What better way to celebrate the gargantuan goings on in London this week – London Fashion Week and the London Design Festival – than by interviewing one man at the creative fore of both industries? Giorgio Armani has achieved a staggering amount since he erupted onto the global fashion radar by deconstructing the suit jacket in the 1970s. Over 40 years later there are now nine labels in the Armani brand and an exciting development into hotels is imminent. And the man shows no sign of slowing down, let alone letting go of his global empire.
Celebrating the launch of two new ranges, 'Bridge Kitchen' and 'For Him/For Her', at London's Armani/Casa store, we leapt at the opportunity to speak to the man himself and find out more about his life, his work and his expansion from fashion into furniture.
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How would you define the Armani brand as a whole in one sentence?
Elegant, sophisticated, modern, accessible, international.
When you started the Armani label in the 1970s, did you have an intention to one day launch an interior line too, or was the creation of Armani/Casa simply a response to the growing crossover between fashion and interiors?
When I launched my own collection in 1975 I was totally focussed on fashion. Remember that I come from a generation which grew up with no idea that being a fashion designer was a career option: when I was a kid a profession was being a doctor or a lawyer, but a fashion designer? No way. So by the time I’d discovered fashion design, paid my dues and was in a position to start a company, I was totally occupied with clothing. Over the past three decades, though, I have realised that the Armani aesthetic can be applied to other areas, including interiors, and because I have been successful, I am lucky enough to have been able to pursue some of my other design interests.
Have you always loved product and interior design? Is there one design product that sticks in your mind as inspiring you to create your own collections in the future?
I have always loved design in all its forms – particularly architecture and furniture design. There is no single product which dominates when I think of inspiration, but I would say that increasingly I am drawn to the aesthetic of the 1930s. The other day I was looking at a book of the work of Eileen Gray, and I was struck once again by how innovative the design ideas of that time were, and how contemporary they still seem today.
How is Armani/Casa influenced by your fashion label?
Interestingly enough, these days the collections influence each other. There are fabrics and colours and finishes which I use in my fashion collections which find equivalent expression in the Armani Casa range, but equally, ideas I will be working on for my interiors and furnishings may influence my clothing designs. The Armani aesthetic is not really rigorously divided between product categories – instead it permeates all the things I create. That’s why I see Armani as a lifestyle concept, rather than as a fashion house which has extended its activities into other areas.
You've said in the past that 'The essence of style is a simple way of saying something complex'. Is this a sentiment you carry forward into furniture design? If so, how does it manifest itself in your designs?
Simplicity is absolutely key to everything I do. It was my mother who taught me that if you wish to create beauty, only do what is necessary and no more. It is a lesson I have never forgotten. So with furniture I tend to concentrate on the use of natural materials of the finest quality and simple, clean lines, rather than anything more fussy. The finish of the materials is crucial, as is the balance and proportion of the pieces. And of course, everything must work – furniture must be functional as well as beautiful.
When you designed the unstructured jacket back in the 1970s it was heralded as a revolution in tailoring, introducing the notion of casual chic to fashion. Do you consider any of your Armani/Casa creations as similarly innovative?
Only time will tell whether any of my work at Armani/Casa will have real impact on the world of interior design. I developed my ideas about deconstructed tailoring as a response to what I saw as a need – customers were still being sold tailoring that was being made essentially in the same way that their grandparents’ clothes had been made, and so it was still relatively stiff and uncomfortable. It seemed to me that it was perfectly reasonable to expect clothing to be both comfortable as well as being smart and tailored, but no one had worked out how to do it. In all other fields technology was changing the way products were being conceived, but for some reason fashion was locked in a time warp. Today, we embrace advances in technology much faster, so as far as furniture and furnishings are concerned, there is constant innovation and experimentation. The opportunity for someone like myself to break new ground from a technical point of view is therefore much smaller. My innovation is therefore more likely to be on an aesthetic level – the unexpected pairings of materials for example, or the idea of bringing glamour into the design of a kitchen (my 'Bridge' kitchen features Brazilian Sukupira wood, black metal with a satin finish and a unique laminate with a bronze-effect woven metal surface).
How much involvement do you have with the design and production of Armani/Casa products - do you oversee small details in specific products or are you more concerned with the overall feel of each collection?
I am involved in every detail of Armani/Casa – from the design of the products to conceiving the method of display in store. I work with a team of interior designers who understand my vision and can interpret my ideas, but it is absolutely imperative that I remain intimately involved with the design process, so as to ensure that each piece truly possesses the Armani signature. This is how I work with all my collections – clothing, accessories and interiors.
Does the diversity of the Armani brand strengthen the idea of an Armani lifestyle? Do you ever feel concerned the more projects you take on under the Armani banner that there may be a danger of diluting rather than strengthening the core brand principles?
You are only in danger of diluting the brand principles if you do not have a strong guiding aesthetic vision. If Armani/Casa and Armani accessories bore little or no relation to Armani clothing, then we would be in trouble. But if all the projects echo the same design philosophy, then they start to reinforce the notion of what Armani is. It is the same principle as that found in a musical symphony, which can develop themes and variations, but which possesses an intrinsic unity and harmony.
Can you tell us a little about your hotel projects you're working on? Will they all be furnished with Armani/Casa fittings?
Armani/Casa will feature prominently in the exclusive chain of Armani Hotels&Resorts which I am developing, in that each interior will be designed and furnished on a one off basis by the Armani/Casa team. I have recently created a global network of design studios attached to Armani/Casa which offer customers the opportunity to work directly with architects and interior designers to create bespoke interior spaces. These studios are engaged in developing the interiors for the Armani Hotels&Resorts, which will start opening soon – the first is due to debut in Milan next year.
You originally trained as a doctor - are there any skills you've carried forward from that experience into what you do now? Can you imagine being a doctor today?
I stopped my education at medical school because I realised that I had a love of fashion and design and an opportunity arose which suggested that I could make a career in this field. To be honest I was never entirely comfortable with the idea of medicine, so it was no great wrench to leave it behind. When I brought some photographs I had taken of my sister modelling to Milan’s premier department store, La Rinascente, and offered them for sale, they not only bought the pictures, but also offered me a job as a window dresser. Soon I became a buyer, and that’s how I got started in fashion. From that day to this, I have never once regretted my decision to end my medical studies. I really can’t imagine being a doctor today – but I suppose if you are going to be a good doctor you need focus and determination and an appetite for hard work. Being a fashion designer requires these same qualities.
What excites or terrifies you on a daily basis?
I am excited by my job. I am really lucky in that I feel as motivated now by the design process as I did when I first started – in fact, because my success has allowed me to experiment in different areas of design, like interiors, I sometimes feel I am more absorbed in the opportunities and challenges of my work today than I have ever been before. As for being terrified – well nothing really frightens me that much. Occasionally I wonder what would happen if the creativity vanished – if I woke up one morning and had no more ideas? That would be frightening. But so far, so good.
INFORMATION
The 'Bridge Kitchen' and 'For Him/For Her' ranges are on show at Armani/Casa store in London.
- Website
- http://www.armanicasa.com
- Telephone
- +44(0)20.7179.1930
- Address
- Armani/Casa 113 New Bond Street London
