Giorgio Armani has demonstrated over five decades that elegance is not only knowing how to dress or the clothes you wear. Those who, like those who write, have had the privilege of spending time with him have been fascinated by his soft tone of voice, his lightness of movement, his intriguing gaze, and his moderate and attentive use of words.
A natural elegance intrinsic to the person, which the famous designer has been able to transmit to his collections. “Luxury for me is thinking in a different way of giving things to people. You see, I deal with human beings,” he told La Vanguardia.
At 89 years old, it is time to take stock. He is one of the few Italian fashion icons who has remained independent and who has not fallen into the big groups. But a few days ago the venerable Giorgio broke small taboos, showing the path that his empire can follow, a group that in 2022 had revenues of 23 billion euros and an operating profit of more than 200 million. According to Bloomberg, the company could be worth 10 billion euros in view of a possible listing.
“Currently I do not foresee an acquisition by a large luxury conglomerate,” but “I do not want to exclude anything a priori because that would be an ‘unbusinesslike’ way of acting,” he declared. And regarding the possibility of going public, he assures: “it is something that we have not yet discussed, but it is an option that can be considered, hopefully in the distant future.” Already in 2021, a merger between Ferrari and his company was proposed, which unleashed the fantasy of investors, but the Agnellis ultimately closed the door. There was talk of a rapprochement with L’Oreál. Nothing was done either.
Giorgio Armani, who created his group in 1975, has been a pioneer in many aspects. He was one of the first designer couturiers to achieve notoriety by dressing cinema icons (Richard Gere in American Gigolo, 1980), he extended the design to children’s clothing, furniture, gastronomy and hotels. He is one of the few fashion stylists to have had a retrospective at the Guggenheim in New York.
While Armani was consolidating himself in the elite, in recent years the sector experienced the fast fashion revolution, which the Italian appreciated with a certain coldness. “Everything that is a mere consequence of a demand or a trend ends up with products of modest quality. For example, the jacket or pants of these brands do not fall impeccably. They cost little, but they also give little,” he said.
At the same time Armani is a firm defender of simplicity and the fabric of jeans. “He accompanies us on our daily adventures, he is resistant, versatile, unisex, democratic and timeless. He is forever.”
In 2006, he was also a visionary when he warned about China’s commercial aggressiveness. “We have to be careful that the Chinese do not end up inventing Chinese creativity. The protection of our ideas has to be global,” he warned, in a message that today sounds almost prophetic.
Greedy for Tortelli pasta alla piacentina (with cottage cheese, spinach and parmesan), passionate about basketball, considered the third richest man in Italy, he is in love with the island of Pantelleria, (Sicily) where he has his summer refuge in the characteristic houses dammusi made with stones and lime.
Leo Dell’ Orco, his right arm in the group, describes him this way: “he is the most creative of all, if it depended on him he would dare more and more.” Giorgio Armani, on the other hand, defines himself as “punctilious, precise, rigorous, uncompromising.”
More than a decade ago there was a campaign in Italy to name him senator for life of the Italian Republic, as the best ambassador of made in Italy. But he, so modest, responded that he would reject it, since there are people who deserve it more than him. The umpteenth gesture of elegance from him.
