Armani’s Passions Included Retail Design

Though famed as a fashion designer, Italy’s Giorgio Armani – who has died at age 91 – was also passionate about the design of the retail spaces that sold his wares. Below are a couple of examples reflecting that:

In its recounting of Armani’s life, Business of Fashion noted: “With more than 2000 stores under the Armani brand umbrella, none have surpassed the size of the palatial flagship he opened in 2000 on the Via Manzoni in Milan, which includes spaces for both his luxury and jeans collections, a florist, an art-book store, a nightclub, a branch of Nobu and an Armani Hotel that opened on the upper floors in 2012. The footprint of the building, restored by the architect Michael Gabellini at a cost of $10 million, creates the shape of the letter “A” when seen from above. In 2009, he opened a Fifth Avenue flagship at an enormous cost right after the global financial collapse, with a swirling ribbon staircase, prompting its nickname, ‘Guggenheim 2.’”

Then there’s this project description from DASH Architecture about the Armani flagship store in Milan it helped design a decade ago: “When you think about fashion, designer Giorgio Armani comes to mind immediately. Not only his fashion design but also his interior retail design around the world. The flagship store in Milan was an exceptional example of design in celebration of his 40th anniversary in fashion. Designed with the site in mind – the most famous fashion neighborhood of the world – the entirety of its ideation and creation were custom designed and made.”