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Giorgio Armani
Personal information
Name	Giorgio Armani
Nationality	Italian
Birth date	July 11, 1934 (1934-07-11) (age 73)
Birth place	Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna Italy
Working life
Label name	Armani

Giorgio Armani (born 11 July 1934) is an Italian fashion designer, particularly noted for his menswear. He formed his company, Giorgio Armani S.p.A., in 1974, and by 2001 was acclaimed as the most successful designer to come out of Italy,^[1] with an annual turnover of $1,691.2 million, and a personal fortune of $4.1 billion.^[2]

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Giorgio Armani S.p.A. 1.1.1 Armani Collezioni 1.1.2 Emporio Armani 1.1.3 Armani Exchange 1.1.4 Armani Jeans 1.1.5 Other Armani lines 1.2 Armani Hotels 1.3 References 1.4 Further reading 1.5 External links

Giorgio Armani was born 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. 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 Giorgio Armani S.p.A. 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.

Giorgio Armani has a keen interest in sport; he is an acknowledged fan of Inter Milan, a president of the Milan basketball team,^[3] and has twice designed the "off-field" outfits for the England national team.^[4]

He is known today for his clean, tailored lines. He achieved his international breakthrough by tailoring for numerous Hollywood names and especially for Richard Gere in the title role of American Gigolo in 1980. Armani was also noted for building a mansion on the Caribbean island of Antigua, and being among the first designers to ban models with a body mass index (BMI) under 18 (the minimum healthy BMI), after model Ana Carolina Reston starved herself to death due to anorexia nervosa. In January 2007 Armani has become the first designer to broadcast a haute couture fashion show live on the Internet. The haute couture Armani Prive spring/summer 2007 fashion show was broadcast via Microsoft Corporation’s MSN and Cingular cellular phones.^[5]

In 2001, Forbes named Giorgio Armani the most successful Italian designer, estimating his net worth at $1.7 billion. The following year he was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

In 2007, Armani was named the "Best Dressed Environmentalist" by the Sustainable Style Foundation. In 2006, he designed the ceremonial Italian flag-bearers' outfits at the 2006 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Turin, Italy.

In 2006, Forbes once again named Giorgio Armani the most successful Italian designer. His net worth was $4.1 billion.

In February 2007, Giorgio Armani said that he was prepared to sell his trademarks.

England's Chelsea and Hong Kong's South China are the only two football teams being sponsored by Giorgio Armani.

Giorgio Armani S.p.A. is the Italian fashion company founded in Milan in 1975 by Giorgio Armani and Sergio Galeotti with capital of $10,000. The company designs and manufactures products in several categories including fashion accessories, apparel, cosmetics, fragrances, home interiors, jewelry, eyewear and watches under several labels including Giorgio Armani, Armani Collezioni, Emporio Armani, Armani Jeans, Armani Junior, Armani Exchange A|X, and Armani Casa. End of year sales for 2005 were $1,691.2 million.^[6]

Armani today employs about 4,700 employees and has 13 factories around the world. It has nearly 300 stores in 36 countries around the world.^[7] Recently, the house has begun a Haute Couture operation, showing in Paris during the Haute Couture fashion week, under the name of Armani Privé.

Armani is also planning together with Emaar Properties to launch a chain of luxury hotels and resorts in several big cities including London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai, Dubai and Milan. The company already operates a range of cafes worldwide, in addition to a bar, restaurant and nightclub.

Armani Collezioni is a high-end line from fashion designer Giorgio Armani. The line is more expensive than the Armani Exchange and Armani Jeans and Emporio Armani lines but less expensive than the high end ready-to-wear line, Giorgio Armani (sometimes referred to as Armani 'black label') and the haute couture line, Armani Privé. The line is typically aimed at an older customer who does not desire 'trendy' design, but places emphasis on high quality more classic items. It replaced the Giorgio Armani Le Collezioni line. In addition to being sold in freestanding boutiques (which feature the Collezioni line exclusively), it is also sold in high-end department stores such as Harrods, Harvey Nichols, David Jones, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

Emporio Armani is a more youthful inspired Armani Line that markets for younger adults. The line is the third-least expensive Armani Brand and can be bought at its 13 American boutiques and over 140 worldwide boutiques, making it the largest distributed Armani brand. Products encompassed by this brand include ready-to-wear clothes, sunglasses, perfume, accessories and watches. The line is considered a "bridge line" as it features higher-end products than Armani Exchange or Armani Jeans but is not as expensive as the exclusive Armani Collezioni or Giorgio Armani ('black label') lines. Emporio Armani is sold in freestanding Emporio Armani boutiques, in high-end department stores, and through their online store.^[8]

Created in 1991, Armani Exchange (often A|X) is geared towards younger customers and features urban style, prêt-à-porter products, especially T-shirts, jeans, polos, and sports coats.

