GIORGIO ARMANI Perfume
Giorgio Armani was born in Italy in 1934, just south of Milan. Originally Armani was trained in medicine, studying at the University of Bologna from 1952-3. He gave this up to study photography before being called up for national Service in 1957. He then worked in the prestigious department store, La Rinascente, as a window dresser.From 1961-1970 Armani worked in the fashion house of Nino Cerruti and in 1964, without any formal training designed a menswear line for Cerruti. He began a free-lance design business with the encouragement of his close friend and partner, Sergio Galeotti, and in 1974 established his own menswear label. At the prestigious Sala Bianca fashion show in Florence, he launched leather bomber jacket to great acclaim. Gradually he began to adapt his designs for women, and in partnership with Galeotti introduced a women’s wear line in 1975. Armani and Galeotti started their own company in 1975, Giorgio Armani S.p.A, and founded the Armani label. His sister Rosanna joined him as head of communication activities at his company.
In 1980, Armani designed the costumes for Richard Gere’s role in American Gigolo. During this decade, the Armani “power suit” for men and women came to symbolize the era and its international economic boom. He became the first designer since Christian Dior to appear on the cover of Time magazine, and was one of the first designers to approach celebrities to wear his designs. This was a fortuitous decision and soon his designs began to appear at the Academy Awards. In 1981 Armani launched Emporio Armani with the first store opening in Milan.
Sadly, in 1985, his long time business and life partner Sergio Galeotti died of cancer.
The first Armani Junior boutique opened in 1986. The following year he expanded into Japan with Giorgio Armani Japan with Itochu Co Ltd. Armani was chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World and was named the "Best Dressed Environmentalist" by the Sustainable Style Foundation.
By 1994 The Armani group exhibited gross revenues of $787 million.
Armani was a leader in the move toward a pared-down, unstructured silhouette in menswear and was responsible for the wide-shouldered look for executive women. His designs, often characterized by understated glamour and luxurious fabrics, introduced ease and streamlined modernity into late 20th-century dressing. Armani remains an important fashion designer, and has introduced a series of successful lines, including jeans, fabrics, underwear, fragrances, eyeglasses, house wares, sportswear, watches, cosmetics, and (in 2005) haute couture.
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