Fashion Rebels: Armani and the suit

Limitless business opportunities or creativity of Giorgio Armani

Love it or hate it, this world is full of rumours and there’s no smoke without fire. Rumour has it that Richard Gere is still visiting Armani’s boutiques after the success of his hero’s style in American Gigolo (1980). Maybe it’s true. There are still some Italian notes in Gere’s style, very elegant and relaxed ones, the main features of Armani designs.

A number of critics agree that the film established the brand of Armani. Richard Gere was the right model for Armani’s signature designs, such as the soft shoulder and linen jacket a little bit longer than the classical one, with an unstructured silhouette in a quiet colour: different hues of grey, white coffee, beige to chocolate and anthracite. By his suits Armani introduced fluidity and ease of movement that created a new approach towards official menswear. He lightened the weight of the suit, changing tweed and flannel to softer materials. Silk suiting along with linen became a part of the men’s wardrobe as well. It was a new luxury in the menswear world, comfortable suits that can be in place in formal meetings and the after-parties.

In Emporio Armani Magazine, the Italian couturier said, “I have found myself in the position of a revolutionary. A revolutionary who has always defended the right to be normal, as an extreme mooring of sophistication, a point of arrival in which the details, above all, are important. Thus operating by subtraction, by removal, using ordinary elements, I have, they say, turned around the very concept of elegance. My revolution has not always been evident to all, perhaps because it was not as dramatic as most revolutions imagine themselves to be, but over time it has proven to be much more incisive.”

As for now, Armani is one of the favourite “red carpet couturiers”. “Elegance is not about being noticed,” he once said, „it’s about being remembered.” That celebrities and stylish people want to be remembered is possibly one of the reasons why, in 2005, Armani debuted his first haute couture line. He was the first haute couture designer to broadcast his collection live on the Internet on 24 January 2007.

He also partnered with Lady Gaga to create her tour costumes, he made advertisements of his products with Rihanna, Ronaldo and Kate Blanchett and was the designer of many prestigious award shows, such as the 52nd Grammy Awards and the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. Today, however, his influence extends far beyond clothing, cosmetics and perfume.

Armani’s emporium includes interior collections, book publishings, floral services and even confectionery. And hospitality business is among his latest projects. His first hotel was opened in the heart of downtown Dubai, in Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and its Armani/Ristorante won the “Best Italian Restaurant” for the third consecutive year.

His creativity, not just as a designer but also as an entrepreneur, is limitless. Maybe that’s why by 2001 he was named the most successful Italian designer, with an annual income of 1.6 billion US dollars and a personal wealth of 8.5 billion US dollars as of 2013. This year his emporium celebrates its 41st birthday.

„Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not the luxury,” said Coco Chanel. Armani’s answer to his success is simple. It consists of elegance, comfort and quality. It’s so simple and so difficult to achieve at the same time, otherwise the brand would not be at the top of the most famous fashion brands in modern history.