The famous Giorgio Armani is a world-renowned Italian fashion designer who gained critical acclaim and international attention for his designer work, especially in men s fashions, and for his clean, perfectly tailored lines. However, he wasn t always interested in or involved in design work.
Armani, born on July 11, 1934, in Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, first studied science, then pursued photography until he was called for national service in 1957, after which he worked as a window dresser for La Rinascente, a department store. He then began working as a designer in the Nino Cerruti fashion house for almost the entire duration of the 1960s. In 1970 he left in order to freelance, and by 1974, he had partnered up with Sergio Galeotti to create and release his first line, Giorgio Armani S.p.A., for menswear. A year later he introduced a line for women s wear.
Armani s sister, Rosanna Armani, also a designer, eventually joined him and Galeotti in the company. Galeotti was a part of the label for fifteen years until he died in 1985.
Armani soon became famous for working, designing, and tailoring for big Hollywood actors and some actresses in the later 1970s and into the 1980s, most notably for Richard Gere for his 1980 breakthrough role as escort Julian Kaye in the hit dramatic/romantic thriller American Gigolo, co-starring Lauren Hutton and Hector Elizondo.
In addition to his design work in menswear, some women s wear, as well as household items, Armani is also an avid sports fan, particularly of Inter Milan (Football Club Internazionale Milano), the Italian football club based in Milan of which he is rumored to possibly lead as the new president, as well as Milan s basketball team, of which he is the president.
Armani also became well-known for building a mansion in Antigua and for investing in the fine dining industry, through which he has established a number of Armani caf s, bars, and restaurants throughout the world. After model Ana Carolina Reston died from complications from her battle with anorexia nervosa and bulimia at twenty-one in 2006 (her diet for a time was only apples and tomatoes), Armani made it his mission to refuse to work with models who had a BMI (body mass index) that was less than 18, which is scientifically and medically considered as underweight and unhealthy. Reston had worked with Armani in a number of advertising campaigns.
Armani was named Most Successful Italian Designer by Forbes magazine in 2001, pegging his net worth at around $1.7 billion. A year later the UN High Commissioner for Refugees named him a Goodwill Ambassador.
Armani s most famous lines and labels include Armani Exchange, Armani Jeans, Armani Casa, Armani Junior, Emporio Armani, Armani Collezioni, Giorgio Armani, Armani Priv , and Armani Cosmetics.
Armani is now seventy-two years old, and has reportedly recently mentioned he is ready to sell his trademarks. Any takers?