Giorgio Armani

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This article is about the fashion designer. For his company, see Armani.
Giorgio Armani
Born July 11, 1934 (1934-07-11) (age 73)
Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Nationality Italian
Labels Giorgio Armani S.p.A.
Awards CFDA International Award for 1983

Giorgio Armani (born 11 July 1934) is an Italian fashion designer, particularly noted for his menswear. He is known today for his clean, tailored lines. He formed his company, Armani, in 1974, and by 2001 was acclaimed as the most successful designer to come out of Italy,[1] with an annual turnover of $1.691 billion, and a personal fortune of $5 billion.[2]

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[edit] Early life

Giorgio Armani was born on the 11 July 1934, in Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna. He originally trained in medicine, but found his passion in photography, before being called up for national service in 1957. He then worked in a department store, La Rinascente, as a window dresser.

[edit] Fashion career

From 1961 to 1970, Armani worked as a designer in well-known fashion house Nino Cerruti, after which he left to pursue freelance work. In 1974, with his partner Sergio Galeotti, he established Armani with a menswear label, introducing a womenswear line in 1975. His sister Rosanna Armani joined him in the company; Galeotti died of AIDS in 1985.

Armani achieved his international breakthrough by tailoring for numerous Hollywood names and especially for Richard Gere in the title role of American Gigolo in 1980. In 2001, Forbes named him the most successful Italian designer, estimating his net worth at $1.7 billion; in giving him the same title five years later, the magazine estimated his fortune had grown to $4.1 billion.

[edit] Innovations

Armani was among the first designers to ban models with a body mass index (BMI) under 18, after model Ana Carolina Reston starved herself to death due to anorexia nervosa.

In January 2007 Armani became the first designer to broadcast a haute couture fashion show live on the Internet. The Armani Prive spring/summer 2007 fashion show was broadcast via Microsoft Corporation’s MSN and Cingular cellular phones.[3]

[edit] In sport

Giorgio Armani has a keen interest in sport; he is the president of Olimpia Milano basketball team,[4], an Inter Milan fan and has twice designed suits for the England national football team.[5] He has been responsible for the suits worn by England's Chelsea FC since August 2007.[6] He designed the ceremonial Italian flag-bearers' outfits at the 2006 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Turin.

[edit] Charity work

In 2002 he was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

[edit] Personal Life

Giorgio is said to have a mansion on the little island state of Antigua and Barbuda.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Giorgio Armani Biog
  2. ^ The World's Billionaires. Forbes (2008-03-05).
  3. ^ Giorgio Armani brings haute couture live to Internet. EnjoyFashion (2007-01-25).
  4. ^ Giorgio Armani, The Father Of Italian Fashion
  5. ^ Giorgio Armani Presents New England Football Team Off-Field Wardrobe for European Championships
  6. ^ An Excellent Pitch (2007-08-03). Retrieved on 2008-04-25.

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v • d • e
Grands couturiers
Contemporary
Historic
Persondata
NAME Armani, Giorgio
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Couturier
DATE OF BIRTH 1934-07-11
PLACE OF BIRTH Piacenza
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH