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#Emporium - sport


text Marta Innocenti Ciulli

December 3, 2019

High flight

Emporio Armani. Democratic fashion by a living legend

Giorgio Armani talks, the world listens. Few are those who have had as much influence over the fashion industry as he still does, after forty-four years, since the launching of the first Giorgio Armani collection in 1975. Needless to say, success came with his suits and jackets, the signature pieces of the Armani universe (the jacket worn by Richard Gere in American Gigolo blew open the gates of Hollywood for him), and by realizing that in those years women were anxious to work their way up the ladder without mimicking male dress codes. His fashion shows soon became the must-see ones. Armani’s far-sightedness, his instinct, his skill in capturing a feeling or a mood among the many of everyday life, never failed him. In 1981, he started his second brand, Emporio Armani, far ahead of the other great fashion houses. The brand was targeted at the young professional segment, for it provided just as fashionable and contemporary but less expensive designs. Why “Emporio”? Because the word evoked a sense of gathering together, a concept of democratic fashion, a place where you could find clothing and accessories, tips and ideas to dress from head to toe on a more reasonable budget,  and  it was far ahead of its time.  The first Emporio Armani collections included a lot of denim and no fashion designer had ever even thought of using such a working-class fabric before. The brand’s logo was an eagle which “was created by chance, by scribbling on a notepad while talking on the phone, just like everybody does”.  Without putting too much thought into it, that scribble reflected Armani’s mood at that precise moment and, over time, it would take on the meaning of unattainableness, power and freedom for several generations. “Many people were surprised and advised me against venturing into this new project- Giorgio Armani says- because they were afraid that the brand would have been negatively affected by it but, luckily enough, they were wrong”. The communication strategy was quite senstational as well. Huge billboards, as never seen before, became an integral feature of Milan’s landscape in those years, it was 1984. Like graffiti, they covered the wall of Via Broletto. They were big-sized because designed to reach out to a wider urban audience, to people living in a city where everything happens and everything changes quickly. In 1989, the first Emporio Armani Magazine was published. It was a glossy six-monthly magazine, in a large print format, full of pictures and texts, a precursor to today’s very popular experimental publications. The magazine’s international scope and its representation of the global concept of the Emporio Armani lifestyle made it unique of its kind and even a collector’s item. 

Today, the shop at 140 Via del Babuino in Rome showcases the 2020 S/S collection, amidst warm and bright interiors. The collection features a sporty look, with soft silhouettes, looser-fitting pants, unstructured jackets in very ductile fabrics.

#Emporium is the fashion house’s latest project: small objects from sports to stationary, from travelling to high-tech, including everyday accessories and pet supplies. #Emporium embodies Emporio Armani’s dynamic spirit, but in brighter, more energizing colors. The line is based on the collaboration with well-known top-quality brands: Momo Design for helmets,  Bic for pens, Polaroid for cameras,  Wilson for golf and basket balls, and everthing under the wing of Emporio Armani’s eagle.




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