From Military Assistant to Fashion Godfather: Giorgio Armani's Journey of Counterattack and Subversion

Giorgio Armani passed away quietly in Milan on September 4th at the age of 91. The global fashion world lost not only a designer but also a revolutionary whose soft tailoring overturned the rigid rules of fashion.

How did this Italian boy, who once dreamed of becoming a doctor, transform his white lab coat into a suit design?

And how did he, in 1975, tear through the ironclad walls of traditional fashion with a "frameless" jacket?

◆ Design Enlightenment in Milan's Department Store Windows

In 1957, at the age of 23, Armani abandoned his medical school diploma to join the window design department of Milan's La Rinascente department store.

This seemingly ordinary job became his aesthetic enlightenment classroom—observing the contradiction between the rigid postures of models and the dynamic demands of clothing, he began to experiment with creating fluidity through pleats. Biographies record that he often spent entire days adjusting the tilt of a single hat, an obsession that later evolved into the core principle of his "visual storytelling": every garment should tell the story of the wearer.

◆ A Big Gamble in 1975: Breaking Through the Suit Era

When Armani established his studio in Milan, Italian menswear was still dominated by the rigid shoulders of Brioni, while womenswear was the domain of French haute couture.

He boldly eliminated the lining of his suits and created "destructured jackets" made of wool and silk blends that flowed with the body's curves.

This design coincided with the rise of women in the workplace in the 1970s. Professional women discovered that Armani's broad-shouldered suits retained a sense of authority while freeing themselves from restraint—American Vogue called it "a gentle revolution in the office."

◆ "American Gigolo"'s Unexpected Assistance: Hollywood Becomes the Best Show

In 1980, the shot of Richard Gere combing his hair in an Armani suit in "American Gigolo" became the most valuable 30 seconds in fashion history.

The film's costume designer once revealed that Armani personally altered the waistline of the costume 36 times, ultimately creating a "power casual" concept that captivated Wall Street elites.

This marked the first time a designer achieved global success through film and television IP, and the brand's US sales soared 470% the following year.

◆ The Galeotti Effect: An Underestimated Golden Partner

The encounter between architect Sergio Galeotti and Armani was comparable to Steve Jobs meeting Steve Wozniak.

The former designed the store as a "modern art museum," using dark gray walls to highlight the colors of the clothing; the latter rejected LVMH's acquisition offer in the 1980s, insisting on operating independently. Compared to its acquired Givenchy, the Armani Group maintains annual revenue of approximately €2 billion. However, analysts point to the risk of its over-reliance on classic styles—the price of a lack of capital investment.

◆ Closing at 91: The Unfinished Challenge of Empire Succession

Perhaps Armani's most challenging task in his later years was his fashion empire, which lacked an heir. During the group's restructuring in 2023, he merged the haute couture and ready-to-wear lines, which was interpreted as streamlining the structure in preparation for the foundation's takeover.

The latest financial report shows that the fragrance business has risen to 38%, signaling that the company is heading into uncharted waters.

◆ A timeless lesson from fashion history: Disruptors never retire

From military assistant to the godfather of "power dressing," Armani proved that true style transcends fashion cycles.

His legacy is not just a relaxed suit tailoring, but also a revelation: every industry needs the periodic emergence of disruptors, who use gentle force to dismantle steely traditions. As he said, which is printed on the wall of the Milan headquarters: "When people talk about fashion, they are talking about change; when people talk about style, they are talking about eternity."