I remember 1991 when I moved to Milan from London, straight after university to come work for Giorgio Armani. I was scruffy, dishevelled, always late, especially in the morning, and used to forget everything, even my shoes. Armani taught me rigour and discipline. He taught me how every tiny detail counts. He was tireless and uncompromising and so demanding I would often cry out of frustration.
But the thing was, he was always right. It was very annoying!
When I came to say goodbye to Mr Armani last week in the Teatro Armani, the fashion Head of Men’s design Leo Dell’Orco said, "remember all those earfuls Giorgio gave you”. How could I forget. He was a total perfectionist. Once he had roses flown in from Morocco for the Fire and Ice Ball in LA. They had to be orange, and not any orange but just that particular shade of orange. There was the carpet in the restaurant at the Hotel du Cap for the Vanity Fair Cannes party. It wasn’t grey enough, so Armani had it changed, just for that night.
After his death last week at the age of 92, a video went viral on Instagram. I recognised it. It must have been in the 90s as we were still in the theatre in Via Borgonuovo. I was there, along with many others, being shouted at in a series of “f***s” in Italian. Armani had wanted the models to come out in pairs instead of in a single file and we were late. We all rolled our eyes – behind his back of course - but these seemingly small things always made a difference.
Armani's rigour and discipline extended to the personal too. “Hmm you are getting a bit fat watch out,” he would often say. “What are you wearing?” was a daily remark. When he came to visit my eldest daughter, Elena, shortly after she was born all he said was that “she has big feet”. But he also called me Sharon because he thought I looked like Sharon Stone. I liked that.
I have been reading some of the obituaries of the famous fashion designer over the last few days, one of which describes him as a ‘reluctant designer’. I don’t agree. Armani was a designer to the core precisely for the fact that he never compromised. He refused to follow trends. He refused to play the fashion game. He remained true to his vision and was vocal about those who didn’t.
This drew in criticism from some of the most important fashion writers. “Too true!” they cried. It also garnered criticism from editors who didn’t cover his fashion in their magazines. “Not on trend!” they cried. Armani stood his ground and fought for his corner. Always. He would say “I didn’t choose fashion, fashion chose me”. This made my job more difficult, and while I tried to smooth over the edges by not translating everything he said (trust me a good thing), he still taught me to stand up for what I believe in.
The same obituary also describes Armani as an extraordinary Empire Builder. That much is true. He conquered the world beyond Europe and the US, where he was first crowned King Giorgio.
Together we launched a golf line
I remember our first fashion show in Tokyo in 1997. And in Shanghai on The Bund in 2000. There was nothing on the other side of the river then. Armani invented the idea of ‘lifestyle’. He opened Armani Casa (home) in 2000, as well as an Armani restaurant and nightclub. He brought Nobu to Milan when nobody knew what it was. Together, we launched ski wear, sportswear, streetwear and even a golf line (I wasn’t sure about that one). We opened hotels. And this was over 20 years ago. He was there way before anyone else.
He also stood by us, who worked for him. He had our back and while we may have been tested behind the scenes, we were a family, and we are still a family today. Even those of us who moved on to work for other companies have a special bond that still holds us together. Once we were all stranded in New York after 9/11, having gone to open the first Armani Casa store on Greene Street. Armani took care of us and flew us all back to Milan as soon as they opened the airport. He even hired two private planes to get us home so we could be reunited with our families. When my waters broke at the re-opening of La Scala in 2004, I had to leave in the middle of the opera. Armani sent me a note the next day welcoming my “new nipotina Giulia” into the world.
He knew how to have fun and gave the best parties. He didn’t drink much but would always have a shot of vodka before a show or party to relax. When we opened our first boutique in Moscow, we stayed out dancing until 6am. In 1999 we held a concert at the Armory in New York in 1999 with The Fugees and Eric Clapton. Another after party at the Guggenheim Retrospective saw D’Angelo take to the piano.
He helped me learn to make myself go to the gym and take care of my hair and nails
If I could, I would thank Armani for teaching me rigour, discipline, the idea that every tiny detail counts and to stand up for what you believe in. I’d tell him he taught me how to create a sense of family in the workplace and how to have fun. He helped me learn to make myself go to the gym and take care of my hair and nails (no colour though). All these things made the difference in my career and in my life. As have the extraordinary network of Armani friends and fellow alumni. Molly, Anna, Caroline, Linda, Deirdre, Mitie, Jenna, Robert, John, Anoushka and many more.
For Armani, work was life, and life was work. To the end. This week, the world and Milan in particular, has come out in force to honour him and his legacy.
Isabelle Harvie-Watt is a brand expert with over 25 years of experience running global marketing, communications and PR, in house for big luxury groups such as Giorgio Armani. She is co-founder of Anima & Co, a consultancy
