Giorgio Armani’s ascent from a window dresser at Milan’s La Rinascente department store to the head of an £8.5 billion empire reveals why the label has captured imaginations worldwide.
You might wonder whether wearing Armani truly signals the success you’ve achieved. The answer lies in understanding how one Italian designer revolutionised the way successful people dress.
The Revolutionary Design Philosophy That Made Armani Popular
Giorgio Armani’s radical reinvention of the suit in 1975 marked the beginning of modern power dressing. By removing the strict padding and stiff canvas interlinings, Armani created an unstructured jacket that draped naturally—a complete departure from the rigid tailoring of the time.
The innovative construction allowed executives to move comfortably whilst maintaining an authoritative presence. As one Wall Street banker remarked in 1982, “Armani suits make you look successful even before you are.”
Armani’s signature “greige” palette—a blend of grey and beige inspired by the Milan cityscape—offered an alternative to conventional business dark suits, signalling both sophistication and subtle nonconformity.
When Richard Gere wore Armani’s fluid tailoring in American Gigolo (1980), the designer’s modern vision of masculine elegance reached a global audience. The film’s wardrobe scenes, featuring Gere arranging his Armani suits, became a masterclass in aspirational dressing.
The Hollywood Effect That Skyrocketed Armani’s Popularity
Giorgio Armani’s appearance on the cover of TIME magazine in 1982 marked the first time a fashion designer since Christian Dior had achieved such mainstream recognition, establishing Armani as more than just a luxury label.
The 1990 Academy Awards ceremony became unofficially known as ‘The Armani Awards’ when an unprecedented number of celebrities chose Giorgio Armani’s designs, cementing the brand’s position as Hollywood’s preferred fashion house.
Anna Wintour, Vogue’s editor-in-chief, acknowledged Armani’s unique contribution: “Armani gave movie stars a modern way to look.” Unlike the ostentatious glamour of previous decades, Armani offered celebrities a sophisticated restraint that resonated with evolving notions of success.
The Quality That Keeps Armani Popular
Giorgio Armani maintains complete creative control as the sole shareholder of a £8.5 billion empire, ensuring consistency in quality across every product bearing the Armani name.
The brand’s tailoring workshops in Italy still employ traditional craftsmanship methods, with suits requiring over 30 hours of handwork. Each jacket undergoes 33 distinct pressing steps to achieve Armani’s signature natural shoulder line.
Armani’s fabrics often blend wool with silk and linen, creating uniquely supple textures that distinguish the brand’s garments from conventional luxury tailoring.
The Business Decisions That Made Armani More Popular
In 1981, Giorgio Armani revolutionised luxury fashion by introducing Emporio Armani, making the brand’s aesthetic accessible to younger professionals. The eagle logo, sketched by Armani during a phone call, became a globally recognised symbol of achievement.
Armani Exchange, launched in 1991, offered entry-level access to the brand’s design philosophy, strategically expanding Armani’s influence across different market segments.
The Armani Group’s expansion into hotels, restaurants, and home furnishings transformed the label from a fashion house into a complete lifestyle brand. The Armani Hotel Dubai, occupying 15 floors of the Burj Khalifa, exemplifies the brand’s evolution into ultra-luxury experiences.
The Brand Values That Maintain Armani’s Popularity
Giorgio Armani’s commitment to ‘quiet luxury’ predated the current trend by decades. “Elegance is not about being noticed, it’s about being remembered,” Armani stated, establishing a design philosophy that resonates with old-money discretion.
The brand’s resistance to fast fashion trends supports Armani’s position as an investment in timeless style. In 2020, Armani publicly challenged the industry’s pace, advocating for slower, more considered production.
Armani’s sustainability initiatives, including the ‘Zero Discharge 2020’ goal and signing the Fashion Pact, reflect the brand’s adaptation to contemporary values without compromising aesthetic principles.
Why Armani Remains Popular With New Generations
Modern interpretations of Armani’s power dressing adapt to changing workplace cultures while maintaining the brand’s core emphasis on understated authority.
The resurgence of vintage Armani pieces from the 1980s and 1990s demonstrates the enduring appeal of the brand’s design heritage. Collectors particularly value the post-1987 suits for combining power with comfort.
Giorgio Armani’s influence extends beyond fashion into a broader cultural statement about success. As London-based stylist Karlmond Tang notes, “The brand, identity and what it represents is everlasting and reliable.”
At 89, Giorgio Armani continues to oversee every aspect of the brand, ensuring the consistency that has made Armani synonymous with achievement for nearly five decades.
Style Like a True Gentleman
Before we say goodbye, here’s one of the best-kept secrets in men’s styling circles, a secret that only a few expert image consultants know or are willing to share.
First and foremost, professional styling requires knowing your unique body shape and seasonal colour palette – paramount factors in choosing perfectly fitting clothes in colours that complement your skin, eyes, and hair.
Only then can a stylist engage in styling by occasion, location, season, and time of day, with garments, footwear, and accessories from stylistically relevant, heritage fashion brands to depict high confidence and success.
Best part? You can find your body shape, seasonal colour palette, and ideal fashion style, in less than 5 minutes, by yourself, for free, thanks to our 4 simple steps:
1. Find Your Body Shape
Different garments flatter different silhouettes, so knowing your body shape is the first step in dressing like a confident man.
To find out your unique body shape, take our free body shape quiz for men.
Once you know your unique body shape, take the second free quiz to discover your unique colour palette.
2. Find Your Unique Colour Palette
Remember, the garments that compose your outfits come in various colours and you have to make sure that each hue complements your natural colour.
For that, you have to find out your seasonal colour palette, and you can do it by taking our free seasonal colour quiz for men.
3. Find Your Ideal Fashion Style
By now, you should already know your body shape and unique colour palette; the next step is to discover your ideal personal fashion style.
The fastest and simplest way is to take our free fashion style quiz for men; it includes your ideal style, outfit ideas, relevant fashion brands, and much more.
4. Professional Image Consultancy with The VOU
And if you want to style like a professional, by occasion, location, season, and time of the day, you can always ask our expert image consultants and fashion stylists for help.
Our styling services for men are the most comprehensive and detailed on the market, backed up by leading stylists who will guide you step by step in creating looks that communicate affluence, elegance, and endless accomplishments.
Remember, wearing luxury brands isn’t enough; to look stylish, confident, and successful, you must first know your body shape, colour palette, and ideal personal style, and only then style by occasion, location, season, and time of day.
Contact us today to save headaches, time, and money – it’s time to dress like a confident, successful gentleman of exquisite fashion taste – the first styling assessment is on us!