The Art of He’S One of Fashion’S Living Legends: a Designer, Hotelier and Restaurateur with a Billion-Pound Business to His Name
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EMBROIDERED SILK BLOUSE, £7,700, Silk SKIRT, £1,550, and SATIN SHOES, £680, GIORGIO ARMANI ArmaniTHE ART OF He’s one of fashion’s living legends: a designer, hotelier and restaurateur with a billion-pound business to his name. But who is the real Mr Armani? Ahead of his outstanding achievement award at the UK’s ‘fashion Oscars’ tomorrow, Jane McFarland is granted a rare audience at home with the fiercely private man the Milanese call King Giorgio – while his friend the model Eva Herzigova wears his latest Resort collection Photographs Anton Corbijn Styling Margherita Moro 34 The Sunday Times Style The Sunday Times Style 35 THIS PAGE SILK VELVET Style Exclusive SHIRT, £860, maTCHING JACKET, £2,300, and TROUSERS, £860, GiorGIO ARMANI. NECKLACE, EVA’S OWN OPPOSITE WOVEN CLOAK, POA, AND SILK SHANTUNG TROUSERS, £860, GIORGIO ARMANI IT’S NOT WHOLLY EXAGGERATING to compare securing surfaces, from panthers to reptiles — perhaps unsurprising, an audience with Giorgio Armani (or Mr Armani as he is given his second home, an hour from Milan, has a zoo. known to his inner circle) to arranging a casual cuppa with Outside, there’s a parked Bentley, doormen and 24/7 the Queen. Or maybe the Duchess of Sussex. He rarely talks surveillance. Across the road are the Armani offices, and to journalists, even less so the British press, so when I’m nearby, his hotel, the Emporio Armani cafe and the Via finally granted a 15-minute conversation at home with the Manzoni concept store. Even the hangar at Milan Linate king of Italian fashion, solo owner of Giorgio Armani SpA, airport bears a giant Armani logo; make no mistake, Mr who Forbes estimates to have a personal fortune of £8.26bn, Armani wields the power in Milan. According to one Italian I’m excited to chat. Except, he doesn’t speak much English. editor I spoke to, a rare glimpse of the designer in the wild It’s more than a little odd to be at liberty in his sprawling provokes applause from locals. Despite only starting his Milan palazzo while he finishes breakfast, enjoying a tour label at the age of 40, he has more influence than any poli- with his translator, right-hand woman and all-round head tician or football star (incidentally, he also designed the honcho, Anoushka Borghesi. But any hopes of a glimpse national teams’ off-pitch uniforms) in Milan. A self-made into his fiercely private personal life are quickly quashed: man and a household name, “King Giorgio” is the local hero. first impressions are sparse but serene. Now 85, Mr Armani still epitomises the three Ts — trim, With few personal effects, it’s a lot like a luxury hotel — of tanned and toned. Despite a severe case of hepatitis which Mr Armani owns two. It smells utterly divine and the in 2009, he remains in good shape, with a permanent sofas are plumped to perfection. Housemen regularly sun-kissed glow (his eye-watering property portfolio appear from hidden corners. For a man who trades in includes houses in St Moritz, the Sicilian island of Pantell- understated, elegant clothing, he owns one hell of a flat- eria and Antigua — where he will spend Christmas — plus a screen television. There are animal figurines on some yacht) and a shock of white hair. He works out regularly and 36 The Sunday Times Style The Sunday Times Style 37 Style Exclusive fastidiously follows a strict, chef-prepared diet, which he ‘I made ease and sophisticated likes to consume alone. Despite his somewhat diminutive stature, it’s clear Mr simplicity a powerful style tool, Armani, who slowly descends a staircase to join us, is the alpha male in the room. There are few designers who are as liberating men and women from entwined with their brands as he is, meaning he can run his many constrictions. That’s my independent business as he wishes. With no shareholders to answer to, earlier this year he added the title of general achievement. That’s where I want manager to his existing chairman and chief executive to stand in fashion history’ officer roles. It’s 9am and he is already issuing his instruc- tions with alarming intensity. His dedicated team, which grows in number by the minute, spring into action — dark floors, is devoid of personal photographs, bar one: an regardless of the request, it appears “no” isn’t a word often old picture of him, his two siblings, Sergio and Rosanna, heard at Armani HQ. and their mother, Maria. “She was stylish,” he sighs. “She He may have been talked into a shoot at