Armani

**Giorgio Armani S.p.A.** (pronounced [ˈdʒordʒo arˈmaːni]), commonly known as **Armani**, is an Italian luxury fashion house founded by Giorgio Armani which designs, manufactures, distributes and retails haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes, watches, jewelry, accessories, eyewear, cosmetics and home interiors. The brand markets these products under several labels: *Giorgio Armani Privé*, *Giorgio Armani*, *Armani Collezioni*, *Emporio Armani* (including *EA7*), *Armani Jeans*, *Armani Junior*, and *Armani Exchange*. The brand utilizes the association of the Armani name with high-fashion, benefiting from its prestige in the fashion industry. In 2016, estimated sales of the company were around $2.65 billion. In 2017, Giorgio Armani announced that his company will close two of its fashion labels, Armani Collezioni and Armani Jeans, as part of the restructuring process for his company. While Armani Collezioni will merge back into the "Giorgio Armani" line, Armani Jeans will be mixed with the Emporio Armani line due to their similarities in styles and the use of the same brand logo.

Giorgio Armani is in collaboration with Emaar Properties, a chain of luxury hotels and resorts in several big cities including Milan, Paris, New York, London, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul, and Dubai. The company already operates a range of cafés worldwide, in addition to a bar and nightclub.

## Brands

### Giorgio Armani

*Giorgio Armani* is a high-end label specializing in men's and women's ready-to-wear, accessories, glasses, cosmetics, and perfumes. It is available only in Giorgio Armani boutiques, specialty clothiers and select high-end department stores. The logo is a curved "G" completing a curved "A", forming a circle.

In 2016, the fashion house stopped using animal fur in all of its collections, citing the availability of "valid alternatives at our disposition that render the use of cruel practices unnecessary as regards animals."

According to *The Wall Street Journal* and other influential sources, in addition to couture line Armani Privé, Giorgio Armani and Emporio Armani are company's ready-to-wear lines that show at Milan fashion week. In addition, selling at lower prices are Armani Collezioni, Armani Exchange and Armani Jeans.

### Emporio Armani

*Emporio Armani* is the second brand of Armani family, features ready-to-wear and runway collections. Emporio Armani focuses on trends and modern traits. Also, *Emporio Armani* along with *Giorgio Armani* are the only two ready-to-wear brands that are mainly designed by Giorgio Armani himself, and has a spotlight at Milan Fashion Week every year while Armani Collezioni, Armani Jeans, and Armani Exchange do not. Emporio Armani is usually only sold in freestanding Emporio Armani boutiques and its official website.

David Beckham starred in four Emporio Armani underwear campaigns from Spring/Summer 2008 to Fall/Winter 2009–2010. David Beckham appeared with his wife, former Spice Girl Victoria, in the campaigns twice in 2009. All campaigns were photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.

In January 2010, football star Cristiano Ronaldo and Hollywood movie star Megan Fox became the male and female face and body of Emporio Armani. In 2011, Megan Fox was replaced with Rihanna and Ronaldo was replaced by tennis athlete Rafael Nadal. Emporio Armani has teamed up with Reebok to create fashion shoes under the label *EA7*. In 2019, Emporio Armani released a new series centered around singer, Shawn Mendes. The black-and-white advertisement featured an instrumental version of his song, "In My Blood".

Emporio Armani has boutiques in Toronto, Oslo, Frankfurt, Amman, Bahrain, Jeddah, Bogotá, Miami, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Madrid, Chicago, Paris, London, Glasgow, Los Angeles, Houston, Mexico City, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Milan, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, Tel Aviv, Sydney, Dubai, Dhaka, Lima, Seoul, Singapore, Bangkok, New York, São Paulo, Vienna, New Delhi, and many other cities around the world.

### Armani Collezioni

*Armani Collezioni* (formerly *Giorgio Armani Le Collezioni*) was the diffusion line of Giorgio Armani that retails at a lower price than *Giorgio Armani* and the haute couture line, *Armani Privé*. The logo was usually displayed black written on a white label, but often varies. "Armani" being larger and "Collezioni" underneath it. It has provided made-to-measure tailored suits and shirts where every element can be chosen. In addition to being sold in the two freestanding boutiques (which feature the *Collezioni* line exclusively) in Milan and Paris, *Armani Collezioni* usually sold in department stores and outlets while Giorgio Armani and Emporio Armani only sold in freestanding boutiques.

Last year, a sporty line of this label has appeared named "Armani Collezioni Active" in the same way as the EA7 line from Emporio Armani line.

### Armani Exchange

*A|X Armani Exchange* was launched in 1991 in the U.S. It retails fashion and lifestyle products and is known for its occasionally provocative ad campaigns. Inspired by street-chic culture and dance music, it is targeted as the more accessible Armani brand.

To accelerate development of the nascent line, Giorgio Armani co-established the joint venture company Presidio Holdings Ltd in 2005 alongside Como Holdings, the company owned by the Singaporean tycoon Ong Beng Seng that, since 1994, has held the production and distribution license for A/X Armani Exchange in the United States, Canada, Central and South America and Asia-Pacific.

Initially, the Italian company held 25% of Presidio Holdings, the remaining 75% in the hands of Como Holdings. In 2008, Giorgio Armani acquired an additional 25% stake. In 2014, it acquired the remaining 50% "ensuring full ownership of the brand, which has 270 stores and over 3,000 employees", the company said in a statement.

Armani Exchange products are available exclusively in 270 stores in 31 countries and on the brand's website.

