Giorgio Armani, one of the biggest names in the fashion industry, stands for high-fashion and style. The legendary brand designs a gamut of products for men and women, ranging from haute couture to home interiors.
Trends come and go; they are not permanent. But style is permanent! Just like painting, music, or designing, the sense of style comes from deep within a person.
“Style is very personal. It has nothing to do with fashion. Fashion is over quickly. Style is forever.”
– Ralph Lauren
While it is true that trends within the fashion industry change very quickly, it provides a suitable environment to express one’s style to the fullest. Fashion brands such as Gucci, Chanel and Giorgio Armani have been at the forefront of the fashion industry and provide fashion designers and creative artists a platform to express their “styles” to the best of their abilities.
Here is a video on Armani’s Latest collection: “Giorgio Armani Privé | Haute Couture | Spring Summer 2021”
One of the most important elements that attract audiences to brands is their visual identities. Fashion brands put in a lot of effort to express their style through their visual identities. They realize that they can communicate their fashion through their logos. The most iconic fashion brands have some of the most memorable visual identities ever. Whether it be Louis Vuitton or Gucci, their logos have never failed to amaze its audiences.
Giorgio Armani: A Brief History
The history of Armani, the brand, begins with Giorgio Armani, the founder, joining the army in 1953. After Armani joined the forces, he was designated to serve at the Military Hospital in Verona since he had studied Medicine for three years at the University of Milan. During his days in the military, he would often visit the Arena, a Roman amphitheater, for shows. His visits to the amphitheater had a profound effect on him that eventually led him to choose a different career.
In the mid-1960s, the legendary fashion designer joined the Nino Cerruti Company, a top fashion house. In Cerruti, Armani designed menswear, which quickly became the talk of the town. His designs were sought by the rich and famous.
During his Cerruti days, Armani also freelanced for top fashion manufacturers, which caught the attention of Sergio Galeotti, an architectural draftsman. In 1975, together with Galeotti, Armani formed the legendary fashion brand, Giorgio Armani. In the same year, Armani presented his first men’s and women’s ready-to-wear ‘Spring and Summer Collection 1976.’
Armani’s agreement with Gruppo Finanzario Tessile in 1978 helped him create a favorable environment for his ready-to-wear apparel. He founded the Giorgio Armani Corporation in 1979, which helped him begin production in America. His Spring-Summer collections became extremely popular in the US, which prompted him to introduce several product lines such as Giorgio Armani Accessories and Giorgio Armani Underwear and Swimwear.
Giorgio Armani Logo: Meaning
Armani uses different logos for its various product lines, but the legendary fashion brand mainly uses two visual identities.
The first logo is one of the most recognized visual identities in the world – the eagle insignia. The eagle is simply designed out of horizontal lines. The eagle majestically has its spread and the head turned towards the right. The wordmark beautifully sits beneath the regal emblem.
The eagle is one of those symbols that have multiple meanings attached to it. When used in a logo, an eagle could depict the following:
- Regal
- Courage
- Ambition
- Pride
- Style
- Well being
- Power
- Sky
- Inspiration
- Freedom
- Speed
- Victory
The eagle has been adopted as a symbol by countries such as the US, Australia and Germany. The regal bird also depicts light and goodness.
In the Armani logo, the eagle’s head is turned towards the right evoking a sense of style. The emblem symbolizes freedom and inspiration.
The second logo that the fashion giant uses is an elegant-looking monogram. The monogram is composed using the initials of the founder’s name: “G” and “A.” The letters have been designed to resemble a circle.
The monogram symbolizes balance, style and elegance, which perfectly resonate with the brand’s essence.
Giorgio Armani logo: Evolution
Since its inception in 1975, the luxury fashion house has never changed its visual identity. This section is dedicated to how a logo has evolved for a brand over the years. Since Armani has never changed its logo, there is not much to say, except the two emblems in use are timeless pieces of art.
