Giorgio Armani, born in Piacenza, Italy, 1934. An Italian entrepreneur, a fashion designer, and for many, the most successful Italian fashion designer in history.
After studying medicine, Armani decided to take a different path and pursue a career in fashion. For seven year, he worked as a buyer for the Milan department store La Rinascente. After that he began training as a fashion designer in Nino Cerruti’s studio. In 1975, with his friend Sergio Galeotti, Armani launched his own fashion label for men and women.
Armani wanted to create clothes that feel as good as they look. He once said, “I was the first to soften the image of men, and harden the image of women. I dressed men in women’s fabrics, and stole from men what women wanted and needed, the power suit.”
In 1980, Armani became world-famous after designing for the film American Gigolo, starring Richard Gere. His success put him on the cover of TIME magazine, making him the first fashion designer to be featured on TIME’s cover.
In the following years, Armani launched Emporio Armani, Armani Jeans, and his first perfume. By the late ’80s, his stores went global, opening in the U.S. and Asia, then reaching over 200 stores worldwide by the end of the ’90s.
Over the years, Armani added new lines and different products to his company, one of them was his limited-edition line of handmade couture dresses.
“Think how liberating it is for a designer to make one dress, perfectly, to satisfy only one customer,” he once said.
In addition to fashion, Armani opened his first hotel in Dubai in 2010, followed by another one in Milan in 2011.
Armani didn’t share a lot about his private life, keeping his life details to himself and his close circle of family and friends, although he sometimes shared some hints about his relationships, like in 2000 when he told Vanity Fair, “I have had women in my life. And sometimes men.”
One of the relationships that had a great impact on Armani’s life, both personally and professionally, was the one he had with his business partner, Sergio Galeotti, about which he once said, “When Sergio died, a part of me died with him, I’m still amazed that I found within myself the resilience to withstand such an immense pain.”
In 2024, Armani revealed he was in a relationship with Leo Dell’Orco, the head of men’s style at his brand. The couple were together until Armani passed away in 2025.
Armani contributed to many charities supporting refugees and children, for that, he was named an ambassador with UNHCR. He used his work to raise money for charities through the sales of T-shirts and other products. Armani also built a breeding facility in Seoul to help save the Korean tiger, and he co-founded the Martin Scorsese Cinema Foundation to save old films.
Armani was known for his humble personality, he spent his life designing and working to help the less fortunate.
“I like the idea of having built this beautiful empire, but I still like to think of myself as the stable boy,” Armani said.
Happy heavenly birthday, Armani!
Ask us! What questions do you have about content, strategy, pop culture, lifestyle, wellness, history or more? We may use your question in an upcoming article!
Like MediaFeed’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was syndicated by MediaFeed.co
