Armani in the house

First, it was couture. Now, with the Armani/Casa collection for the home, Giorgio Armani tells THERESA MANAVALAN he’s creating the complete concept of an Armani lifestyle

LAST Thursday, the 80th Armani/Casa store in the world officially opened in Kuala Lumpur’s Starhill Gallery. Inside is a collection of furniture, tableware, decorative accessories, fabrics, ornaments, lighting, as well as ideas for the bathroom and the kitchen that bear Giorgio Armani’s philosophy of style.

With them comes an advisory service on the interiors of private individuals and property developers.

The store has a distinctive Armani atmosphere, its lighting both highlighting and diffusing the shape, form and texture of its merchandise and spaces as a whole.

The store is now displaying the 2008 For Him/For Her collection, the limited editions Antoinette and Adelchi (only 50 pieces in the world) and another important protagonist of the permanent collection, The Bridge Kitchen.

Armani/Casa, which began in Milan in 2000, now has stores in 45 countries and plans to expand in Asia. Its local partner is Ideal Worlds, a company of the YTL Corporation Berhad.

In an email interview, Giorgio Armani talks about his ideas for Armani/Casa:

What exact piece was your very first furniture/interior accessory design?

The Logo lamp is the first Armani/Casa product designed in 1982 for an event at the Emporio Armani store in Milan. This later become the Armani/Casa “logo”. The inspiration was the Far East but it’s contemporary in simplicity and shape. The lamp is still available in different, precious finishings and I also have it in most of my private houses.

When you started in fashion, did you see an interiors business coming?

At the end of the 90s, after almost 20 years of fashion, it simply seemed very natural to move into interiors. The objective was to bring my philosophy of style to the world of home interiors and in so doing, create the complete concept of an Armani lifestyle. With Armani/Casa, I present my ideal for living, my dream of the perfect environment which is an intimate, sophisticated space in which to relax, unwind and entertain guests, surrounded by beauty in furniture and objects for the home.

You revolutionised the structure (and thus the aesthetic) of the jacket in the 1970s. Can we expect a similar effect on interiors?

I don’t want to revolutionise anyone’s home. My only concern is comfort and practicality but always combined with understated elegance and sophistication. This was my “revolution” in clothing as well — focusing on the need for practicality. With Armani/Casa I am not expecting to innovate, but rather to fulfil some basic requirements at home with a personal touch and style.

Is there a particular item or space that you like to work on or a piece of furniture or accessory that particularly appeals to you?

I have a total approach to homes and I think every single room plays an important part. I am not so keen on open spaces in general as they tend to mix functions, forms and rituals. My ideal home is rather articulated in independent spaces, yet compatible for their aesthetic language.

Having said that, I must point out that I have recently focused my attention on the kitchen, adding a new system called The Bridge.

What do you think is the most important thing about a kitchen?

For The Bridge kitchen, I had researched materials and finishes that would enable me to transform a functional space into a sophisticated environment where it would be a pleasure to relax and spend time in.

The concern with aesthetics was matched with respect for practicality – the kitchen had to work for people in their daily lives. From the very first, I wanted it to have a natural feel. I don’t like hyper-technological and antiseptic kitchens. So I asked my designers to look for special materials that could combine practicality with a natural look.

We settled on sukupira Brazilian wood of the bridges, the bronze metal with a nest texture and technical fabrics which cover the shelves and drawers. All these are both glamorous and functional at the same time.

I am not a great cook but the kitchen is where personal relationships are fostered and confidences exchanged. That’s one reason why I have concentrated on this area in Armani/Casa for the past couple of seasons. I have developed lots of new ideas about kitchen design that I find really interesting.

What would you say is the principal difference or differences between the personal wear aesthetic and the aesthetic that governs the spaces we live in?

In the first case, experimentation and the “ephemeral” are easier. At home you always need to ponder your choices carefully as furnishing are durable products. You don’t buy sofas every season. Still I believe that at home you need to refresh the look with textiles, accessories and little details that create a new emotion and to “rejuvenate” the environment.

What motivates/inspires you for Armani/Casa merchandise?

I am particularly inspired by the 30s and 40s. I appreciate some of the big “masters” the most — Jean-Michel Franck, Pierre Chareau, Eileen Gray as well as the Far Eastern cultures for their sophistication and the careful attention to the person.

Does Armani/Casa go into cafes, restaurants and hotels that bear your label?

The Armani Hotels & Resorts will be launched together with Emaar Properties next year, with the first Armani Hotel and Armani Residences in Dubai at the Burj Dubai. We plan to open at least seven luxury hotels and three resorts around the world in the next 10 years.

These will be a further extension of the Armani lifestyle offer. The idea was in part inspired by my work on Armani/Casa, because I started to see how the collection would look when applied to real spaces. Hotels usually lack privacy and the decor doesn’t make me feel like I’m in a luxurious place at all. My hotels aim to effectively bring my vision of hospitality to life — from room designs to carefully selected textiles and fabrics and impeccable service.

Have you ever bought back an Armani/Casa item?

Many times. I frequently change my mind and I like to renovate the collection constantly.

You trained as a medical doctor. Are you applying some of that into furniture design?

I suppose my attention to people’s needs might have some connections to this. But then it goes beyond that, as it is also related to an aesthetic dimension.

What does your own home look like?

I own seven houses and a boat, a kind of “floating villa”. However, my house in Milan is where I spend Monday to Friday. It is a perfect refuge where I am surrounded by harmony of colours and shapes that influence my feelings and mood.

I have been living here since 1982. It has smoothly reflected the changes in my life. It is my very first “mature age” house and mirrors my tastes and my passions. I love living with natural, elemental colours. They are serene and relaxing and serve as the perfect backdrop for art. The colours of the interior have always remained the same beige, black and the colour of parchment.