Giorgio Armani Logo: Color Palette
Both the logos have been composed using a monochromatic color scheme. The black and white color palette evokes a sense of style. Black and white is always in opposition, but when the two are combined in a logo, they may portray elegance, sophistication, and finesse.
Giorgio Armani Logo: Font
The wordmark has been executed using a conventional serif typeface. The font appears very close to the An Education font. The font complements the eagle and the monogram very well. The classic font is simple yet elegant, which perfectly describes the essence of the fashion giant.
Giorgio Armani Logo Evaluation
All great logos have certain similar qualities about them. These qualities or design elements make a logo truly iconic. We measure a logo using four essential design elements, namely Relevancy, Memorability, Simplicity and Timelessness. So let’s quickly test both the Armani logos.
Relevant
The world today is defined by speed. The unimaginable technological height that humans have achieved in the last two decades is beyond comparison. As a result, the attention span of the average person has dramatically declined. In a world defined by speed and limited attention of people, it is good to remain relevant.
Businesses across the world are experimenting with ways to express its relevance in a matter of seconds. A good logo not only attracts people with its catchy design, but it also lets the customers know what the company does.
Both the logos in use by Giorgio Armani pack an immense punch with their design and relevance. The eagle insignia symbolizes style and fashion, while the monogram represents balance and grace.
Memorability
A memorable logo creates interest in its audiences as soon as they see it the first time. A customer can connect with the brand when they can remember it; therefore, designers and businesses must create logos that are both attractive and easy to remember.
Big brands know the importance of the memorability element in a logo. As a result, top companies across the world have devised new ways to attract the attention of customers within seconds. Today, logos not only narrate the brand story but also work like magnets attracting people!
The Armani logos never fail to attract its audiences. The eagle emblem enthralls its audiences with its regality and the monogram attracts the viewers with its elegance.
Simplicity
Simplicity is a key design ingredient that turns a logo into an iconic symbol. In fact, a simple logo may carry relevance and memorability in its bosom perfectly; hence, a simple logo is what a company should strive for. Think about the top brands in the world; they are the simplest of all. The half-eaten apple or just the “swoosh” symbol is enough to tell you which brand the symbols represent. The Apple or the Nike logos are the perfect examples of simple and minimalistic designs.
Read more: Minimalism in Logo Design – History, Benefits, Elements & Re-branding
The simple horizontal lines used in the Armani logo to depict an eagle can teach a designer a lot about minimalism in logo designs.
Timelessness
I began this blog by quoting Ralph Lauren; I will restate the same again: “Style is very personal. It has nothing to do with fashion. Fashion is over quickly. Style is forever.”
Just like style, finding the right design elements that remain effective and relevant over time is what a designer should seek. It is not always wise to follow the latest trends while designing a logo because it is bound to fade at some point.
Additionally, brands and designers should always strive to make the logos as unique as possible. A unique logo never fails to stand out from the crowd.
Just like the Armani logo, timeless logos are clutter-free, uncomplicated and to the point. Both the Giorgio Armani logos are simple, powerful and timeless.
The Verdict
There is absolutely no doubt that the Armani logos are among the best visual identities in the world! The logos are relevant, simple, minimalist, clutter-free, memorable and timeless!
Giorgio Armani Controversy
Giorgio Armani, the brand, has grown by leaps and bounds over the years; however, Giorgio Armani, the founder of the iconic fashion brand, has faced some criticism in the last few years. The Italian designer, last year, was criticized for comparing certain types of fashion trends to rape. In an interview, the 86-year-old said:“I think it’s time for me to say what I think. Women keep getting raped by designers, by us.”
“If a lady walks on the street and sees an ad with a woman (with clothes that reveal too much) in plain sight and she wants to be like that too, that’s a way of raping her.”
The legendary fashion designer was criticized for using the word “rape” lightly for the fashion trends he did not like.
Conclusion
In the ever-changing world of fashion, Giorgio Armani stands tall. From the legendary brand logo design to the breathtaking fashion line, the brand has many more seasons ahead of it.
Business Development Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the Media and Digital marketing sector, Passionate about innovation and bringing the future into new business solutions.
