The Italian Fashion Way

In 1975 Giorgio Armani created his first own brand. During the '60s and '70s, the irreverent but classic Giorgio became known for being the most prominent creative designer in Nino Cerruti's atelier. In the early 80s, Giorgio Armani was still in his infancy as a fashion entrepreneur but was committed to developing diverse stylistic lines. Having recently left Cerruti to set up his own company, he began his independent activity with haute couture and "prêt-à-porter" fashion. It wasn't long before a perfume line was announced. At the time, it was legitimate for a prestigious designer brand to strive for the conception of a product such as a distinctive, high-end perfume. Combining his creative genius with a well-planned "entrepreneur" capacity, he gave birth to "Emporio Armani" for fashion and high-end fragrances, "Giorgio Armani" for more conventional Italian fashion and fragrances, "Armani Collezioni" for more affordable value clothing, and "Armani Privé" for haute couture and perfumery.

In the still contemporary history of the Armani Profumi the first two fragrances that were launched stand out very clearly. Their components and the mastery with which the blending was done make them the coveted target of many current perfume enthusiasts.

In 1982, Ron Winnegrad was the perfumer chosen to make Giorgio Armani's first eponymous perfume when the latter was still rehearsing timid steps in the fashion world. Launched in 1982, Armani Parfum is an animalistic feminine aldehydic floral chypre balanced with woods and florals, and an ultimate approach to the type of fragrances typical of the 70s. As expected, this was an intense perfume where the main notes like tuberose play a very important role. For those who are familiar with the perfumes of this era, this fragrance may not come as a surprise. Ron Winnegrad had a penchant for dry aromatics and complex structures with a profusion of notes. In this way, he created a very dense and lively perfume both in its "Parfum" and "Eau de Toilette" versions. The bottles were faceted and had a characteristic cap in the shape of a half sphere.

The opening recalls the tradition of the 60s and 70s, using typical 80s notes like bergamot, galbanum and aldehydes. A touch of innovation, accentuating the perfume's sweet green hue, also justified the use of marigold, pineapple and mint.
In the heart, we find the traditional notes of rose, tuberose and jasmine, as well as some cyclamen, lily and a very light orchid. Also at this stage, some differentiation was needed and strong notes of narcissus and orris root were also used.
At the base, the mandatory oak moss, sandalwood and cedarwood gave it a woody background. However, it added a certain dose of boldness with a musky, creamy chord consisting of civet, benzoin, tonka and amber notes.
The sillage and projection were very pronounced, and the scent lasted an eternity. Nowadays, and due to IFRA regulations, it is practically impossible to make a similar perfume due to the prohibition of using ingredients such as the type of natural oak moss that was used "back in the day".

This must be the main reason why this perfume has been discontinued so long ago and without a glimpse of a re-edition. Armani's commercial strategy may also contribute to this fact, as it concentrates its efforts in other directions planned for its Privé line. I can't help smiling when I try this fragrance and compare it with the fresh floral flankers the brand has launched for the female segment in recent years. It's a hard perfume to find nowadays but it left a legacy of admiration sticking to the brand's image. Currently one can acquire it only with difficulty. We need to research occasional private sales and the perfume always has a price that is a reflection of its quality and rarity. I religiously preserve a decanter, which now has no more than 5 ml, just to remember this scent on special occasions like this one when I am writing these lines.

In 1984, Giorgio Armani launched Eau Pour Homme (1984) Eau de Toilette created by Roger Pellegrino. The bottle imposed a more virile design, in accordance with the male segment it was aimed at. The quality of the perfume, the commercial experience already acquired with major distributors, and a very well-thought-out pricing policy, made out of the fragrance an immediate success. It followed the influence of several French and Italian citrusy chypres created between the 50s and the 70s. Like those perfumes, it mirrored an aromatic experience that exuded tranquillity and communicated class and maturity. Roger Pellegrino had a great imagination and was influenced by the French school. That is unveiled in the heart and base of this perfume. He did not stray too far from classics like Eau Sauvage Eau de Toilette by Christian Dior or Monsieur Givenchy Eau de Toilette by Givenchy. The citrusy chypres were a fragrance type still in fashion during the 80s, just as fougères continue to be today. This Armani perfume became very popular and more than a couple dozen flankers have been derived from it to this day.

The perfume proposed a fresh and citrusy start with bergamot and lemon, but also added petitgrain, very much in the French style found in Pour Monsieur Eau de Parfum. At the heart punctuated jasmine and lavender, as well as a spicy blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander and clove, all in perfect harmony. Its mixed aroma of citrus freshness and fougére greenness was completed with rosemary, neroli and sage. On the base, it was proposed a more traditional blending of cedar, vetiver, oak moss, sandalwood and patchouli. The effect created by the dry-down was brilliant. Eau Pour Homme (1984) Eau de Toilette alongside Versace L'Homme Eau de Toilette and Pour Homme (1983) Eau de Toilette Haute Concentration were the vanguard of a generation of masculine citrusy chypres until the genre lost commercial strength in the 1990s. But the result for the Armani Group was the recognition of its brand as a protagonist in the world of perfumes, and indelibly so.

Many thousands of opinions have been written about these first two perfumes by Giorgio Armani. I have selected only one sentence that I found written in a blog, although I do not know its author.
"In its classic men's perfume from 1984 Armani Eau Pour Homme, the fashion house of Giorgio Armani captured all the style and refined polish one finds in a trip across Italy."

Music: "L'Italiano" by Toto Cotugno
Photos: taken from parfumo.com and sales ads from armani.com