You described your forties as “the beginning”. How would you describe your eighties, and what have you learnt from the past decade?
“My life has been one of so many beginnings that I consider myself very fortunate. This is, naturally, about having a curious state of mind. I have never become complacent and am always pushing myself and challenging myself. I do this no less now than when I started my business, and what I have learnt along the way – and this holds for the past decade and all those preceding it – is that if you have passion and a vision and you apply yourself every day then you will always be energised.”
What’s been your biggest achievement as a designer so far?
“I suppose you could say that I have managed to create an Armani lifestyle, which is something I always dreamed of. Extending an aesthetic philosophy from clothes and accessories to fragrances, interiors, cafés, restaurants, hotels - even flowers and chocolates - has been a fascinating journey, and I believe I have pioneered the idea that a fashion designer can create such a universe. But when it comes to what I will be remembered for, I believe this will be all about the unstructured jacket. Ever since I started deconstructing tailoring for both men and women in the 80s, I have returned to this one idea repeatedly – that a tailored garment should be comfortable and relaxed so that the wearer feels comfortable and relaxed, as this will inspire confidence. Back in the early days of Armani, tailoring was still made in an old-fashioned way and felt restrictive. I experimented with removing pads and lining, and employing the new lighter-weight materials that were being developed at the time, and created a jacket that felt more like a piece of knitwear than a piece of armour. That was, I genuinely believe, something of a revolution, and has not only changed the way people dress but also how they think about their clothes. You can see the legacy of this shift today, as we now demand comfort from our clothes as standard – and the consequence of this development is that streetwear and sportswear have become adopted as part of the everyday wardrobe by so many.”
What’s your one piece of advice for living a big life?
Be yourself. Follow your passion. Stick to your beliefs. Dare to dream.