Giorgio Armani: biography, career, personal life, modern works

It has long been known that the demand for any brand is determined by the number of its fakes. Not a real brand Armani is very difficult to distinguish from the real one, so they learned how to fake it. People like to wear the clothes of this Fashion House, to use perfumes and accessories. The presence of a person with a label Armani indicates his good taste, style and success.

Biography

Giorgio Armani was born July 11, 1937 in the northern Italian province of Piacenza in the Emilia Romagna region, 67 kilometers from Milan.

His father, Ugo Armani, met his future wife, Mariya Raimonda, during an amateur performance. They both loved art, were creative people and had good taste. In the 30s of the twentieth century, Italy, under the rule of dictator Benito Mussolini, was not the best place to live for ordinary people. But young people fell in love with a friend and got married, having created a family and having given birth to three children. Giorgio had an older brother, Sergio, and a younger sister, Rosanna.

The head of the family worked as a simple accountant, and his mother, like a real Italian wife, was engaged in home and children. As much as possible, she pampered children, was always interested in their affairs, arranged family puppet shows and instilled in them a love of art.

Giorgio already began to invent and sew toy costumes. First, sketches appeared on paper, then on puppets for the performance. Then Rosanna's dolls were all trimmed with an active brother.

When the war began, Hugo and Maria decided that it would be safer for the children in the village, sending them there far from the city. But the shelling began there. Once Giorgio and Rosanna were on the street during the attack, there was only a ditch nearby, there was nowhere else for the children to hide. The brother, as he could, reassured his sister, covered his jacket and wiped her tears. The war tempered the character of the future fashion designer, making him strong-willed, fearless, decisive.

After the war, the Armani family moved to Milan. Giorgio was very fond of cinema, the profession of an actor attracted him like a magnet. But the post-war devastation, hunger, poverty, general diseases and deaths prompted the young man to go to study as a doctor. He wanted to become a missionary, to help everyone in need for free.

Entering the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Bologna (Université de Bologna), he could not study there for more than 2 years. The sight of blood has become an insurmountable obstacle to continuing studies. The young man could not look at the wounds, be present at the autopsy, and soon dropped out to serve in the army. At this time, Giorgio was seriously interested in photography, he everywhere tried to find the plot and capture it. This passion led the young man to his first job.

Fashion Designer Career Ladder

In 1957, the soldier returned home and began to work in the La Rinascente department store in Milan. He was assigned to monitor window dressing. The work was interesting, but he felt a huge potential in himself, which needed more space for implementation.

After some time, the executive and responsible employee was entrusted with the management of a small experimental store. He had business trips to England, new acquaintances, bold creative ideas. He began to independently purchase goods from Japan and India. Armani's career was rapidly going up. Soon, management entrusted him with the preparation of a procurement plan for the department store. Giorgio was so fascinated by the selection of suitable clothing models that he began to develop his own sketches. These were those outfits that he could not find in the offered collections, but felt the need of buyers in them.

After 7 years of painstaking work in a department store, Armani gets acquainted with fashion designer Nino Cerruti. In 1961, the couturier invited Armani to become his assistant and to develop models for new collections. Giorgio's first works went on sale under the Hitman brand.

In 1966, during another vacation at Forte dei Marmi, a freelance designer met with architect Sergio Galeotti, who is 11 years younger than Giorgio. The young people showed mutual sympathy and soon Sergio left his family to move to Milan with a friend.

In 1970, Armani created his own studio and worked immediately with two major fashion designers: Ermenegildo Zenna (Ermenegildo Zegna) and Emanuel Ungaro (Emanuel Ungaro). Giorgio also sells his models to some Italian Fashion House.

In 1974, Sergio persuaded his friend to create his own fashion house. They did not have free cash to invest in the business and in order to organize it, they had to sell Volkswagen. Giorgio was a talented fashion designer, but could not engage in brand promotion. All financial matters and advertising campaigns were successfully led by Galeotti. The company received the name "Giorgio Armani s.p.a.". Giorgio launches its line of men's clothing under the brand name “Giorgio Armani”. The presentation was held with great success and in 1975 Armani presented a collection of clothes for women.

For two years, the company grew rapidly and developed until it became one of the largest in the world. This was facilitated by the incredible flair of Armani himself and the competent financial policy of Galeotti. Sergio brought to the catwalk models of men in tweed jackets and jeans. He was the first to diversify the color scheme of men's clothing for leisure.

In 1998, the company’s turnover, according to published financial statements, reached 850 million dollars, becoming the largest of all Italian fashion houses.

Activities

Just to put on high-quality and beautiful clothes of men and women to the founders of the company seemed insufficient. Armani wanted to bring to life the finished image of gallant fashionistas. Therefore, in the company Giorgio Armani s.p.a., brands of various directions are developed and promoted. Today it is:

Armani privé (haute couture clothing. Not to be sold through stores).
Giorgio armani (Pret-a-Porter de lux class clothing, small serial, standard sizes, high price, sold in 60 company stores).
Emporio Armani (Models for the younger generation of Pret-a-Porter class, sold in 130 company stores).

Armani Collezioni (The third narrowly functional model line is mainly handmade. It is sold in 13 company stores).
Armani exchange (available mass models, presented in 180 company stores, the price is relatively low).
Armani jeans (Jeans and casual models of an affordable price category. 15 brand stores are open, also sold through multi-brand boutiques)
Armani junior (children's clothing from 0 to 16 years old, sold through 15 company stores).
Armani casa (interior items are sold in 40 own stores).
Armani cosmetics (cosmetic line, L'Oreal luxury division).
Giorgio armani accessori (accessories sold in only one Milan brand store).

