THE KING’S NEW CLOTHES
ELLE comes face-to-face with Giorgio Armani, the gran maestro of Italian fashion
The process of securing an interview with Giorgio Armani takes months. Reaching the Godfather of Italian fashion is a long, drawnout affair, with a steady series of snags and stumbling blocks along the way, including an endless stream of emails and phone calls to his press agent. Of course, when you’re dealing with an absolute icon with a personality to match, reaching out on Whatsapp isn’t an option. The last call produces a date and time to meet “Mr Armani”, as his underlings call him with a hint of anxiety in their tone, at his plush headquarters on Via Borgonuovo in Milan.
This year marks the 36th anniversary of the iconic Emporio Armani label, celebrated in September with a show at the historic Tobacco Dock in London. A democratic fashion brand that shaped androgyny in the ’80s (decades before Jaden Smith stepped into a dress and gender-neutral dressing became the new normal), Armani’s second line is absorbing the Armani Collezioni and Armani Jeans spin-offs in a move that’s set to fortify its identity as the go-to for sports-inflected women’s and men’s clothing and accessories that span day to evening, work to play.
In person, Armani’s famed icy glare is at first detached. There’s an aura of reverence that surrounds him. And it’s no wonder – Armani is Armani, the maestro, a fashion pioneer, whose understated style has upended the rules since 1975 and given the fashion world the deconstructed jacket, the women’s pants suit, the colour greige, Eastern inspiration in a minimalist key and OG designer denim. In the end, though, despite Armani’s fame for being an impatient control freak, it’s a relief to discover he’s a tender soul at heart.
ELLE: When you founded Emporio Armani, you were accused of using a prosaic name. But it turned out that democratic fashion became a major phenomenon. GIORGIO ARMANI: I chose it on purpose. I wanted to create an alternative to what was being offered in big
department stores. I wanted a new concept, something revolutionary and complete, at more affordable prices. That’s what I thought society demanded. ELLE: Where did you get the idea for the eagle in the Emporio Armani logo?
GA: It was all pretty quick. I was talking on the phone, Sergio [Galeotti, Armani’s late, beloved partner and right-hand man] came into the room and asked me to come up with a symbol for the logo. With one hand on the receiver, I began sketching with the other. What came out was that eagle, which I felt was a sign of soaring beyond and reaching new heights. Only I didn’t want them to be too high – the Emporio brand had to be accessible. ELLE: Have you soared high in your life?
GA: I’d say so. I’m known, I’ve done good work. People still stop me on the street. For young people I’m an idol, and adults respect me. ELLE: And in your private life?
GA: I’ll put off flying high until tomorrow...
ELLE: You wanted Emporio Armani to shorten distances and expand horizons. Are you pro-globalisation?
GA: It’s hard to ignore it in a world that’s grown so small, where borders become more and more permeable. Yes, I’m in favour of globalisation –
“MY WORK WAS BORN OUT OF RADICAL THINKING... IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, YOU HAVE TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX”
I couldn’t not be. There used to be more protectionism in our work, and our customers were mostly upper class. Today, thanks to the internet, borders seem to be disappearing. ELLE: Over the course of Emporio Armani’s 36 years, what’s given you the most satisfaction?
GA: Not long ago, a group of sociologists and marketing experts named the most representative objects of the 20th century. They included Emporio’s bomber jacket – the one with the eagle in full view on the back, worn by kids from the furthest latitudes, thus shortening distances and expanding horizons, just as I had always hoped to do. That was definitely very gratifying. ELLE: Why did you choose to hold Emporio Armani’s latest SS18 show in London?
GA: London is global culture – it seemed like the perfect venue. I’m working with the British Fashion Council and students from the best schools of fashion to create a capsule based on three iconic Emporio pieces, which will go on sale in 2018. ELLE: Do you enjoy working with young people?
GA: I like to keep up with what they’re doing, even if I’m just watching them walk down the street. I like listening to them, observing them, because theirs is a vision that’s different – which sometimes bothers me, which sometimes I find upsetting – but they always give me pause to reflect. Being young is their right, and so is being innovative. Only you’ve got to make sure you don’t give too much room to inconsistent ideas. ELLE: Do you consider yourself a rebel?
GA: I’ve always gone against the grain, and I detest whatever’s defined as being “in fashion”. My work was born out of radical thinking, and what I came up with was the exact opposite of the status quo. If you want to be successful, you have to think outside the box. So, yes, I consider myself a rebel. My rebellion may be whispered, but it’s consistent all the same. ELLE: Do you ever get the feeling you’re a prisoner in an ivory tower? GA: I’m totally a prisoner in an ivory tower, and so are the people I work with. And that’s why by 9.30 in the morning, I’m already in a lousy mood, and by the time I leave for home at 8 in the evening, I’m even more pissed off.
ELLE: Why’s that? GA: Because hardly anything satisfies me, because I’m always looking for something better, not sloppiness.
ELLE: What do you look for in the people you work with?
GA: The ability to surprise me. And surprising means taking risks that are by no means small.
ELLE: Is it true that you’re a control freak?
GA: I don’t delegate responsibility for the Armani style to anyone – it’s my biggest asset. It’s not a question of insecurity, just my need for absolute coherence. ELLE: Are there any new talents you like?
