Giorgio Armani is 91: wise words from the enduring fashion titan
Giorgio Armani may be a man of minimalist style, but when he speaks, his words reveal the depth of thought behind his iconic designs. Across five decades, the Italian fashion maestro has shared his insights on creativity, business, and the evolving world of fashion with candour and wisdom. Whether reflecting on his unexpected start in fashion, his experiments beyond the runway, or his steadfast belief in timeless style, Armani’s interviews are a masterclass in creative resilience and thoughtful leadership. Here, we revisit some of his most memorable quotes—words that continue to inspire designers, entrepreneurs, and dreamers alike.
Read more: Giorgio Armani turns 90: a look back at the Italian designer’s illustrious career
On challenging himself
“Haute-couture was the last path I took. Before that, I did various levels of ready-to-wear design. At a certain point in life, I asked myself, why not gratify myself with a collection that shows all that I am capable of doing, even at a higher level than my own? And I must say, it was not that great in the beginning, honestly. But it was something in my heart. Why not challenge myself, be judged?”
—Giorgio Armani, July 2021, interviewed by fashion journalist Suzy Menkes before the unveiling of the Giorgio Armani Privé FW21-22 collection, July 2021
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On his past
“I have many memories of my past and my childhood. They have definitely influenced my work. I remember the elegance of my mother and my father—a simple elegance. It was mostly an inner elegance, since we didn’t have a lot of money.
I remember my mother made my clothes—she made clothes for all her children. We were the envy of all our classmates. We looked rich even though we were poor.”
—Giorgio Armani, speaking in a video launching his Fall/Winter 1990 collection
Giorgio Armani photographed at the Met in 2008 (Alessandra Brunhildmedia/ Wikimedia Commons)
At a certain point in life, I asked myself, why not gratify myself with a collection that shows all that I am capable of doing, even at a higher level than my own?
By - Giorgio Armani
On environmental responsibility
“I think that the most profound changes in society start with individual choices. If people want to change, they will. If they don't want to, it's hard to make them do so. The current interest in the environment is a good thing. The best way to make a contribution in fashion is to promote the idea that a fundamental interest in preserving the environment is itself fashionable. Beyond that, yes, of course we can work in ways that are more environmentally friendly, and create garments and products that promote the idea of environmental awareness.”
—Giorgio Armani in May 2006, interviewed by Stella McCartney
On staying relevant and creative throughout the years
“For myself, I can say that the secret is to remain true to your aesthetic vision, so that people can see that you really believe passionately in what you are doing. That way, they can relate to your style. At the same time, you experiment-you try new things. For me, this has meant not only adopting new fabric technology and ideas in clothing design but also applying my design vision to cars, furniture, flowers-even cakes!-and exploring collaborations outside the world of fashion, with film and football, for example. Andy’s work shows a similar creative approach. He had a style and he then applied it to different subjects in a way that was both recognizable and innovative at the same time. Anyone who is passionate about what they do will have a better chance of connecting with future generations than those who simply follow transient trends. At least their work will have a distinctive character, and this is what people respond to, I believe.”
—Giorgio Armani, December 2008, Interview magazine, speaking about his creative kinship with artist Andy Warhol
On the relationship between fashion and the real world
“I got into fashion almost by accident, and then it slowly grew in me until it complete absorbed me, eating my life away. I must, however, recognise that this job is so exciting—it is always new, it forces you to see what’s going on in the world around you, and that’s what makes you feel part of the world.
I think that’s the best part of my job: you may create some amazing clothes, but if you make clothes that are not part of the world we live in, they will be meaningless. So my job is very close to everything going on around us, society, lifestyles, changing mindsets. That is definitely the highest part of my job; it is not inventing new collections each time inspired by different themes, but the awareness that what I do is something people need for life.”
—Giorgio Armani, May 2015, interviewed by Imran Amed before the opening of Armani/Silos, a museum that houses the Armani archive
Giorgio Armani in September 2009 (Photo: Bruno Cordioli/ CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons)
On business savvy
“You can be creative in many ways. You can be creative without worrying about business or industrial issues, like an artist who doesn’t care about selling or making sure that the store is filled with goods and then emptied by customers. Then there’s the kind of artist who works alongside the industry—that’s the American way of business, and I embraced it myself as a philosophy and a way of working. Then, as now, I could not see the point of doing creative work for its own sake.”
—Giorgio Armani, May 2015, asked to reflect on Armani’s 40th anniversary in the business
On the changing times, and how he addresses these changes
“[My vision of men and women] has evolved naturally and gradually, as the position of both in society shifted. I had the feeling of what actually happened—women getting to the forefront in the workplace, men accepting their soft side—early in my career, and that was the base of my success. Over the decades, those conquests have become a given, and so my vision of both men and women has become softer, at times more sparkly, even more fluid.
My vision of clothing has evolved, staying true to the credo that the dress should highlight the person, not the other way round. My penchant for soft tailoring, considered decoration, and liquid lines is the same of the early days, but the proportions are continually renewed. I am considered a master of timelessness, but if you look closely at my work, things change constantly.”
—Giorgio Armani, in an interview in Esquire published on his 90th birthday
Advice to a young designer
“Remain true to yourself and your philosophy. Changing in the face of adversity will in fact diminish your credibility with your customers. Remember that, in the end, the customer doesn't know, or care, if you are small or large as an organisation—she or he only focuses on the garment hanging on the rail in the store.”
—Giorgio Armani in May 2006, when asked by Stella McCartney what advice he would give to a young designer
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