe.
In his acceptance speech, he said: "This work is my life, a constant act of love." And he added, smiling but businesslike: "I listen to the opinions of others, but then I make the decisions."
Armani almost became a real doctor. After graduating from high school, he studied medicine for two years. During his military service in a hospital, he realized that was not his world. A friend introduced him to the department store "La Rinascente," where he began as a window dresser and then became a buyer. That's where he met Nino Cerruti, the old master of Italian men's fashion, in 1964. He made his first designs without any formal training. Then their paths separated.
Seven Billion Euro Fortune
In the mid-1970s, Armani founded his own company, Giorgio Armani SpA, with his life partner Sergio Galeotti. It was the seed of a corporation that is worth billions today: The money came in first through fashion, then through cosmetics, watches, jewelry, and hotels. Since Galeotti's early AIDS death in 1985, the company has belonged to Armani alone. He has lived, as far as is known, by himself since then. His net worth is estimated at seven billion euros.
He went to the stock exchange never. He rejected all takeover offers. Today, the company consists of around 9250 employees worldwide, more than 2000 stores, often in prime locations, with an annual turnover of over 2.3 billion Euro. He looks down on "Fast Fashion" companies like H&M or Zara with their rapidly changing collections, which do pose competition for him in city centers. "A designer must create unique fashion that doesn't change every week," he says.
His trademark: He reduces fashion to the essentials. He removed padding and lining from the once uniform-like jackets. The collar of the shirts became less stiff, the buttons were set down. He limits himself to timeless colors such as Gray, Beige, and White. Deep blue is his favorite color himself. "80 percent of what I do is discipline," he is known to say. "The rest is creativity. My limit is good taste."
"Monolith of Fashion"
It's evident that he comes from men's fashion. Women's trousers have never been more feminine. Cultural scientist Barbara Vinken says, "Armani brought understated sexiness into fashion."
Hollywood took notice in 1980 when he dressed Richard Gere for "American Gigolo" ("A Man for Certain Hours"). On the screen followed Kevin Costner ("The Untouchables"), Tom Cruise ("Mission Impossible"), and Leonardo DiCaprio ("The Wolf of Wall Street"). With the TV-series "Miami Vice," the T-shirt became a daily-wear suit.
For his compatriots, the aging man is the epitome of the Italian gentleman par excellence. They forgave Armani the bribery of tax investigators and even that he outfitted the English national football team for a World Cup. The magazine of the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" hailed him as "Monolith of Fashion," as "a Rock in the chaotic business that knows no relatives, no durability, no tradition."
The downside of uniqueness: It's unclear how the Armani brand will continue. He rarely speaks about the unfortunate topic. So far, the "Prince" has refrained from designating a successor or successor. It is likely that he will not do so anymore, although the thought of what remains, certainly occupies him. When the newspaper "La Repubblica" asked him on his birthday, he answered, "My greatest dream is that Armani remains an expression of the Italian style, even in 50 or 100 years."
After his successful fashion shows in Milan and Paris, Armani continued to celebrate his unique style in the world of entertainment. During an interview, he expressed his love for the fashion industry, saying, "This work is my life, a constant act of love."
Reflecting on his legacy, Armani once stated, "My greatest dream is that Armani remains an expression of the Italian style, even in 50 or 100 years." His impact on fashion, often compared to a "Rock in the chaotic business," has left an indelible mark in the realm of 'Mode' or fashion, proving that he is indeed an enduring entertainer in the world of haute couture.
