Quotes from Giorgio Armani

It is difficult to talk about fashion in the abstract, without a human body before my eyes, without drawings, without a choice of fabric - without a practical or visual reality.

A homosexual man is a man 100 per cent. He does not need to dress homosexual.

These designers have no reserve. They've chosen a path and thrown themselves onto it head first, regardless of everything. Whether or not their designs are sellable or vulgar. As long as it's new and people talk about it. That is the truth.

You can think you've made it and yet the next day's press will always be waiting for you, the public will always ask more of you. In short, you can always do better!

There can be nothing without love. No money, no power. Love is very important. When you wake up in the morning, you need to know that somebody else is waking up, thinking of you.

A well-maintained physique is a great business card. Ideas and intelligence are what matters, but if you have a well-maintained physique, it's better.

I get really frustrated when people say that a collection is not very 'Armani.' Iconic status can be like a pair of handcuffs, especially if, like me, you wish to continually stretch yourself creatively, as Warhol did.

My aesthetic is about simplicity, elegance, and comfort, whether that is interpreted in a man's suit or a track suit.

Remain true to yourself and your philosophy. Changing in the face of adversity will in fact diminish your credibility with your customers.

Remain true to yourself and your philosophy.

Style is having the courage of one's choices and the courage to say no. It's good taste and culture.

The creative universe begins with its essentiality, and, whatever path the imagination takes, ends with its purity.

I am impressed with America's capacity for change, and their ability to bring someone as inspirational as Barack Obama into the White House.

I don't have a formula to pass on. I always did it my own way. Even today, I hold my independence close. It's what's most precious to me. Passion. Risk. Tenacity. Consistency. This is my professional history.

That is always what I've had to do in life: to show I am capable of surviving.

This is very much my philosophy as a fashion designer. I have never believed in design for design's sake. For me, the most important thing is that people actually wear my clothes. I do not design for the catwalk or for magazine shoots - I design for customers.

When I started, I had nothing. Because my family was really, really, really poor.

Actually I am very glad that people can buy Armani - even if it's a fake. I like the fact that I'm so popular around the world.

Why do I put myself in a position to be cast aside or not considered as I would like to? Because I am a creative mind, because I still aspire to be one.

To create something exceptional, your mindset must be relentlessly focused on the smallest detail.

Milan is a true metropolis: strong and fearless but welcoming, too. Little by little, I came to realize that I could become someone here.

There are so many things to take into account - your ambition, your ego, the press, the consumers. You can never be sure that you'll be on top of the pile again.

I would say that my idea of style and my taste are the same as when I began: They express my deep appreciation of all that is simple and linear... I always want to keep up with the times but without altering the essential characteristics of my philosophy.

When I was younger, I never laughed. I was always sour. If I look at pictures of me from the past, I never see a smile. I think it came out of my insecurity. I had a lot of complexes.