Armani Exchange is the most affordable of all the Armani lines and mainly targets the American market. It is geared toward older teens and young adults with a contemporary fashion style.^[9] The line features 69 stores and 6 outlets in the United States and over 50 stores internationally.^[10] The United Kingdom's first stores opened in Bluewater Kent,^[11] The Trafford Centre , Manchester and in the Metquater Liverpool.

Armani Jeans is a lower-priced collection of denim-related clothing created in 1981 by Giorgio Armani. Unlike Armani's other lower-end collection Armani Exchange, Armani Jeans is mainly sold in department stores instead of freestanding stores, although there are fifteen freestanding Armani Jeans stores in the world, in addition to an Armani Jeans Cafe in Milan.

In terms of design, the clothing from this line does not feature Giorgio Armani's signature simplicity and often has larger logos than the clothing in any of his other collections. The colours used for Armani Jeans are more diverse than those found in his higher end lines or Armani Exchange, which feature monochromatic colour schemes and focus on cut and material over colour.

There are several Armani Jeans freestanding stores throughout the world, including several in Italy, Dubai, Lebanon, Japan and Spain. The brand is particularly popular in Asia, where it is often sold in Takashimaya department stores.

• Armani Casa: The high-end home collection by Armani features furniture, lamps, linens, and dining essentials. The Home Collection is expensively priced. For example, the highly acclaimed Tchaikowski Armchair retails at $9,985. Armani Casa is available at its 40 worldwide boutiques and select Neiman Marcus stores.
• Armani Junior: This line that features clothing for children. It can be purchased at its 15 worldwide boutiques and select Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue stores.
• Giorgio Armani The Armani signature label is the most expensive Armani label and is available in its 75 worldwide boutiques.
• Armani Privè: Armani's haute couture line made history being the first haute couture Paris fashion show to be streamed live online. The label is strictly made to wear and not available for purchase in stores but can be ordered and tailored at a very high price.
• Armani Cosmetics: The beauty brand by Armani features cosmetics, skin care, perfumes, and colognes. It is available at many department stores worldwide and has very few boutiques.

Armani also invests in the fine dining industry. Throughout the world, he has 14 Emporio Armani and Armani Jeans cafes. There is also an Armani Bar in Hong Kong and his two new restaurants, NoBu & Prive, are found worldwide. He also has a bookshop (Armani Libri) and a florist (Armani Fiori) under the Armani name and a confectionery company known as Armani Dolci. These smaller brands are mostly sold within larger Armani shops, like the Milan flagship, 31 via Manzoni, and at the Armani/Chater House at 11 Chater Road, Central, Hong Kong.

Giorgio Armani S.p.A. and Emaar Properties signed an agreement in 2004, for Emaar Hotels to build and operate at least seven luxury hotels and three vacation resorts under the Armani name. Armani would be responsible for overseeing all aspects the interior design and style of the hotels. The initial hotel in Dubai is expected to be ready in early 2008.^[12]

The bottom 37 floors of the Burj Dubai skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, will house the world's first Armani Hotel, and Giorgio Armani is also designing the interior of the skyscraper proper.^[13]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoojB3YkGJQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoojB3YkGJQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoojB3YkGJQ

• Mackenzie, Suzie. "The gentle touch", The Guardian, 2004-12-11. Retrieved on 2007-09-23. 
• McCartney, Stella. "The wisdom of King Giorgio", Independent on Sunday, 2006-05-16. Retrieved on 2007-09-23. 
• "Q & A: Giorgio Armani", The Scene, CNN, 2006-10-03. Retrieved on 2007-09-23. 
• Lee, Vinny. "Above the shop", The Times, 2007-09-22. Retrieved on 2007-09-23. 

• Official website
• Life of Giorgio Armani
• Giorgio Armani - Biography
• Giorgio Armani, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador

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Contemporary	Adeline André  · Carolina Herrera  · Giorgio Armani · Pierre Cardin · Roberto Cavalli · Julien Fournié  · John Galliano · Jean-Paul Gaultier  · Tommy Hilfiger · Christian Lacroix · Karl Lagerfeld  · Oscar de la Renta  · Dominique Sirop  · Franck Sorbier  · Emanuel Ungaro · Donatella Versace
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