GA: I find out about what [people] are doing from the outside, reading the papers, and hardly ever from personal contact. Maybe I’m afraid I’ll discover there’s someone better than me out there. That’s human frailty. ELLE: Do you feel free, or have you ever engaged in self-censorship?
GA: Winning my freedom was a process that took a long time, and sometimes I did censor myself. Out of shyness, or because I was in a hurry, running here and there without ever having time to think.
ELLE: You’re considered a person who’s hard to work with, who tends to shy away and be asocial. Would you agree with that?
GA: Yes and no. I like nothing better than my work, and to get the pleasure I want out of it there’s a price to pay. Some people say I have little time for them and am unappreciative, because I spend time working that I might spend with them. Sorry about that. I’m also sorry I can’t give those I love all I’d like to give them. But a job like mine is tyrannical – it demands everything you’ve got, and takes it all away. It puts limitations on relationships, because you realise you can only give so much. In the end, the price you pay is being alone. But by now I’ve made up for it. ELLE: Solitude doesn’t faze you?
GA: I like it in small doses, just enough to give me time to reflect. In the ’80s and ’90s, there were times when I had no time at all to dedicate to the people I loved. But since then, I’ve made sure that’s not going to happen again, because it really left me feeling sad. ELLE: Do you consider yourself a melancholy person?
GA: Yes. Up until I was about 28, I never smiled. I felt insecure because I had invented a job for myself that I never had any specific training for, and had to deal with situations I wasn’t prepared for. I remember my
first by reporters trips to the and United heads of States, the big and department being surrounded stores – I always felt a bit lost. A lot of times I was afraid, but that also worked to drive me on and keep me thinking, “Come on, you can do it.” ELLE: But smiling – and laughing – is therapeutic...
GA: For sure, especially if a smile is born out of some intelligent consideration, and not just any old rubbish. It’s like, I’m really not into watching comedy films. I find it hard to laugh on command. ELLE: Are there any movies that do make you laugh?
GA: Horror films make me laugh. I laughed all the way through What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?. That was full of some unbelievable wickedness.
ELLE: You’re a living legend, your name commands great respect. Do you find that gratifying?
GA: Of course. When I first realised it, I was afraid. But I’ve learnt to live up to the responsibility of the role.
ELLE: Does fashion make people feel good?
GA: Yes, as long as it doesn’t become an obsession or unleash inferiority complexes. Like in everything, there have to be limits. In moderation, fashion can be great medicine ELLE: What other designers do you regard highly?
GA: Jean Paul Gaultier for his sense of humour, John Galliano for his almost dreamy fantasy and Rei Kawakubo of Comme Des Garçons for her reinterpretation of Western style. ELLE: Is there a detail you’re not willing to give up?
GA: White sneakers. I want them immaculate. ELLE: And your daily outfit?
GA: A blue cashmere pullover is a classic. I like the sensations it gives off, especially the sense of cleanliness, which is a reflection of my rigour and work ethic. ELLE: Have you ever imagined what the world of fashion will be like 10 years from now?
GA: Maybe. Today the vision of an epoch has been lost – there are no more clothes that define this moment in history. It’s all one big jumble. The fault of designers who go rummaging through used clothing markets and make nothing but a mess. Sooner or later someone’s going to come along – not me – and re-establish order. I recently had the chance to watch some documentary films from the ’30s and ’40s produced by Istituto Luce, where everything was linked to the social context. In comparison, it’s tough to pinpoint a fashion trend for 2017.
ELLE: Could the extreme mix itself define this age?
GA: I don’t want to take anything away from the freedom we’ve acquired to dress pretty much the way we want, that’s sacrosanct. But I like to see harmony and coherence. There’s quite a difference between being free and just doing a little bit of everything. ELLE: Do you care about influencers and Instagram?
GA: Only as much as the people I work with tell me. I’d rather know that an ordinary woman walking by the store on Via Montenapoleone liked one of my purses she saw. Seeing a blogger on some social network with one of my dresses on is of less interest to me, because it’s easier. What we do is hard work, and in return for it I’d like to have only the best rewards.
ELLE: You were born in Piacenza, but you’ve made Milan your home. Do you like the new atmosphere that’s taken hold of the city?
GA: Milano’s profile has been changing for years. The Porta Nuova and Citylife skylines rise up alongside old neighbourhoods like Brera and Navigli. That’s the way I always imagined Milano – futuristic yet traditional at heart. ELLE: Do you manage to get out and stroll around the city much?
GA: Not really, because I can’t say no when someone asks for an autograph or a selfie – it would seem pretty presumptuous on my part. So I avoid finding myself face-to-face with hordes of tourists on Saturdays. ELLE: Do you think that there’s something poetic about Milan?
GA: Yes, and I see it in both the adults and young people. In the morning, I often watch the girls walking past my house with rolls of paper under their arms, on their way to Brera. I smile, because you can see how they’re still yearning to go draw behind some old desk at the fine arts academy. ELLE: What kind of a student were you?
GA: A total dunce, but well dressed. I went to high school with the singer Enzo Jannacci. Now there’s a guy whose sense of humour I really appreciated – just my style. He always used to tell me about his mother, who would say to him, “Look how elegant Giorgio is,” which he held against me. ELLE: Any regrets? GA: No, regrets aren’t for me. I’m satisfied.