Giorgio Armani facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Giorgio Armani
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Armani in 2009
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| Born | 11 July 1934 |
| Alma mater | University of Milan |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
Giorgio Armani (born 11 July 1934) is a famous Italian fashion designer. He first became well-known working for the company Cerruti. Later, he designed for many other brands like Allegri and Hilton.
In 1975, he started his own company, Armani. This company grew to include music, sports, and even luxury hotels. By 2001, Armani was known as the most successful Italian designer. He is also famous for creating "red-carpet fashion," which means designing outfits for celebrities at big events.
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Early Life and Education
Giorgio Armani was born in Piacenza, a town in northern Italy. He grew up there with his older brother Sergio and younger sister Rosanna. His mother, Maria Raimondi, and father, Ugo Armani, raised them. His father worked as an accountant.
When he was in high school in Milan, Armani wanted to become a doctor. He even started studying medicine at the University of Milan. However, after three years, he left in 1953 to join the army.
After serving in the military for two years, he decided not to continue his medical studies. In 1957, he found a job at La Rinascente in Milan. This was one of Europe's most stylish department stores. He worked as a display assistant and a buyer.
Starting a Design Career
After leaving the army, Armani became a window dresser and sales clerk. This was at La Rinascente department store in Milan in 1957. He helped showcase new clothing from a Finnish company called Marimekko. He then became a seller in the men's clothing section. This job taught him a lot about how to market fashion.
In the mid-1960s, Armani joined the Nino Cerruti company. There, he designed menswear. His skills were in high demand. For the next ten years, he worked for Cerruti and also as a freelance designer. He created designs for many different manufacturers at the same time.
In the late 1960s, Armani met Sergio Galeotti, who was an architectural draftsman. They became close friends and business partners. In 1973, Galeotti encouraged Armani to open his own design office in Milan. Armani then worked as a freelance designer for several fashion houses.
His work quickly gained attention from the international press. This happened after his fashion shows in Florence. These experiences helped Armani develop his unique style.
Founding Giorgio Armani S.p.A.
Armani was ready to create his own brand. On 24 July 1975, he founded Giorgio Armani S.p.A. in Milan with his friend Galeotti. In October of that year, he showed his first collection. It was a men's ready-to-wear line for Spring and Summer 1976. He also created a women's line for the same season.
Italian manufacturers started investing in local designers. They offered very good deals. They paid for production and marketing. Designers also received a percentage of the profits. This allowed new designers like Armani to start their businesses without debt. They could also afford big fashion shows and advertising.
Armani has always supported both fashion and art. For example, in 1990, he helped fund a show in New York. It was about the artist Pier Paolo Pasolini. This showed Armani's deep appreciation for different forms of art.
In 1978, Armani made an important agreement with Gruppo Finanzario Tessile (GFT). This allowed his luxury ready-to-wear clothes to be made in factories. Armani closely watched the quality. In 1979, he started Giorgio Armani Corporation. He began selling his designs in the United States. He also launched new product lines. These included G. A. Le Collezioni and Giorgio Armani Underwear.
In the early 1980s, his company signed a deal with L'Oréal. This was to create perfumes and cosmetics under the name Armani Beauty. He also introduced the Armani Junior, Armani Jeans, and Emporio Armani lines. Later, Emporio Underwear and Swimwear were added. New stores opened for the Emporio line and the first Giorgio Armani boutique.
Armani wanted to create stylish clothes for younger people. These clothes had the same quality as his high-end lines but were more affordable. For the Emporio line, Armani used new advertising methods. These included TV ads and huge street billboards. He also sent a magazine to loyal customers.
Armani and Cinema
Armani believed that working with movies was very important. It helped promote his brand and inspired his creativity. His designs appeared in many films. Armani designed costumes for over a hundred films. A very important one was The Untouchables (1987).
In 1983, Armani changed his agreement with GFT. They started making the Mani line for the United States. They also produced his high-end ready-to-wear line, called Borgonuovo 21.
Expanding the Brand
During the late 1980s, Armani continued to grow his business. He opened Armani Japan and launched new products. These included eyeglasses (1988), socks (1987), and a gift collection (1989). He also introduced a new basic clothing line for America called A/X Armani Exchange (1991).
The 1990s saw rapid expansion. Armani added sportswear, watches, cosmetics, and home furnishings. In 2000, which was the brand's twenty-fifth anniversary, Armani invested a lot. He bought new factories to better control the quality and distribution of his products.
