Have you ever slipped on a jacket whose shoulder moved with your arm instead of holding you rigid? That feeling — the drape that follows your movement — is the Armani signature. In 1975 in Milan, Giorgio Armani and Sergio Galeotti laid the foundations of a house that would reshape the silhouette of the decade that followed.

The unstructured jacket, the founding idea

Back then, men's ready-to-wear lived under the rule of the stiff suit: padded shoulders, thick interlining, a rigid stance. Armani took out the interlining, lightened the shoulder and let the fabric flow more freely. His unstructured jacket became a statement piece — relaxed and elegant at once.

That's his real contribution: taking the codes of menswear and reworking them for women, without dressing her up as a man. Clean shoulders, soft drape, precise cut — the 1980s "power suit" owes him a great deal. In 1980, Richard Gere wore his suits in American Gigolo.

Rear view of a woman wearing a grey blazer with a soft drape
The unlined back, where the easy cut shows

From tailoring to fragrance, an eclectic empire

The group didn't stop at clothing. Armani Jeans paved the way for luxury denim before being gradually folded into other lines. Today the wardrobe reads in layers: Giorgio Armani for tailoring, Emporio Armani for a younger look, Armani/Privé for haute couture since 2005.

Product photo inspired by Armani Acqua di Giò Eau de Toilette refillable
around £60–£65 depending on size, with refill offers compared on idealo.co.uk (price comparison site)

On the beauty side, be discerning. The fragrances that still matter are Acqua di Giò, Armani Code, Sì and My Way. Some, like My Way, come in refillable formats: you keep the bottle and swap the refill. Less glass and plastic to throw away, and an object that stays on your shelf. A word of caution though: not all bottles are refillable, and environmental labels, where they exist, don't necessarily cover the whole line. On this front, don't expect natural or organic — these scents aren't presented that way. Refilling is a useful gesture, not a guarantee of a clean formula.

In 2000, Armani/Casa extended the brand into the home, and New York's Guggenheim devoted a major retrospective to it. A decade later, Armani Hotels opened in Dubai, then Milan.

Young woman in relaxed tailoring crossing a Milanese courtyard
A younger attitude, somewhere between tailoring and ease

And after Armani?

Giorgio Armani, who died in 2025 aged 91, never sold the house, despite offers from the big luxury groups. His succession remains open: a foundation has been set up to preserve the group's independence. The Armani blazer, meanwhile, remains a wardrobe staple — wear it with raw denim or wide-leg trousers, and don't over-accessorise. A piece that lasts ten years often beats three basics bought over a few seasons.

Seamstress's hands adjusting the shoulder of a jacket on an atelier mannequin
The atelier carries on: the hand that keeps the shoulder soft

The detail that changes everything: an Armani blazer is recognisable by its soft shoulder and the absence of rigid interlining. In store, slip your hand under the shoulder and move your arm: if the fabric follows your movement, you're onto the right piece.

Budget

Prices vary by line, fabric and stockist.

Expect around £70 to £115 for a 50 ml Armani Beauty fragrance, in perfume shops as well as high-street retailers — refills are sold separately, at a lower price. In ready-to-wear, an Emporio Armani blazer sits between £350 and £600, while a Giorgio Armani blazer quickly climbs past £1,300. Armani/Casa pieces start from a few hundred pounds.

Where to buy: official boutiques and department stores for ready-to-wear, perfume shops and high-street retailers for fragrance, multi-brand sites for end-of-line pieces.

Sources

  • Official Giorgio Armani Group website: armani.com
  • Armani Beauty (refillable formats): armanibeauty.com
  • Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, "Giorgio Armani" retrospective (2000-2001)