In 2015, Giorgio Armani released a self-titled, photo-heavy, coffee table book via Rizzoli that chronicled his life—from his beginnings in war-torn Italy to the rise of the Armani empire that has solidified the designer’s place as one of the fashion greats. On May 30, the extension of that illustrated autobiography debuts in Per Amore, also out via Rizzoli. Only this time, Armani expounds on his own story, revealing the details of his life and life’s work, as well as the persona he’s built within the industry, in his own words.
While the previous text was much more image-driven, Per Amore is all about giving context to the designer’s personal history. Coupled with photographs that include private images from Armani’s own archives, the 88-year-old collected for the book a range of statements that have been made about Armani over the years—whether they came from the folks who know him best, or the designer himself. Using those statements, he recounts the events in detail, and then lingers, one by one, on the particular words that have inspired his life and artistic vision. Alongside his recollections, Armani also discusses in the book his current world outlook, his opinions on creativity, and what’s inspiring him these days.
The idea behind Per Amore is to provide inspiration for all, even those who don’t have ambitions to work in fashion. “I chose a title that is both soft and provocative, which is surprisingly representative of my character,” Armani said. “I am pragmatic and rational, but my actions all come from the heart. That is why the scattered thoughts collected in this book are written ‘out of love,’ [per amore].”
