Giorgio Armani: A Trump Card In The Fashion Industry

The Italians have an unquestionable love for Giorgio Armani.

Every Italian has (or should have) at least one Armani (ARMANI).

They talk about Armani as if they are talking about a king who is high above the masses and has a broad mass foundation.

But for the new generation of fashion designers, Armani may be too traditional and conservative.

Critics say you can't tell a big difference between today's ARMANI and 20 years ago.

But if we simply define "fashion" as something new and new, maybe Armani's whole career is against fashion.

What he insists is to maintain a deliberate "unanimous consistency" in the eyes of others.

All his aesthetics contained it.

Criticism has had no effect on Armani's business, and more and more people are entering 650 stores in 46 countries around the world to buy everything about ARMANI.

The total operating revenue of his company in 2010 was 1 billion 590 million euros.

This huge fashion empire now covers almost everything in our daily life.

He is trying to use his aesthetic to create our way of life.

In the flagship store at 31 Manzoni Road, Milan, you can see clothing accessories, glasses, watches, jewelry, perfume, household goods, and even a bookstore.

The top floor of the building is a hotel with second Armani style hotels in the world (the first one in Dubai).

Armani told me that the key to the attractiveness of the hotel is the atmosphere.

When you go home, you can recall the atmosphere. Memories are the most interesting.

"He was born to do this."

Last summer, I met Armani several times in Milan.

One of them was an occasional encounter at NOBU restaurant in Milan.

He was wearing a midnight blue T-shirt, which was said to be midnight blue in his closet.

All beige or black trousers.

His hair was silvery white, his skin was healthy and dark, and his handsome face could be seen on his thin face.

He is 77 years old, but the tight T-shirt is still wrapped in a sturdy figure, just a little short, that may be his biggest worry for many years.

In Italy, Armani is a national treasure.

This is partly a result of Armani's global business empire.

But more importantly, he designed a series of clothing in 70s, triggering a far-reaching impact of the industrial revolution.

The first thing that made Armani red was his men's suit series.

After the liberation movement of the 60s of last century, Armani brought this essence into fashion.

He removed the skeleton of the traditional men's clothing, removed the lining, moved the buttons, changed the ratio of the lapel of the coat, softened his shoulders and looked like magic, and he came up with a new comfortable coat.

He said, "why did the clothes in the past make people uncomfortable? Like a suit of armor."

Then he picked up the scissors and changed everything.

But he is not an extreme person.

From the beginning to the end of his aesthetics, he must maintain a balance between tradition and breakthrough, and create a result that tries to satisfy all sides.

That is why he abandoned the hippy trend of 60s, which is another extreme, casual style, not formal enough.

He tries to make his design have two styles of nostalgia and innovation.

They look elegant, fashionable and comfortable.

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The beauty of Armani may come from his mother.

He was born in Piacenza near Milan in 1934.

That was the climax of Mussolini's fascist dictatorship, and Italy was embroiled in World War II.

Two of Armani's friends died in the bombing.

After the war, Armani also suffered a serious injury.

He almost lost his eyes and had to stay in a dark room for 20 days.

This injury may have affected Armani's whole life.

He described the memories to me: "tension is everywhere, trying to keep away from danger and fighting for survival every day."

But his mother tried not to let the family get into fear.

She made clothes with khaki canvas, and those little shirts and shorts made Armani never lose face in front of friends.

Mother always wears clothes made by herself.

Those clothes maintain a simple dignity and grace, "always very special".

Parents initially expected Armani to become a doctor later.

He enrolled in the medical school of University of Milan, but in third years, his studies were interrupted by military service.

A year and a half later, he left the army and gave up medical school.

In 1957, Armani got a job opportunity in the largest department store in Italy.

Rinascente is responsible for window display.

5 years later, he turned to Nino Cerruti to become a company.

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Cerruti was the most influential man in Italy men's wear designer.

Armani worked there for six years, "I learned a lot, especially the special qualities of each fabric".

One extreme, then one extreme.

In a holiday on the west coast of Italy, Armani met Sergio Galeotti.

He is a young architectural painter, tall and tall, witty and talkative.

This meeting completely changed their lives.

