BLOG: Giorgio Armani: The Designer Who Dressed an Era
The Gigolo Effect
It was 1980. Director Paul Schrader was shooting a sexy, moody film about a male escort in Los Angeles — American Gigolo. Richard Gere was the lead, and his role wasn’t just about acting; it was about style. The character had to wear power, seduction, and sophistication all at once.
Enter Giorgio Armani.
Instead of the stiff, heavy suits of the ’70s, Armani gave Gere something entirely new: soft tailoring. Jackets unlined and unstructured. Shirts open at the collar. Suits in shades of beige, taupe, and soft grey instead of banker’s black. Clothes that moved with the body instead of against it.
When Richard Gere famously lays out his Armani suits in that iconic dressing scene, he wasn’t just getting ready for the night — he was showing the world what a new decade of fashion was going to look like.
Defining the 1980s Look
The movie made Armani a household name in America almost overnight. Suddenly, men wanted the Armani look — effortless, sensual, confident. The “power suit” of the 1980s didn’t come from Wall Street; it came from American Gigolo.
What Armani did in that film rippled everywhere:
- Soft shoulders replaced stiff padding.
- Neutral palettes replaced loud colors.
- Luxury fabrics became a kind of quiet wealth.
- And most importantly: fashion became aspirational storytelling.
Beyond Hollywood
Armani’s Hollywood moment wasn’t a one-off. He went on to dress countless films, stars, and red carpets. But American Gigolo was the spark. It proved fashion could be a character in its own right — and Armani was the director of that narrative.
By the end of the 1980s, Armani wasn’t just a designer. He was an empire. The Armani logo signaled elegance from Milan to Manhattan, his influence reshaping everything from business attire to evening wear.
Why It Still Matters
Look around today: relaxed tailoring, monochrome dressing, quiet luxury. All of it traces back to Armani’s vision — and to that moment Richard Gere’s character pulled on a perfectly draped Armani blazer in 1980.
Fashion isn’t just fabric. It’s culture. It’s character.
And in American Gigolo, Giorgio Armani dressed not just a man, but a decade.
— Suzie