Long before inclusivity became a marketing gimmick, before gender neutrality was folded into trend cycles, there was Giorgio Armani. Creating space for movement and individuality. Clothes that not only overpower the wearer, but that worked with them. With the brand's 50th Anniversary due this July, Giorgio Armani’s legacy continues to live on as a novelty.
Armani’s path into fashion was anything but linear. A medical school dropout, former Italian military correspondent, and eventual window dresser for Milanese department store La Rinascente, at 36. His entry into design came later than most; in 1964, he saw himself working for Nino Cerruti, where he spent time refining his understanding of tailoring. By the 1970s, alongside his partner Sergio Galeotti, he founded the Giorgio Armani S.p.A. label that would go on to quietly redefine modern tailoring.
What Armani put forth wasn’t rebellion in the obvious sense; it was way more subtle than that, arguably making it even more disruptive. At a time when tailoring relied on rigidity and overt signals of authority, Armani chose to be a lot more vulnerable. Jackets were deconstructed, and masculinity no longer needed armour.
How Giorgio Armani Redefined Power Dressing
In the context of the 1980s, this approach was radical. While fashion elsewhere leaned into excess, Armani stripped things back. His suits moved with the body and allowed for expression. This wasn’t about diminishing masculinity, but celebrating all of it. Introducing fluidity where there had previously been restraint.
Deconstructed Tailoring and the Rise of Quiet Luxury
Unbeknownst to the fashion industry, we were witnessing the very conception of quiet luxury. Not in logos or spectacle, but in quality material and less stringent tailoring. Armani designed clothes that were adaptable to the many dimensions of personal style one might develop over time. They were enhanced rather than announced. The wearer remained the point of focus.
Armani at the Intersection of Masculinity and Freedom of Expression
This philosophy reached a wider cultural consciousness through cinema. In American Gigolo (1980), Richard Gere’s portrayal of character Julian Kaye, a male sex worker, became a defining moment for Armani’s vision. Draped in Armani tailoring, Gere embodied a new form of male sensuality — one rooted in ease and self-assured expression rather than the performance of masculinity. The wardrobe was aspirational because it allowed for fluidity.
At a time when male expression was tightly policed — even by the clothes available — Armani’s tailoring offered permission. Permission to occupy space differently. To be manly without rigidity, this made his genius not only revolutionary but necessary.
Why Vintage Armani Still Feels Contemporary
Today, conversations around inclusivity are often flattened, reduced to surface-level gestures and seasonal talking points. Armani’s approach was embedded from the outset. In an interview with Selfridges, he remarked, “The whole notion of gender fluidity, which is so current, is something I’ve been incorporating into my work for decades.” This wasn’t retrospective positioning; it was a quiet reminder that design principles don’t require constant rebranding.
When asked what he considered his greatest achievement, Armani responded, “I suppose you could say that I have managed to create an Armani lifestyle, which is something I always dreamed of.” It would be difficult to argue otherwise. His influence extends beyond garments and into a way of living — one that values subtlety and intention.
Armani’s Philosophy: Longevity
This becomes especially clear when viewed against more recent fashion cycles. The 2010s, defined by hyper-tailoring, overt branding, and exaggerated silhouettes, now feel confined in hindsight. Tight cuts, aggressive aesthetics, and performative masculinity riddled the landscape of menswear fashion. Today, there is a clear shift away from that. A return to relaxed tailoring, fluid silhouettes, and considered design.
We are witnessing an enduring of Armani's design philosophy, and his work still feels relevant because it was never built around trends to begin with. This is why vintage Armani holds its ground so effortlessly today. It doesn’t announce its era. It doesn’t compete for attention. It simply works. In an age increasingly fatigued by excess, that subtlety feels quietly radical once again.
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