How Giorgio Armani mastered the art of outfitting Hollywood stars to sell clothes to the masses

The death of Giorgio Armani marks the passing of one of Italy’s most influential fashion designers.

As someone who studies the intersection of fashion, media and entertainment, I think one of the designer’s most impressive feats is how he harnessed Hollywood to extend the global reach of his brand.

Born in Piacenza in 1934, Armani abandoned medical school in 1954 to work at Milan’s La Rinascente department store. There, he developed a passion for fabrics and first learned about fashion licensing, a business strategy that allowed brands to sell luxury designs at affordable prices to middle-class customers.

Observing how the licensed lines of fashion designer Pierre Cardin retailed at La Rinascente at lower prices, Armani came to understand that diversifying a brand to appeal to different customer groups could be a profitable strategy for global expansion.

When he went off on his own in 1975 to co-found his own brand with architect Sergio Galeotti, Armani soon found success by executing simple, relaxed tailoring that rejected the stiff formality of traditional suits.

In 1978, he signed an agreement with Gruppo Finanziario Tessile to produce luxury, ready-to-wear clothing under his close supervision. That deal gave rise to the Giorgio Armani Corporation and its multiple lines aimed at international markets.

Introducing affordable luxury to America

Armani’s first ready-to-wear line debuted in the U.S. in 1979.

The designer had appointed Edward Glantz, a former employee at Barney’s New York, as the product development coordinator for Giorgio Armani U.S.

Glantz was tasked with adapting Armani’s products for Americans, who were accustomed to low-maintenance, affordable clothing. He worked to ensure the designs retained their relaxed elegance by using permanent-press fabrics, which require less ironing than natural fibers, while incorporating cheaper materials to reduce costs.

In Milan, Armani’s jackets retailed for US$600, while his suits went for $800. In the U.S., prices for his sports and formal-wear lines ranged from $150 to $450, and could be found at department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman and Nan Dusking.

But many Americans encountered Armani’s clothes for the first time while watching the 1980 film “American Gigolo.” The protagonist, Julian Kay, a high-priced escort played by Richard Gere, wears lightweight Armani suits that can be worn with a tie for a formal look or paired with jeans and a polo shirt for a more casual style. Part of the trick for this relaxed look involved using softer textiles that were commonly used for womenswear.

As fashion scholar John Potvin noted, “The film introduced American audiences to a visual style which has been much imitated since. Its wardrobe launched Giorgio Armani in the U.S. and … consolidated Richard Gere’s sex symbol image.”

The designs featured in the film came from the white label Armani Collezioni – Armani’s more affordable line targeted at American consumers – meaning audiences could watch Julian’s wardrobe on screen and purchase the similar pieces in stores.

Over the course of the decade, power dressing – donning outfits that communicate authority, competence and confidence – was in vogue, further fueling the popularity of Armani’s sleek, broad-shouldered suits. In 1982, Armani became just the second designer in history to appear on the cover of Time magazine.

But Hollywood is where he continued to flex his brand’s muscles. Over the years, he outfitted characters in more than 200 films.

Titles such as “The Untouchables” (1987) and, more recently, “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013) featured hard-charging leads who donned Armani suits, reinforcing the brand’s reputation as a symbol of style and power. During this time, Armani managed to earn a reputation as a master tailor, even though his suits were 70% machine-made and partially manufactured in Hong Kong.

Selling ‘prestige and dreams’

Recognizing the importance of celebrity exposure, Armani hired Wanda McDaniel in 1988 as his West Coast liaison to coordinate Hollywood A-listers’ wardrobes for on- and off-screen appearances.

A former journalist turned Hollywood housewife, McDaniel had observed how entrepreneur Fred Hayman had pampered clients at his Rodeo Drive boutique, Giorgio Beverly Hills – no relation to Armani – making him the go-to outfitter for Hollywood elites.

She worked to apply that same VIP treatment for clients at Armani’s newly inaugurated Rodeo Drive flagship store, which opened in August 1988 to cater to Hollywood celebrities and what the Los Angeles Times described as “the generic working rich.”

In the 1990s, McDaniel became the president of the Rodeo Drive Committee, a nonprofit organization for local business and property owners to shape and promote the shopping district. It had been founded by Hayman, who was also serving as the Oscars’ fashion coordinator.

Armani soon became regularly name-dropped during media coverage of the red carpet, with commentators gushing over the Armani dresses – and, sometimes, unisex suits – that actresses donned as they posed for the cameras. Armani later said that the gowns worn at the Oscars were always the first to sell out in his collections.

The designer’s awareness of the entertainment industry’s promotional power only grew over time, with the company’s Entertainment Industry Relations department – which is still active – overseeing celebrity relationships and styling for the company’s various lines. This paved the way for other fashion houses to establish their own in-house VIP teams.

Reflecting on the significance of the red carpet to his career, Armani once said, “It is about prestige and dreams, but those lead to dollars and cents.”

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Elizabeth Castaldo Lundén, University of Southern California

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Elizabeth Castaldo Lundén receives funding from Fulbright and The Kluge Center.