Armani developed a line of skiwear and casual skiwear in 1995. His 1991 project, A/X: Armani Exchange, aimed to reach the American mass market. It offered stylish, relaxed clothes at lower prices.
In 1996, his friend Eric Clapton wrote songs for Armani's fashion shows. Clapton has worn Armani clothes ever since. Later that year, Clapton opened two Emporio Armani stores in New York City. In 1998, Armani hosted a party for Clapton's guitar auction.
Armani has found inspiration from different cultures for his designs. For example, he used Japanese influences in some of his works. Armani also entered the Chinese market. He opened a small shop in Beijing in 1998. A larger store opened in Shanghai in 2004.
Armani's influence goes far beyond just clothes. His work is often seen as a bridge between fashion and art. The Guggenheim Museum in New York even held an exhibition of Armani's work. This was the first time a living designer had such a show. It attracted about 29,000 visitors each week.
In 2008, Armani designed a special bullfighting costume. It was worn by Spanish bullfighter Cayetano Rivera Ordóñez. They have also worked together on fashion shows.
In 2011, Armani became the first luxury designer to join the Green Carpet Challenge. This challenge promotes sustainable fashion made from recycled materials. He designed a dress and a tuxedo for this challenge.
By 2009, Armani had a large network of stores. This included 60 Giorgio Armani boutiques and 122 Emporio Armani stores. These were spread across 37 countries. As of 2017, his company had a yearly income of $1.6 billion. His personal wealth was $8.1 billion.
In 2015, Giorgio Armani was part of the Paris Photography Public Programme. He presented works focusing on the theme of water in photography. In 2001, Armani was recognized as the most successful designer of Italian origin.
Fashion Innovations
Armani is famous for creating "red-carpet fashion." This means he designed special outfits for celebrities to wear at big events.
Armani was the first designer to ban models who were too thin. He did this after a model became very ill due to an eating disorder. He wanted to promote healthy body images.
On 24 January 2007, Armani broadcast his fashion collection live on the Internet. This was a first for haute couture (high fashion). The show was seen on MSN and Cingular cell phones.
Armani has designed many stage outfits for pop superstar Lady Gaga. These included clothes for her Monster Ball Tour and Born This Way Ball Tour. He has also designed for major award shows. Examples include the 52nd Grammy Awards and the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.
Armani Hotel Collection
In 2005, Giorgio Armani and Emaar Properties PJSC made an agreement. Emaar Properties would build and run at least seven luxury hotels and three vacation resorts. These would be under the Giorgio Armani name. Giorgio Armani would be in charge of all the interior design and style for the hotels.
The Armani Hotel opened in Burj Khalifa on 27 April 2010. It takes up the bottom 39 floors of the tall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It has 160 guest rooms and suites, plus 144 residences. Giorgio Armani also designed the interiors of the Armani Residences. These are also inside the skyscraper. He also created a special line of products from his Armani/Casa home furnishings collection for the hotels.
Armani and Music
Armani Musica creates Emporio Armani Caffè compilations. These are special CD collections chosen by Giorgio Armani and DJ-sound designer Matteo Ceccarini. They offer a mix of unique sounds and rhythms.
Armani and Sports
Giorgio Armani is very interested in sports. He is the president of the Olimpia Milano basketball team. He is also a fan of the Inter Milan football team.
Armani has designed suits for the England national football team twice. He has also designed suits for players of the London club Chelsea since August 2007.
He designed the Italian flag bearers' outfits for the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. He also designed Italy's Olympic uniforms for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Armani also created the EA7 range. This brand was inspired by Ukrainian footballer Andriy Shevchenko. At the time, he played for A.C. Milan and wore the number 7 jersey. Armani owns the Italian basketball club Olimpia Milano. He has designed uniforms for the Italian Olympic and Paralympic teams.
Chelsea football club asked Armani to create a new look for their Directors' Suite at Stamford Bridge.
Starting in 2021, Giorgio Armani began a multi-year sponsorship with Scuderia Ferrari. Armani will provide official and travel clothes to the team members. This will help promote his brand and connect it with the popular motorsport team.
Personal Life
Giorgio Armani is a very private person. He enjoys spending time on his large yacht and loves sailing. He also has some relatives living in the United States.
Awards and Honors
- 2014 Compasso d'Oro Career Award
- 2021
Italy: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (14 July 2021)
See also
In Spanish: Giorgio Armani para niños
- List of fashion designers
- Italian fashion
