Giorgio Armani: Fashion Legend, Unexpected Restaurateur

Giorgio Armani S.P.A.

Giorgio Armani is a living legend. The 84-year-old fashion designer pioneered so much more than the brand that bears his name. He crafted an entire lifestyle: sleekly styled menswear, red carpet couture, hotels and, yes, even eateries. You might not associate the man with the restaurant business, but it shouldn't be too shocking. He is Italian, after all. Without overstated fanfare, Armani has been installing high-end gourmet into his stores and boutiques for two solid decades.

His flagship boutique on 5th Avenue in New York is famous for its whimsical staircase, designed by another Italian visionary: Massimiliano Fuksas. Shoppers here ascend to the top and are greeted by a surprising site—a sleek, fully stocked cocktail bar centered within a world-class dining destination. Armani didn't just lend his name to this spectacle. In typical fashion, he had a hand in all of it. Here he opens up for the first time about the endeavor in an exclusive interview with Forbes.  Buon Appetito!
When did you first get the idea to incorporate restaurants into your designer stores?
It was back in 1998 when I decided to open the first Emporio Armani Caffè in Paris, thinking of a new concept to offer clients a break from shopping or a place for lunch or a drink after work. The format has been successful and replicated in many cities through years.

What inspired you to take the plunge?
I always wanted the Armani brand to become an expression of style as a lifestyle, of sophisticated simplicity as a sign of elegance in every field. Food, which is one of the most important elements of everyday life, could not be missing.
Describe the Italian culture as you’ve experienced it, and how it defines your approach to cuisine.
I think Italian cuisine is very versatile thanks to its variety and richness. I don’t like when it gets distorted. However, a small exotic influence or a touch of creativity can make it original and interesting.
How do you maintain involvement with your restaurants around the globe?
Those of restaurants and gastronomy are very specific areas, in which I can venture up to a certain point: the collaboration with experts of these fields is necessary. But as in every sphere I work, I maintain my spirit as a perfectionist; everything that bears my signature must pass my approval.
How would you describe the style of food served there?
The restaurants and cafes around the world fully express my philosophy and my aesthetic vision, even if in a different way, completing the Armani experience. The dishes served respect the same menu, which takes inspiration from the tradition of Italian cuisine adding some unusual detail, which changes seasonally. For interior decoration in general I try to respect the sensitivity and culture of the places where I find myself, always bringing that sense of simplicity and comfort that I want to express through my style.
How is design taken into consideration in these dining spaces? And in how the food is conceived and prepared?
Design counts very much: it is the first impact of the place and I would suggest the idea of natural refinement, a place where food and atmosphere complement each other in a harmonious whole.  Regarding food, I would say the precision of the balance, the harmony of the combinations and a very careful selection of raw materials and ingredients. The contemporaneity for me starts from the classic: it does not distort it, while focusing on experimentation and innovation.
What makes this particular location so special?
I thought it would be an exciting challenge to open a restaurant that features contemporary design combined with fine Italian taste in the very heart of Manhattan. Armani/Ristorante is on the top-floor of my concept store Armani 5th Avenue and offers great views of 5th Avenue, with Central Park in the background. I wanted it to be both a stopping-off point after a long day of shopping, offering an elegant and relaxed atmosphere, and an independent venue, where people can go and enjoy exclusive dishes, impeccable service and a unique, sophisticated setting.
Noah Fecks
