Giorgio Armani - The Businessman, the Designer and the Brand

Armani was known for his classic minimalist style, which eliminated unnecessary frills and embellishments, to create clothes that were elegant in their simplicity. In contrast to some of his fellow designers like Gianni Versace (Versace), who used bright colors and bold designs, Armani preferred a neutral palette with simple cuts. He was of the opinion that fashion should evolve rather than change drastically from year to year. He commented in 2003 that he had "always tried to do things that are new but that can be combined with what you've already got in your wardrobe." Armani fans often said that his clothes never went out of fashion...

By 2004, Armani had not identified a successor to his fashion house. There was also a clear lack of a second-in-command at the house. Even though Armani's sister and his two nieces were closely involved with the business, analysts doubted that he would name any of them as his successor. While some people admired Armani for remaining active and completely involved, even at the age of 70, analysts began to increasingly feel that he was behaving in an arrogant and irresponsible manner by not marking out a succession plan. Analysts felt that arrogance was one of Armani's shortcomings...