GiorGio ArmAni

COVER STORY

COVER STORY

AN UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT

GIORGIO ARMANI CELEBRATES THE 10TH BIRTHDAY OF THE ARMANI HOTEL IN DUBAI AND TELLS US ALL ABOUT THE CITY THAT LOOKS TO THE FUTURE text Teresa Favi

FASHION ANNIVERSARY

“Elegance is not about being noticed, but about being remembered” is one of the most famous quotes by Giorgio Armani, the first Italian designer to believe in communicating with the world and his time and realize how important it is to assign meaning and value to luxury beyond fashion. Being “remembered” on special occasions, in all fields of life.

In 2010, on the first 39 floors of the world’s tallest

building, the Burj Khalifa, a needle pointing up at the sky with a total height of 829,8 meters and 160 floors, King Giorgio inaugurated in Dubai his Armani Hotel. Ten years later (+1 because of the pandemic), at the same time as the Expo 2020, Dubai was the setting for a special fashion show and an unforgettable night, the One Night Only, which landed in the Arabian Peninsula’s Emerald City after London in 2006, Tokyo in 2007, Beijing in 2012, Rome and New York in 2013 and Paris in 2014, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of

the opening of the Armani hotels

in Milan and Dubai.

How does this magical synergy of events make you feel?

“The Expo has always been a great boost for human creativity. I experienced it firsthand in Milan, with the opening of the Armani/Silos ( the exhibition space showcasing Giorgio Armani’s creative work, editor’s note). Now I am in Dubai, at the Expo again, but to celebrate my hotel’s 10th birthday with a special event”. With the One Night Only Dubai, Armani left his GA initials imprinted on the Emirate, although his presence was already very strong in this glittering metropolis by the sea. The 87-year-old fashion designer, in fact, owns a considerable number of stores, including the permanent flagship Giorgio Armani store at the Dubai Mall. The gem of his collection, however, is

the Armani Hotel which, with its ultramodern curved lines and polished concrete walls, now celebrates eleven years of activity.

Your sleek and sophisticated style, enriched with precious details, has become very popular in the Middle East. To what extent does this boost your creativity?

“ I am happy and proud to be here. The Middle East is the cradle of a new concept of luxury, synonymous with ongoing evolution and experimentation which draws on the roots and magic of a rich and deep culture capable of generating new creative energy”. And the One Night Only Dubai GIORGIO ARMANI stressed the importance of this special bond by sending down

RETURNED TO the runway 110 different looks,

DUBAI AFTER a medley of the Giorgio Armani ELEVEN YEARS TO CELEBRATE THE TENTH men’s and women’s spring/summer 2022 collections, with the glitz and glittering addition of Haute Couture Giorgio Armani

ANNIVERSARY Privé from the fall/winter 2021/22 OF THE OPENING Shine collection. The show was a OF THE ARMANI HOTELS WITH A NEW ONE NIGHT huge success: the bright catwalk wound sinuously along the hotel’s curvilinear form, with the city’s night lights and artificial lake with

ONLY STAGE fountain show in the background. The stylized metallic palm trees served as the backdrop to the event, with the word “mare” repeated over and over in the Italian songs playing as the soundtrack to the show. Among the celebrities sitting front row were British actor Clive Owen, Lily James- the famous Lady Rose MacClare from Downton Abbey- Sharon Stone wearing the designer’s portrait on her dress, Jurnee Smollet, the star of the Cosby TV series, American supermodel Taylor Hill and Marcell Jacobs, the world’s fastest man, and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin who, following the release of the Music of the Spheres band’s new album on October 15, unexpectedly performed

Giorgio Armani, designer and entrepreneur, is the symbol of the “Made in Italy” across the world. In the fashion business since 1965, he founded the fashion house named after him in 1975 (ph. Stephane Feugere)

The fashion shows was a medley of the Giorgio Armani men’s and women’s collections for spring/summer 2022 and a selection of Giorgio Armani Privé haute couture looks from the autumn/winter 2021/22

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1. Sharon Stone and Giorgio Armani 2.A memorable moment at the Armani Hotel Pavilion in Dubai as the lights of the metropolis provided the backdrop for the 110 looks that emerged on the catwalk 3. Marcell Jacobs 4.Lily James and Roberta Armani 5. Chris Martin and Giorgio Armani

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at the after party before 400 guests, including digni- highlighted the fashion designer’s bond with the city taries and high-ranking families of the United Arab of Dubai, to the point that, on those same days, Armani Emirates and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, such as Raya was granted the Golden Visa, a 10-year residence perAbirached, Hanan Sobati, Diana Haddad, Nahla Al mit in the Emirate for his contribution to the country.

Fahad, Raja Al Gurg. What makes Dubai so attractive right now?

A magnificent, unforgettable event, but planned in a “ I believe that Dubai is a truly dynamic place, a very modresponsible way. ern city with huge energy. I love the metropolitan lifestyle Is sustainability something that not even the fashion and when a city attracts attention, investments and busiindustry can ignore anymore? ness, it becomes a magnet for interest “The exponentially growing interest in more sustainable fashion caught us all by surprise, spurring us to speed 110 LOOKS SUMPTUOUS ing people. There is a side of Dubai that is very Armani-style and similar to my personality, a quality we share: up the process. It is not easy to do our PARADE it is definitely a place that looks to the job by respecting certain boundaries, AND AN EXCLUSIVE future, fast-changing, where there but it is necessary”. LIVE PERFORMANCE seem to be no limits to imagination. Driven by this awareness, Giorgio Armani works to make his production as sustainable as posBY COLDPLAY’S CHRIS MARTIN No other place in the world compares to the wonder of Dubai, conceived and developed for the sole purpose of sible: recyclable materials, LED IN CONJUNCTION amazing the world”. lights, hybrid or electric cars for WITH EXPO 2020 Speaking of the future, what do

guests and the promotion of eco- you predict for the fashion infriendly projects to make up for the greenhouse gas dustry?

emissions caused by guests flying in from all over the “Hard to say, but I believe that an osmosis process is hapworld. It is only the first step, of course, but well-pon- pening: people are increasingly beauty-oriented, without dered: a pathway to a different future. In addition to geographical or cultural distinction. If people like somestrengthening the idea of progress and sustainability, thing, they just use it, regardless of one’s origins or backtwo of Expo 2020’s key themes, the event has further ground. I’m glad.”