Giorgio Armani Explains How He Left Medicine to Become a Designer in His New Autobiography
Giorgio Armani is offering an intimate look at his life—in his own words.
Dubbed Per Amore, the Italian designer’s new autobiography—offering a collection of memories and stories about his childhood, family, and namesake brand—was released in the United States on Tuesday. The tome is published by Rizzoli, and is said to be a more “direct” book than the tome the publisher released in 2015 to mark the brand’s 40th anniversary.
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Per Amore opens with a recollection of the famed designer’s childhood and interest in becoming a physician. Reading A.J. Cronin’s books on being a country doctor made an impact on the designer, sparking his interest in going into medicine. But after two years of studying, Armani writes he realized he didn’t have the focus to take the demanding subject. He later joined the military in 1955. During two years of active duty, the designer recalls bringing along a “small wardrobe for all occasions” which included a tennis racquet that officers requested he send back home.
He illustrates the book with never-before-seen images that highlight the designer’s unique trajectory in fashion. After getting a gig as a window dresser at Milan’s La Rinascente, Armani got his “first professional job” in fashion working with the store’s menswear buyers. He eventually left to work with legendary tailor Nino Cerruti at Hitman in 1965. While there, he made history with his deconstructed jackets that provided men with a new look. “I lived as though I were holding my breath,” Armani told WWD of his experience. “Most people thought I wouldn’t be able to make it, all except the people closest to me.”
The 88-year-old designer launched his eponymously-named brand in 1975 as a menswear label. It has gone on to expand its offerings to include women’s ready-to-wear, haute couture, cosmetics, fragrances, shoes, and a high-end line of home furnishings. The designer’s family—including his sister Rosanna, nephew Andrea Camerana, nieces Silvana and Roberta, as well as his right-hand man Leo Dell’Orco—are pictured throughout his new book, alongside images of a dapper 8-year-old Armani dressed up for his first communion.
As for the title, which translates to “for love” in English, Armani says he wanted something that would capture his core motivation in his personal and professional lives. “I chose a title that is both soft and provocative, which is surprisingly representative of my character,” Armani says in a statement. “I am pragmatic and rational, but my actions all come from the heart. That is why the scattered thoughts collected in this book are written ‘out of love’.”
Per Amore by Giorgio Armani
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