Fashion Armani wants to retire in "two or three years"

SDA

13.10.2024 - 12:00

Designer Giorgio Armani greets the audience at the end of a fashion presentation in Milan in September. (archive picture)
Designer Giorgio Armani greets the audience at the end of a fashion presentation in Milan in September. (archive picture)
Keystone

At the age of 90, Italy's famous fashion designer Giorgio Armani is openly thinking about retirement. "I can give myself two or three more years at the head of the company. No more, that would be negative," the fashion designer told the newspaper "Corriere della Sera".

Armani said he was dreaming of a future in which he would no longer have to be the one to say "yes" or "no" and make the decisions.

For a long time, Armani left open the question of how his successful brand, which the Italian has been running for almost 50 years, will continue. He always kept his succession plans under wraps and refrained from developing a successor. When asked in an interview whether his current right-hand man, Leo Dell'Orco, could take over, Armani said vaguely that he had already established a clear structure for those who took over after him to follow.

Armani rejected all takeover offers

He could not afford more than two or three years at the helm of Armani. "I don't sleep at night. I no longer know the deep, peaceful sleep I used to have. Now I dream at night, and in my dreams I build my future," explained Armani. In the future, he sees himself in one of his homes, surrounded by people who are familiar and close to him.

Armani also revealed that he had recently received "somewhat more persistent" approaches to his company from potential external investors. "But at the moment I don't see any opportunities," Armani emphasized. The fashion industry has been dominated by large luxury conglomerates for some time now. Armani has always strictly rejected all takeover bids, citing the independence he values.

SDA