Giorgio Armani, the legendary Italian fashion designer who was credited with making fashion accessible to all, passed away at the age of 91. Born in Piacenza, Italy, in 1934, Armani originally studied medicine before realizing his true calling was fashion. He began his professional life as a window dresser at La Rinascente, an upscale department store in Milan. Today, he serves as a global fashion icon, representing an incredible journey of creativity that changed the cultural paradigm of fashion.
Armani’s first real step into the fashion world was as a menswear designer for Nino Cerruti. It was a brilliant tactical, strategic move that laid the foundation for his upcoming triumphs. At 41 years old, that’s just what he did when he started his own label in 1975 — one of the biggest and most vital achievements of his career. During his inaugural presentation, Armani showcased innovative designs that introduced the concept of soft power dressing, earning him the moniker “King of the Blazer.” Together, this collection not only established his black and white geometric signature look but institutionalized a new collaborative process between fashion designers and Hollywood.
His 1977 addition of industry veteran Leo Dell’Orco to his still new company signaled at least regional growth aspirations and hunger. A year later, Diane Keaton used that same patronage to make Oscar history, becoming the first actor to wear Armani to the Oscars. This audacious decision resulted in an ongoing collaboration of the designer and Hollywood starlets. The 1980 film “American Gigolo” starring Richard Gere further launched Armani into global fame. Gere gave the debut of several pieces created by Armani, amazing audiences across the globe.
Armani’s approach would be quite different from many of his contemporaries. Instead of holding out for the biggest celebrity, he cultivated relationships with a variety of stars. Jodie Foster continues to show up in his designs to every major award ceremony (with one exception) since 1989. Julia Roberts’ memorable appearance in a steel grey oversized Armani suit at the 1990 Golden Globes solidified the designer’s status in red carpet history.
Armani’s success was not solely due to his design prowess. It stemmed from personal encouragement from his partner Sergio Galeotti. Galeotti, an architect by training, suggested Armani divest from his Volkswagen Beetle. That audacious gamble financed the running of Armani’s own company, a bet that turned out to be visionary.
Reflecting on his journey in fashion, Armani once stated, “I got into fashion almost by accident and then it slowly grew in me until it completely absorbed me, stealing my life away.” This longing feeling perfectly summarizes the devotion and love he infused into his craft over the years.