Origins, method, future
ARMANI / Archivio is the project dedicated to building and reactivating the archive of Giorgio Armani on the occasion of the brand’s fiftieth anniversary.
It is a research and documentation initiative that interprets heritage as a living journey, deeply rooted in the present and oriented toward the future: a living legacy that is, at once, rediscovery and inspiration.
The archive gathers looks preserved by the company from 1975 to the present. Through conservation and documentation efforts, it enables the exploration of collections, the reconstruction of timelines, and a deeper understanding of design codes. At the heart of the archive is the look—a synthesis of the creative process that encompasses the design of garments, the attitude of the body, and the orchestration of atmospheres. Each item presented by ARMANI / Archivio is a testament to a creative gesture; every detail reveals the evolution and consistency of forms, materials, silhouettes, and intentions—elements that constitute the living matter of a vision that has transcended fashion codes to become a cultural language to be read and reinterpreted.
Starting from the archival valorization of the first prêt-à-porter line, ARMANI / Archivio reconstructs Giorgio Armani’s creative path through an ongoing process of study, cataloging, and interpretation. In this sense, the project strengthens the foundation of a distinct corporate vision, while also expressing a gesture of openness and dialogue with the global community.
Structured on multiple levels, ARMANI / Archivio is a space for cataloging, a place for consultation and discovery, and an open window onto the definition of Giorgio Armani’s style. At the heart of the project is an extraordinary archive, where all the looks, garments, images, and information are preserved and studied as part of a complex language. It serves as a center of coherence for the company—connecting the various realms of a global reality that speaks many languages and finds in the archive a fundamental point of reference.
This work of research and documentation also reaches the public through the ARMANI / Archivio platform. Here, thematic releases invite users to explore the collected documents with the eyes of an archivist—following paths made of details, connections, and references. It is a rare and, in many ways, unique gesture of openness: ARMANI / Archivio is open to the public through exhibitions or displays, but it is most of all an authentic space for consultation and research.
Alongside materials available for open consultation, ARMANI / Archivio also offers selected archival garments for purchase—promoting the circulation and cultural valorization of fashion’s material heritage.
ARMANI / Archivio is a valuable instrument for the company, as well as a unique resource for scholars, creatives, and enthusiasts. A living space capable of inspiring new visions. To enter this archive is to gain the rare opportunity to travel through fifty years of creative evolution and coherence: an extraordinary living legacy that illustrates Giorgio Armani’s style, continuing to surprise, move, and guide our gaze toward the future.
