How Giorgio Armani became a household name in fashion

Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91 (Picture: AFP)

Following the news of Giorgio Armani’s death, we look back at some of his most iconic moments in film, and the surprising Hollywood costumes that made him a star.

The legendary fashion designer died at the age of 91, with his eponymous fashion house confirming the news in a heartfelt statement.

He began his designing career in the 60s before starting his own label in 1975, and never looked back – going on to become one of the most influential and highly regarded designers of the 20th century.

His illustrious career spanned five decades, with his brand going on to launch hotels, perfumes and homeware, among many other lines.

Giorgio Armani’s influence in American Gigolo

However, many may not know that he had a strong relationship with Hollywood, designing costumes for some of the biggest movies around.

The fashion designer boasted a legendary career (Picture: AFP)

He worked on over 200 films over the years (Picture: Shutterstock)

It was five years after starting out that his label became a household name known for the reinvention of power dressing and menswear, following the release of Paul Schrader’s movie, American Gigolo, in 1980.

He was heavily involved in the costume design for the groundbreaking movie, and designed much of the wardrobe worn by Julian Kaye, played by lead star Richard Gere.

The thriller followed Gere as an escort in LA, when he became romantically involved with Michelle Stratton (Lauren Hutton), the wife of a high-profile politician.

His life is flipped upside down when a customer is murdered, and he is the prime suspect in her death.

Through the film, and Gere’s wardrobe, he replaced traditionally stuffy suits with something more lightweight, adding in bolder colors, patterns and a smoother silhouette – all of these, the Pretty Woman actor modelled to perfection.

He was credited with reinventing the power suit on the big screen (Picture: Paramount)

The iconic film came out in 1980, sending his career into a spin (Picture: Paramount)

‘At that time, I was motivated by the desire to modernize menswear,’ he reflected to the Standard in 2014. ‘In most other areas, new technology was moving forward at a fast pace, but in the field of men’s clothing we were still tied to more or less the same clothes as our fathers and grandfathers wore.

‘I wanted to use softer fabrics and rethink the suit, getting rid of most of the linings and fillings. The unstructured result was a truly new look that preserved its precision while becoming more body-conscious and more comfortable.’

‘As an actor, Richard was more interested in the character than the clothes, but to me the clothes and the character were the same,’ Schrader also told GQ in 2012.

‘I mean, this is a guy who does a line of coke in order to get dressed!

‘I remember telling Richard in 1980 that men’s clothes would become more Edwardian. I felt there was a kind of foppishness that was due to reoccur.

‘Richard thought I was completely wrong, but a couple of years later I ran into him and he said: “You were right about that!” It was just around the corner, so it was simply a matter of who exploited it first.’

Armani in The Untouchables

‘When I have to dress that kind of character, for instance in The Untouchables or Goodfellas, it is not so much that the characters are gangsters that appeals, as that they are anti-heroes.

‘I like to throw them a touch of elegance, some style and charisma, and play with the paradox of the fascination of the villain. The dark side is always the more interesting one.’

The news of Armani’s death was announced earlier today, prompting tributes from the fashion industry and beyond.

While his cause of death has not yet been confirmed, his funeral will be held privately, ‘in accordance with his explicit wishes’.

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