Experience Giorgio Armani: The Finest Italian Clothing Lifestyle Items
GGiorgio Armani was born in Italy on July 11, 1934, and had no intention of becoming a designer. Fascinated with the human form and anatomy, he originally set out to become a doctor and attended two years of medical school before joining the military to complete his service. While on a twenty-day vacation from the military, he was offered a job at a department store where he helped design the windows and assist the photographer. From this, his career as a designer bloomed. After his military service ended, he didn’t return to school. Instead, he went to work at La Rinascente in Milan. Later, he worked with Nino Cerruti as an assistant and designer.
By 1975, Giorgio Armani partnered with Sergio Galeotti and debuted his own collection, a menswear line. He launched a women's wear collection just one year later. While he had already found popularity in Europe, his rise to fame came in the 1980s with the appearance of his clothing on Richard Gere in the movie American Gigolo, where the character boasted a closet full of Armani. In an era where the clothes made the man, Giorgio Armani became synonymous with men who wanted to be sexy, smooth, and bold. This transferred over into the cast of Miami Vice as well, known for their slouchy suits and rolled up sleeves. Armani’s influence quickly defined a decade. Even after his success, Armani claimed he still thought of himself as a "stable boy."
Italian Contribution to Menswear
After World War II, the fashion industry became a crucial part of post-war reconstruction for the economy because of its textile exports. Italy produced traditional fine textiles, and Italian tailors created luxurious suits. Even before World War II, Italy was internationally recognized for its production of high-quality men’s shirts and accessories. The Italian fashion industry drew in American money and the unparalleled Italian scenery attracted US tourists to the larger Italian cities. It was soon discovered that the Italian style, unlike English style, was relaxed and sensual. This aura was signaling a new, loosened postwar age. From Brioni to Armani, the Italians set the standard for luxury menswear.
Designers such as Robert Capucci, Emilio Pucci, and Valentino Garavani further gave Italy a fashionable reputation by dressing Hollywood celebrities and film stars; however, Giorgio Armani is perhaps one of the most prominent Italian contributions to menswear. His designs were revolutionary, creating more relaxed silhouettes and unstructured jackets. They were elegant, comfortable, and luxurious. Giorgio Armani helped establish Milan as one of the four fashion capitals of the world.
Setting a Precedent
Giorgio Armani didn’t just revolutionize menswear. He set a global precedent for women's wear as well. Prior to his work, women’s clothing was solely feminine. By bringing masculine features into his collections, he hardened the image of women and filled a void in the fashion industry. Armani created a women's wear power suit, and it was widely welcomed and celebrated for its natural fit.
In 1978, Diane Keaton accepted an Oscar wearing a Giorgio Armani jacket onstage. Less than a decade later, many celebrities were sporting the Armani brand on the red carpet to the Academy Awards. From dressing Michelle Pfeiffer in 1989 to Cate Blanchett wearing Armani Prive to Cannes in 2014, Armani made a name for himself, being dubbed “the man who invented red carpet dressing.” Some of his most recognizable red carpet designs can be found on Lady Gaga at the 2010 Grammy Awards as well as Adele and Rihanna at the Grammy’s in 2012.
Armani’s Signature Style
Androgynous, minimal, subtle, and relaxed are all ideal descriptors for Armani’s signature style. His stylistic approach to androgyny was to dress men in women’s fabrics and dress women in more masculine silhouettes. His minimal approach to design with a neutral color palette and relaxed fit quickly attracted a large audience. His designs, especially power suits, became a widely known status symbol for professionals during the 1980s. Unconstructed linen suits with clean, tailored lines were instantly recognizable as Armani.
Now, Giorgio Armani boasts a wide range of celebrity clientele such as Johnny Depp, George Clooney, David Beckham, Clive Owen, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alicia Keys, and even Beyonce. Julia Roberts and Kiefer Sutherland wore matching Armani suits to the Golden Globes in 1990. Cindy Crawford and Richard Gere were even married in Armani. Over the years, one thing has become increasingly clear: Armani’s signature style is a top choice for celebrities.
Expanding the Armani Brand
Through the years, the Armani brand has widely expanded. Giorgio Armani launched an haute couture line, Giorgio Armani Prive, that releases limited-edition handmade gowns. It was the first haute couture fashion show to debut live on the internet. Furthermore, Armani created lower-priced lines such as Armani Jeans, Armani Exchange, Emporio Armani, Armani Collezioni, and Armani Junior. However, due to the company’s restructuring, Armani Collezioni merged back into Giorgio Armani, and Armani jeans were absorbed back into Emporio Armani because of the design similarities.
In addition, Armani/Casa, meaning Armani at Home, is a lifestyle collection created with the intent for people to design their own homes. It includes Armani/Dada, a kitchen collection, and Armani/Roca, a furniture collection. It is notably recognized in John Mayer’s New York City apartment and the 2013 film Paranoia. Giorgio Armani has also created fragrances, cosmetics, and even confectionery. Armani/Dolci creates a wide range of items such as jellies, jams, tea, honey, biscuits, and chocolates. Armani has even expanded into the hotel industry. Two Armani hotels exist with locations in Milano and Dubai, where guests can surround themselves with the luxurious experience of everything Armani has to offer. This global brand is estimated to bring in almost three billion dollars annually and shows no immediate signs of slowing down.
Choose LUX For Giorgio Armani
Like Giorgio Armani, LUX is no stranger to expansion. LUX began as Luxury-Zurich on eBay in 1997 with an exclusive selection of new and vintage luxury items. It quickly gained a loyal client base around the world for luxury online shopping. By 2004, LUX opened its own online boutique: handbagin.com. By the end of the following year, the company launched a physical boutique in Zurich, Switzerland and an additional online boutique, a store specifically for Hermes Paris’ scarves. This online destination has become a global source for information regarding Hermes scarves for collectors and aficionados. LUX’s Hermes-specific website houses information about scarf designs from as far back as 1937. With online and physical boutiques available, LUX has grown over more than twenty years, never losing its reputation for excellent quality and service for luxury online shopping.
A wide variety of Giorgio Armani clothing and lifestyle items can be found on the LUX website. Because the company is a consignment boutique, the inventory is constantly changing, and those in search of luxury goods can expect to find new items often. Armani designs are classic, subtle pieces that stand the test of time, so even the vintage designs still seem fresh and stylish. Everything from shoes, belts, bags, tops, bottoms hats, accessories, dresses, and beyond appear on the website at a fraction of their original cost. LUX is the leading choice of the bold and resourceful who are in pursuit of the next great item to add to their collection or want to take advantage of the company's consignment services.
