Giorgio Armani: A|X Armani Exchange

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Retail Presentation :: A|X Armani Exchange (in-house) :: 1991-1995
Comprehensive
Fall 1992

When I first joined the company, the plan was just to bring Armani Jeans to the U.S. By the time we finished, we had an award-winning new brand with stores in every major city in America. Armani Exchange now has over 200 stores around the world.

This was a breakthrough role for me and was my first true experience in brand alchemy.

I got to collaborate directly with industry leaders in fashion, retail, and interior design, gaining more real-world creative insight in a single meeting than you’d find in a semester of college. I also had some awesome responsibilities, working on nearly every aspect of the project:

Concept development :: Branding :: Fixture design and engineering

Materials and finishes :: Lighting :: Sound systems

Custom air fragrance development :: Music programming

Packaging development and sourcing :: Equipment design

Staff training :: Training materials :: Merchandising :: POS collateral

Visual display :: Signage :: Stationery :: POS systems :: Store roll-out

Our key influences:

Pierre Charreau’s Maison de Verre
for the overall style, translucent wall panels,
materials, and details

Pierre Charreau’s Quonset Studio for Motherwell

for space and form

Pantelleria
(Mr. Armani’s island getaway)
for lifestyle and weathered finishes

Army Post Exchange (PX)
for organization, presentation, and eventually the name of the store

Milan
for overhead cables and lighting
(real Milan streetlights were imported
for the early stores)

Green grocers and butcher shops
for bins, butcher wrap, and stickers