Tribute to Giorgio Armani and His Timeless Icon: the Deconstructed Blazer
If one name has recently echoed through the fashion world, it is undoubtedly Giorgio Armani. The legendary Italian designer, who passed away just weeks ago, leaves behind more than a fashion house—he leaves a manifesto of modern elegance.
“Elegance is not being noticed, but being remembered.”
From Window Displays to Design Studios
Born in 1934 in Piacenza, Armani grew up amid the hardships of the Second World War before discovering fashion almost by chance while working as a window dresser at Milan’s La Rinascente. In 1964, he joined Hitman, a pioneering Milanese menswear manufacturer owned by Nino Cerruti. There, Armani immersed himself in the mechanics of industrial tailoring and began experimenting with softer constructions, natural shoulders, and lighter fabrics. These years at Hitman were decisive: they nurtured the idea of the deconstructed blazer, a jacket freed from heavy linings and stiff padding, designed to follow the body’s natural lines and move with fluidity. In an era dominated by the rigid tailoring of the 1970s, this was nothing short of revolutionary.
THE DEBUT IN HAUTE COUTURE
Armani presented his first collection as an independent designer in 1974 at Florence’s Palazzo Pitti, a debut that announced a fresh, modern Italian vision to the international fashion scene and paved the way for the global success that would soon follow.
By the mid-1970s, Armani broke into prêt-à-porter and almost instantly forged the androgynous, minimalist aesthetic that has defined his name for more than three decades. Employing natural, earth-toned fabrics in simple yet impeccable constructions, he aligned himself with the purist ideals of Bauhaus theory and earned the label of a postmodernist. His clothing offered a relaxed sensuality—luxurious yet unforced—that continues to resonate with contemporary fashion lovers. In Martin Scorsese’s Made in Milan (1990), Armani famously demonstrated his philosophy by theatrically tearing the lining from a jacket, revealing the technical artistry behind his seemingly effortless fit.
Giorgio Armani Womenswear
Spring-Summer 1980
“The collection is distinguished by a sartorial elegance that combines rigour and femininity in a refined and modern way”
Armani’s influence reshaped not only menswear but also women’s fashion and culture. As the workplace opened to a new generation of professional women in the late 1970s, he pioneered “dress for success” attire, offering an alternative to both the relaxed sexiness of American design and the ornate femininity of French couture. His softly tailored jackets—adapted to the female form as early as 1977—paired with wide-cut palazzo pants, culottes, or pleated skirts, gave women chic yet authoritative suits that balanced power and seduction. In 1979, the same year he received the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award, Armani translated the luxurious fabrics and understated cuts of his runway collections into ready-to-wear pieces that reached a global audience.
HOLLYWOOD WEARS ARMANI
The decisive breakthrough came in 1980 when cinema propelled his vision to a global audience. In American Gigolo, Richard Gere selects his outfits from a wardrobe filled exclusively with Armani creations. In a mere two minutes of screen time, the deconstructed blazer captured Hollywood, fashion magazines, and soon, the wardrobes of men and women everywhere.
Legacy and Collectible Icons
Today, one of the earliest women’s suits featuring the iconic jacket can be admired at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, dating back to 1979.
Vintage collectors still chase rare examples, such as a greige model—Armani’s own blend of gray and beige—available on Vestiaire Collective, or a 1990s men’s tuxedo sourced from Italian archives.
Vintage Giorgo Armani unstructured blazer from the 90’s:
HOW TO PAIR IT…
Versatile and timeless, the blazer pairs effortlessly with tailored trousers or jeans, a crisp shirt or a casual polo, classic lace-ups or loafers. More than a garment, Armani’s blazer embodies a philosophy: relaxed sophistication, liberated from convention, and still the ultimate expression of effortless elegance.
