Giorgio Armani Biography:
Born July 1934, in Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Giorgio Armani was first trained to be a doctor, not a fashion designer. Two years into medical school he decided to pursue his true passion, which at the time was photography. By 1957, Armani was serving in his civil obligation with the Italian military. Upon his return, he took a job as a window dresser at La Rinascente, a high-end department store.
Giorgio Armani in Fashion:
By 1961, Armani was working with Nino Cerutti as a designer, a post he held for nine years. It wasn't until 1974 that his partner Sergio Galeotti convinced him to start his own line of menswear. A year later, a womenswear line followed. The collections were marked for clean lines and crisp tailoring that would become a trademark of all Armani labels.
Giorgio Armani's Commercial Success:
Armani's biggest break came in 1980, when he dressed a suave Richard Gere for the title role in American Gigolo. From there, his pieces became almost synonymous with celebrities, with many wearing his creations to awards shows, movie premieres and more.
By 2001, Armani had surpassed fellow Italian designers Gianni Versace and Valentino (with whom he has had a long, public dislike) as the richest and most successful Italian designer, with an estimated net worth of $1.7 billion. Five years later, he had tripled that number to $4.1 billion.
He combines high-end lines like Giorgio Armani (sometimes called Armani black label) and Armani Prive, along with less expensive labels like Armani Exchange and Armani Jeans to offer something for everyone.
Shop Giorgio Armani
View Giorgio Armani's latest collections online (Visit Their Site), where you can see videos from the fashion shows and photos of the newest items. You can also branch off to shop online for garments and accessories from the various Armani labels, including Giorgio Armani, Armani Prive, Armani Collezioni, Emporio Armani, Armani Jeans, Armani Exchange and Armani Junior.Giorgio Armani is the mega-expensive couture line that you see on the celebrities with the Armani Prive line a step down from that but still quite expensive. Armani Collezioni is a very stylish, ready-to-wear line that is next in line in terms of price. Emporio Armani is a sportswear line that still has the some sexy Italy styling, while Armani Exchange is the mass-market label that is geared toward youth and the hottest trends. All of the Armani labels have a sense of class and sexy appeal.
You can also shop for Giorgio Armani items at high-end department stores such as Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale's and Saks Fifth Avenue. Whether you are looking for apparel, accessories, jewelry, eyewear, cosmetics, fragrance or home interiors, you can find it from Armani.