home, but it’s had little money, but look how modern we are dressed.” clear he isn’t staying — he has a press conference to attend, Next is a Matisse drawing, given to him by Eric Clapton. then he will prepare for the brand’s first pre-fall show this “I love him. Moltissimo. He is the greatest. Because he is evening. He loves to work and insists it keeps him healthy. modern, but he is not annoying.” (One senses Mr Armani “My happy place, where I feel best, is my office. It’s where gets annoyed easily.) He takes me to his cinema room, I achieve my visions, where what’s in my head becomes complete with plush recliners, and an extensive library, real and tangible,” he says. “It’s the most incredible feeling. which is organised by theme. Decorative artefacts, picked It fills me with energy and adrenaline every single time.” up from his travels to the Far East, are scattered throughout. His office uniform is pristine white trainers, navy trousers Mr Armani certainly doesn’t do warm and fuzzy, but it and a navy cashmere jumper. Today he is wearing a does feel more personal through his eyes. He shares the fluid navy cashmere jacket in the style of deconstructed elegant space with his true loves — two cats, Angel and tailoring that first put him on the map, after designing Mari, and his talking blackbird, Merlino. There is also a Richard Gere’s wardrobe for American Gigolo in 1980. larger- than-life gorilla in his living room, a discarded model Dubbed the “master tailor” by The New York Times in the from the Cinecitta film studio in Rome. I ask about the TV. 1980s, Mr Armani has had an undeniable influence on “At the end of the day I take time for myself, just to think. fashion — he dressed men and women in soft, rounded I usually have a simple dinner at home, after which I like suiting, defining the new working wardrobe of the late 20th to relax in front of the television watching a good film or a century. If you wanted elegant yet relaxed suiting, you went TV series. I’ve watched all of them with the royals — I’m to Armani. “I made ease and sophisticated simplicity a obsessed. I’ve just finished Catherine the Great with Helen powerful style tool, liberating men and women from many Mirren.” Warming to the topic, we discuss the hit series The constrictions,” he says of his work. “That’s my achievement. Crown. “The Queen is an institution and everyone knows That’s where I want to stand in fashion history.” The same her, but you can’t get close to her. The series is the only way rings true today: the impeccably dressed Borghesi, who to have an imagination of how her life could be. People are previously worked for Saint Laurent, is a walking ambas- looking for a myth.” Did he dress Princess Diana over the sador for his tailoring. years? “Yes,” he nods discreetly. “She liked our jackets.” He dutifully shows me around, pointing out some of his Mr Armani’s female devotees are numerous — he became favourite things. The minimal space, with low lighting and the go-to designer for Kate Winslet, Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett and more, harnessing the power of celebrity long before multimillion-pound ambassador contracts were the norm. “He was one of the first people to use actors in their campaigns, and I was lucky enough to be one of them,” recalls Kristin Scott Thomas, who first met the designer in 2003. “I have collected some pieces from various collec- tions and wear them 17 or 18 years later.” Winslet has a similar history. “I hate the idea of wearing a dress once, but Armani’s elegance doesn’t go out of style. My daughter has her eye on a few of my gowns, so she’ll wear them one day,” she tells Style. “Stepping out on the red carpet is exciting, but it’s still a bit daunting, even after all these years. I know if I am dressed in Armani, I’m ready for anything — his gorgeous gowns give me stealth power.” He also counts the Beckhams as fans: they starred in THIS PAGE SILK CREPE an Emporio Armani campaign more than a decade ago. SATIN SHIRT, £1,300, “His creative flair and eye for detail are legendary,” David TROUSERS WITH BRACES, tells Style. “He is a great person and a good friend £1,750, and SHOES, who deserves all the love and admiration he gets from his £680, GIORGIO ARMANI industry, and anyone lucky enough to wear his clothes.” OPPOSITE MR ARMANI 38 The Sunday Times Style The Sunday Times Style 39 Style Exclusive “I first met Giorgio in Paris during the 1960s,” says the have been recognised as somebody who changed fashion actress Sophia Loren. “It was the start of a great friendship, for a certain moment.” one that we still enjoy today.