The brand’s star clients include: Leonardo DiCaprio, Penelope Cruz, George Clooney, Sophia Loren, Faye Dunaway, Robert De Niro, Monica Bellucci, Tom Cruise, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jodie Foster, Uma Thurman, Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Liv Tyler (Liv Tyler) and other famous people.

The sports clothing line was so successful that Armani entered into an agreement on the development and tailoring of uniforms for professional football players of the Chelsea club.

Today, Armani Concern has 13 factories in 37 countries that serve 5,000 employees.

Giorgio Armani Eau De Toilette

By mutual agreement, only L'Oreal company works with Armani perfume line. The fragrance from Giorgio Armani "Aqua de Gio" has become an exclusive gift for women. In 1982, the release of sensual and delicate perfumes was a bold step; this is a revolutionary novelty in the perfumery industry. Today, the floral-oceanic fragrance for women “Aqua de Gio” is considered the most popular in the Armani line. Its cost starts from 3000 rubles. per bottle in 50 ml.

In 1996, a pair of Armani Acqua Di Gio Man fragrance was introduced for men. Citrus notes wrapped in bergamot and jasmine, complemented by the freshness of sea water today also has no analogues in the perfume market.
In 2002, the new Giorgio Armani Sensi perfumes were designed to give their fragrance to women seeking the ease of life. The incredible velvetiness of the smell is based on the contrast of warm and cool shades.
In 2004, Armani created the Prive fragrance line. Among them was the Bois d'Encens eau de toilette, which is used by the maestro to this day. The collection includes 9 options of perfumes and 4 options of toilet water, selected for every taste and mood.
In early 2006, the world will recognize a new fragrance from Armani. Giorgio launches the legendary Giorgio Armani Code. The bitterness of orange and the spice of ginger are intended for demanding ladies, and the freshness of jasmine and the spice of oriental sweets emphasize their confidence.
In 2013, Cate Blanchett from television and photos in glossy magazines introduced yet another bold fragrance by Giorgio Armani - “Si”. A small bottle of peach color with a cap under a black stone resembled a love potion. A leaf of black currant, notes of rose and freesia organize a riot over the frames of everyday life and open the door to dreams. Today the bottle "Si" costs from 4200 rubles. per 30 ml.
In 2016, Giorgio Armani perfume was complemented by the collection “La Collection de Terres Précieuses”, two fragrances from which are dedicated to Russia. In total, the collection has 8 fragrances - 8 different "semiprecious stones" crown each of them, symbolizing color and mystical meaning.
The new line of Les Eaux eau de toilette includes 4 flavorswho sing a hymn to the charm of the gardens of the past.
The love of the Middle East was absorbed by the water of Giorgio Armani, included in the collection “Mille Et Une Nuit” (“One Thousand and One Nights”). The three main ingredients in the line are expensive agar oil, damask rose and amber resin.

The price of perfumes by Giorgio Armani cannot be cheap, all components are selected by experienced perfumers in strictly defined doses. Today, collections from Armani have 136 fragrances.

Personal life

For 20 years, his friend, Sergio Galeotti, who died of AIDS in 1985, was constantly next to the designer. He left all his assets to Armani. This gave rise to thoughts of their sexual attraction to each other, although Giorgio positions himself as a bisexual. He was never able to change his work, he has neither a wife nor children. The maestro carefully conceals his personal life from prying eyes.

Of the closest relatives, Armani has nieces, the daughters of her brother Sergio Robert Armani and Silvana Armani, as well as the son of Rosana’s sister Andrea Camerana.

Modern Impressions

On April 14, 2016, Armani visits Moscow to personally monitor the fall-winter 2017 show in the Tesla 4000 pavilion.

All guests present were struck for the first time by an atmosphere of rigor and total control of the backstage. The designer was attentive and strict to every detail of the preparatory process. Russian actors were invited to participate in the show: Nikita Efremov, Pavel Tabakov, Yegor Koreshkov.

In early July 2016, Armani presented the autumn-winter collection in Paris. In the front ranks were: the face of the “Si” fragrance Cate Blanchett, Moscow journalist Miroslava Duma and film actress Isabelle Huppert. The color scheme of the new models is designed in black and white, and the fashion of the 30s successfully intertwines with the trends of the fashion of the 90s.

At the end of September 2016, the fashion designer presented the next fall-summer collection of 2017 at Milan Fashion Week. The show is based on pantsuits, sparkling blazers and tulip dresses. The color scheme, as usual, is cold, contains blue, white, black and silver.

Quotes

To be elegant does not mean to be striking, it means to strike into memory.
I was always too responsible. I do not know how to live differently.
You know more than you think, and you can do more than you know. When my business partner died in 1985, some decided that I would close the company. Instead, I learned to do what he did. Do not underestimate your own internal forces.
The difference between style and fashion in quality.
I am glad that nowadays there is a desire to be elegant again. Elegance is the key to a look that is not subject to time, to that which will never go out of fashion, with which you will never go out of fashion. I explain my success by the fidelity of this philosophy. For me, style is more important than short-lived fashion trends.
Reputation is very fettling, like handcuffs. I am supposed to be minimalist, and if I do something else, people complain. Better they keep guessing.
The balance between work and life is the key to happiness. I sacrificed my life to work, and if I could start over, I would do otherwise.
A carefully selected fragrance can be your hallmark. This is the first thing people feel when you enter the room and the last thing that disappears when you leave.