“In this business you can’t have a destination, an arrival point,” says Armani. “Otherwise your competitors will overtake you, or you become complacent.” With over $1.5 billion in revenue, Armani remains Chairman, President and CEO of the company he started over thirty years ago. The mere mention of the designer’s name – first or last – and consumers the world over know not only who you are talking about, but also of the luxury product lines for which he has become famous. How did this once-poor boy, hiding from war bombs in a small town in Italy, go on to become one of the world’s leading and most successful experts on fashion and design?
Philosophy: Armani once said, “With fashion you have to renew yourself…you’re only as good as your last collection.” For over thirty years, he has managed to stay both current and also classic. Armani has never strayed from his original vision of creating understated and elegant clothing. It is this consistency that has garnered him his loyal following and built up his reputation.
Marketing: Armani was the first designer to begin to make use of celebrity marketing. By locating a press office in Hollywood, he had prime access to all of the industry’s hottest stars. From actors to athletes, Armani took whatever opportunity he could to promote his clothing to an A-list clientele, thus boosting his reputation as a designer of luxurious and elite high fashion attire.
Branding: If you are looking to buy an outfit for a night out, Armani has the clothes for you. If you want to have a nice dinner out on the town, he has the perfect restaurant for you too. And now, if you are looking to stay in a chic hotel, Armani is there for you as well. By carefully crossing over industries and extending his brand to include a vast array of products of similar luxury and quality as his clothes, Armani has managed to reach a wider audience than just his clothes ever could.
Control: “The long and short of it for me is that the entrepreneur is the one who at the end decides yes or no and I like that even though it’s a lot of responsibility,” says Armani. “It would be very hard for me to do things somebody else’s way.” From taking care of even the smallest detail on the runway to refusing to be bought out by Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Armani has maintained complete control of his company, allowing him to do things his way.
Responsibility: The larger his company grew, the more Armani believed he had a duty to ensure it was contributing, and not taking away, from a healthier tomorrow for his consumers. By using environmentally friendly materials and supporting larger social issues, Armani has directed his business to be a leader in the fight for a brighter future.
“At this point I think of myself more as an entrepreneur than a designer,” says Armani, reflecting on the success of his career. “This is my life’s work and I’m more passionate about it than ever.”
Dressed For Success: How Emporio Armani Became an Empire
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