### Armani Junior

Giorgio Armani also designs products specifically made for babies, toddlers and teenagers up to sixteen years old. Therefore, he came up with a new label called *Armani Junior* with a separate label within the product line entitled *Armani Baby*. The *Armani Junior* brand was introduced in 1979. The sub-label was often criticized in the public eye because Armani occasionally used real fur for the *Armani Junior* autumn and winter collections. Many people tend to think that it's unreasonable for a large amount of the public to dress small children in high-end, luxury clothing, which families with a regular or even comfortable income cannot afford. The junior line consists of baby clothing and accessories as well as T-shirts, pullovers, suits, smokings, shoes, hats, shirts, belts, bags, underwear and accessories for children and teenagers.

*Armani Junior* has 167 independent boutiques around the globe, which only sell the sub-label . The label is also sold in other stores by the label including *Armani/Casa*, *Armani Jeans* or *Emporio Armani*. In total, 308 independent and franchise *Armani* stores sell the *Armani Junior* and *Armani Baby* products throughout the whole world. In addition, the label is available in selected department stores everywhere in the world, for example Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Breuninger and Peek & Cloppenburg.

The sub-label sold products worth 2600 million Euros and earned about 750 million in 2010. In 2011, it sold products worth about 3100 Euros and earned about 900 Euros. In 2012, the label earned 1100 million Euros, selling products worth 3.6 billion Euros. In 2013, the label gained sales of about 3.55 billion Euros, earning again 1.1 billion Euros that year alone.

In May 2014, Quvenzhané Wallis was named the face of *Armani Junior*, which makes her the first major child celebrity to be the face of a luxury brand.

### Armani/Casa

The *Armani* label also consists of a furniture and home collection called *Armani/Casa*. While the Italian word "casa" usually means "house", its usage here instead means "at home". Giorgio Armani launched his interior design collection in 2000 with a flagship store opening in Milan, Italy the same year. When Armani was asked about why he wanted a furniture line, Armani said that he wanted "people to design their own private home". "Designing this furniture and home collection helped me to stimulate my creative and artistic vein", Armani said. Critics responded very positively to the *Armani/Casa* label calling the style "simply elegant, a little retro with Ethno elements" to it. A lot of critics also liked the fact that there are only a "few ornaments" used but with "artistic detail" which seem to have a "tremendous effect on the style and furniture" itself.

Armani collaborates with *Rubelli* and the *Molteni* Group to build the home collection. As the *Architectural Digest* reported in February 2012, that *Armani/Casa* includes state-of-the-art kitchens, sold under the *Armani/Dada* name – a partnership with *Molteni* Group, as well as luxurious fabrics produced in collaboration with *Rubelli*. *Armani/Roca* is yet another partnership, which provides Giorgio Armani with bathroom furniture and accessoires. The sub-label consisting of variegated products is sold in 183 independent *Armani* stores as well as selected retailers throughout the world. From 2000 on, *Armani/Casa* is a multi-million Dollar success for the label.

*Armani/Casa* is used in the *Armani* hotels, equipped John Mayers New York City apartment and decorated the scenes for the 2013 film *Paranoia*.

### Armani/Dolci

A confectionery is also under the *Armani* name. The brand was established in 2002. For the creations and collections *Armani* collaborates with the Italian chocolate manufacturer *Venchi*.

*Armani/Dolci* sells chocolates, jams, honey, tea, shortbread biscuits, sugar, marrons glaces, fruit jellies and pralines. The brand is mostly part of other *Armani* stores but has got an independent boutique in Taichung, Taiwan. In total, 152 stores sell the *Armani/Dolci* products.

Over the years, Armani created various limited *Armani/Dolci* products to celebrate special occasions. For example, Armani designed chocolate easter eggs, heart-shaped boxes with red, pink and lilac chocolate truffles for Valentine's Day, as well as a Ramadan collection for the Muslim holiday featuring refined colours of Islamic art and no alcohol. In addition, *Armani/Dolci* sells special delicate collections for Christmas and its significant anniversaries.

The Armani/Dolci brand is well received by both critics and the public.

### Armani/Fiori

The Giorgio Armani label also has a florist under its name, called *Armani/Fiori*. The exclusive floral service is active since 2000 in major independent flower boutiques and other *Armani* stores around the world.

The flowers used for the *Armani/Fiori* arrangements come mostly from the Netherlands. The label uses a large selection of orchids, as well as exotic and tropical flowers alongside more traditional flowers such as hydrangeas, roses and peonies. Each collection is personally designed by Giorgio Armani himself as he wants to transport an "Asian feel". In addition, *Armani/Fiori* offers decorative elements like vases, flowerpots, candles and lanterns. For the collections, Armani uses precious materials like alabaster, black marble, lacquered wood in the shape of cylinders, cubes, and rhomboids. Giorgio Armani also designed special floral arrangements for occasions like Valentine's Day and spring collections. The labels floral arrangements are used in the *Armani* hotels.

### Armani/Hotels

Giorgio Armani and Emaar Properties PJSC signed an agreement in 2005 for Emaar Properties PJSC 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 of the interior design and style of the hotels. The *Armani* hotel was opened in Burj Khalifa on April 27, 2010, comprising the bottom 39 floors of the supertall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It has 160 guest rooms and suites, and 144 residences. Giorgio Armani also designed the interiors of the *Armani* Residences, also within the skyscraper, and its specially designed line of products from the *Armani/Casa* home furnishings collection and the *Armani/Fiori* flower arrangements. The "Burj Khalifa Armani Residences Road Show" toured Milan, London, Jeddah, Moscow and Delhi. The London event was housed in the Armani Casa Showroom in New Bond Street.