The bright side of Galeotti's character just made up for Armani's introversion.

"We are very close partners."

He later said to me, "it wasn't as open as it is now.

Some people will attack us.

But Galeotti is very important to me. He discovered my talent and gave me strength.

Younger Galeotti seems to think Armani is too cautious to encourage him to create his own brand.

In 1970, Armani resigned as a freelance designer.

5 years later, they took out all their savings, sold their beloved beetle cars, and created the Giorgio ARMANI brand.

The office was in a basement in Milan, and soon after, the critics in Italy realized that a talented designer was born.

Armani lifted the shackles of traditional men's clothing at one fell swoop.

He stressed that "clothes are for the public," which made him extremely successful in the market.

The company's employees turn into 4, then 6, and then more.

In 1976, the owner of Barnes boutique in New York took a fancy to the design of Armani.

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He introduced Armani to the United States for the first time.

Other department stores in New York also follow suit.

Americans quickly fell in love with the elegance and comfort of Giorgio ARMANI, and the sensual sex appeal in his design.

That year, Armani, 42, began to gain a foothold in the United States.

The United States has opened up a new prospect for Armani.

His luck was surprisingly good, just in time to catch up with the rise of the feminist movement in 70s.

The dress he designs is elegant and elegant, without too much decoration.

"Dress comfortably and get more attention in office meetings."

He said, "I want women to wear a coat that is just like Yang, like a man, but to keep some feminine qualities."

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Women in the world wear Armani coats and can walk on their shoulders, or even comfortably raise their legs. These changes are undoubtedly revolutionary.

People say that Armani brings softness to men, but brings strength to women.

In 1980, Hollywood pushed Armani to the extreme.

Director Paul Schrader invited him to design costumes for a whole movie, which was the "American dancer".

Richard Gil plays a fashionable and narcissistic male prostitute, intuitively perceiving the insecurity of this era.

He was armed with Armani's free flowing clothes from head to toe and looked very confident.

There was a scene where he opened the closet and walked around freely, putting the ARMANI shirt and tie coat on the bed.

Later, some people remarked that these lifeless displays on the bed were almost a movie feast with touch and excitement.

In the end, Armani's clothing almost became the second leading actor in the movie.

There is only one "Mr. Armani" in the world.

The success of Hollywood has brought huge advertising effect to Armani.

The company's performance has improved rapidly.

In 1981, he opened his first store in Milan. In the same year, he founded the EMPORIO ARMANI brand.

In second years, after Christian Dior, he became the second fashion designer who boarded the cover of Time.

Everything is moving forward satisfactorily, but no one expected that his closest companion, Galeotti, had died of heart disease in 1985 (Galeotti has been suffering from leukemia for many years).

It was a very difficult time, and the condition lasted two years.

Armani once told me, "I want to put everything in front of Galeotti.

I don't know how I spent those days.

Losing Galeotti is also a heavy blow for the company.

Many people think that Armani may be on the rocks and worry about whether the company can continue to develop.

But Armani soon showed his other side as a fashion designer. He was also a successful businessman.

In the 20 years since Galeotti's death, Armani has continued to build the dream of their two people, and has insisted on the independent identity of the family business and has refused to be bought.

When more and more Italy clothing brands actively (or forced) into the embrace of those international luxury groups, Armani's insistence brings him a greater reputation.

He said to me, "actually, I have done a lot. I am a manager, I am a designer, and I am also responsible for brand promotion.

I hope my successor is very enthusiastic and can tell me how to do it at the staff meeting instead of what I do now.

He stopped and did not give a name. Then he said, "of course, this is a wonderful expectation."

His good expectations include a movie.

He has dreamed of becoming a director for many years.

"Whenever I do a fashion show or promotion, I feel a bit like making movies."

He said, "but it's only a dream."

In Milan, I have seen two ARMANI.

Xiu.

About 15 minutes of show, there are always 3 applause.

I was told that only so many applause can be heard on Armani's show. No matter what he showed up on the T platform, where he appeared, there would be applause.

The whole world called him "Mr. Armani", but the question also arises: will there be another Mr. Armani after Armani? If the answer is no, then the future of this colorful kingdom will become worrisome.