Armani Unveils Digital Archive as Founder Plans Succession
Venice, Italy – Giorgio Armani has launched Armani/Archivio, a complete digital platform granting public access to a curated selection of the fashion house’s 50-year creative history, coinciding with a period of planned leadership transition. The initiative, unveiled during the Venice International Film Festival, aims to preserve and showcase the brand’s legacy as the 91-year-old designer prepares for a “progressive succession” benefiting close collaborators and family, as recently reported in the Financial Times.
The long-term project digitizes hundreds of sketches, photographs, silhouettes, and accessories from the brand’s physical archives, located near armani’s Milan headquarters. Currently, 57 looks are available for public viewing on the platform (https://archivio.armani.com/en),accessible in both Italian and English,with filtering options by season,gender,line,and signature Armani stylistic themes like “sculpt,” “superimpose,” “deconstruct,” and “draper.”
Beyond the digital access, Armani plans physical activations including the re-release of vintage pieces in key cities – Milan (beige), Beijing (red), Paris (blue), and New York (black) – each featuring a curated selection and signature color scheme.
The move aligns with a broader trend in luxury fashion, with houses like Gucci and Dior opening their archives to reinforce brand authenticity and transmit core design codes. According to Armani, the project “strengthens the foundations of a distinct corporate vision, while expressing a gesture of openness and dialogue with the international community.”
