Today, July 11th, marks the birthday of fashion pioneer Giorgio Armani. Turning 79-years-old, this style mogul has helped shaped the modern conception of “being a gentleman” and has since created an empire of fashion, beauty, fragrances, hotels, restaurants and more, estimated to annually generate almost $2 billion.
Giorgio was not born into such overwhelming wealth – born outside Milan amongst the Great World Wars, his childhood was marred with the consequence of war, and he even was torn away from his medical studies to serve in the military. However, destiny did not want Giorgio to be a doctor or soldier, as he was drawn to the beauty of the human form and the refinement of fashion. He began working as a window dresser at a department store, and soon established himself as a budding designer of men’s clothing. He built numerous connections through freelancing for various companies and, in 1975, the company Giorgio Armani debuted and was praised for its natural fit and tasteful neutral palette.
Big moves were made in the early 1980’s, starting with his pairing with L’Oreal to craft fragrances and his savvy pairing with Hollywood. Americans were blown away by Richard Gere’s stylish Armani threads in American Gigolo, and he has continued to design outfits for top movies for years to come, including the ever-so-popular The Dark Knight of the latest Batman series. During this period, his brand became synonymous with success, glamour and professionalism.
Despite his established history, Armani’s fashion and creativity continues to be forward thinking. He was among the first of designers to prohibit models that scored under 18 on the body mass index scale (BMI), spurring the trend of healthier models. Moreover, he continues to partner with influential icons, deigning numerous outfits for Lady Gaga. With his realm seemingly knowing no limits and his creativity continuing to flourish, we see no signs of this 79-year-old slowing down anytime soon. You can add a touch of Armani to any outfit you wear with his clean and classic fragrances, available for both men and women at Image Beauty.