Giorgio Armani is one of the most influential designers of our time. His main influences were/are the 'glamour era' of the 1920s to 1950s, his childhood and youth, his mother and the English style/sophistication and manner.
In 1950 at the age of sixteen Armani went to Milan, his first time away from home he was upset to be leaving his small home town. Seven years he became buyer and window dresser for Italy's largest department store chain La Rinascente. In 1964 Armani claimed his designs were unisex 'I know that in every human being there exist both masculine and feminine emotions...'
By 1974 Armani launched his own individual menswear label, a year later he created a womens wear label. In 1980 he arranged a license agreement with L'Oreal and thus created Armani parfums. A year later his diffusion lines were launched Armani Jeans and Emporio Armani. Throughout the 1980s up to the present Armani clothing has played a major part in many major Hollywood movies and is still one of the most influential fastest selling brands in the fashion world!
