Changes at Armani

I know there has been a lot of debate related to Armani, all the lines and quality issues. I am going to just put out some new info I got directly from a Armani Group director. -Vestimenta, no longer has anything to do with producing Armani, this happened apparently a few years ago. Black Label and sometimes Emporio are produced by Borgo 21. Anything with a Borgo 21 tab means it was produced by the Armani company and not a contracted manufacturer. All black label "Giorgio Armani" products are CANVASSED. Fusing ended when Vestimenta got the boot. -SiminT (spelling)- is now owned by Armani producing all casual/non formal Emporio Armani products. Just like Borgo 21, the SiminT label means it was made by Armani and not an outside company. -Armani Collezioni "White Label" will no longer be up for purchase in Black Label stores and production will be cut for quality/quantity control. The 3rd US AC store was opened in what used to be the EA store on Madison in NYC. Dallas and Short Hills closed, but they were open at a time when AC is almost unknown in the US because Dept. stores were barely carrying it. In 2000 a joint venture with Zegna Group (51% Armani, 49% Zegna) for the production and distribution of the Armani Collezioni men’s line replacing Mani and Le Collezioni. This is still operating. Recently AC Made In Italy products are now produced GFT, a company which Armani bought, so yes a GFT tab means....you get the point. -Black Label is fully canvassed Edit: Edition of the Fatto A Mano RTW- Hand made RTW pieces and an extreme expansion of the MTM program. With the exception of having to chose a cut, you have no limits to what you can get, they will create it or hunt it down for you. And yes, white gold thread, vicuna, 24K gold buttons and other crazy things are on their options list. New RTW inner labels:

Good info. Thanks for that.

Originally Posted by PaoloM

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I know there has been a lot of debate related to Armani, all the lines and quality issues. I am going to just put out some new info I got directly from a Armani Group director.

-Vestimenta, no longer has anything to do with producing Armani, this happened apparently a few years ago. Black Label and sometimes Emporio are produced by Borgo 21. Anything with a Borgo 21 tab means it was produced by the Armani company and not a contracted manufacturer. All black label "Giorgio Armani" products are CANVASSED. Fusing ended when Vestimenta got the boot.

-SiminT (spelling)- is now owned by Armani producing all casual/non formal Emporio Armani products. Just like Borgo 21, the SiminT label means it was made by Armani and not an outside company.

-Armani Collezioni "White Label" will no longer be up for purchase in Black Label stores and production will be cut for quality/quantity control. The 3rd US AC store was opened in what used to be the EA store on Madison in NYC. Dallas and Short Hills closed, but they were open at a time when AC is almost unknown in the US because Dept. stores were barely carrying it. In 2000 a joint venture with Zegna Group (51% Armani, 49% Zegna) for the production and distribution of the Armani Collezioni men's line replacing Mani and Le Collezioni. This ended recently and AC is now produced GFT, a company which Armani bought, so yes a GFT tab means....you get the point.

-Black Label is fully canvassed

-And did I mention the black label is now fully canvassed

Forget Rubinacci. It might be Armani time again.

BTW: Is Black Label canvassed?

Originally Posted by rnoldh

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Forget Rubinacci. It might be Armani time again.

BTW: Is Black Label canvassed?

It was always the biggest argument on SF about GA.

Interestin. I think this is good news for the Batman/ Bruce Wayne, but the tailored clothing probably still isn't for me. The sportswear and outerwear, however, is another story-- I liked a LOT more than I thought in those departments from the new collections.

Originally Posted by PaoloM

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I know there has been a lot of debate related to Armani, all the lines and quality issues. I am going to just put out some new info I got directly from a Armani Group director.

-Vestimenta, no longer has anything to do with producing Armani, this happened apparently a few years ago. Black Label and sometimes Emporio are produced by Borgo 21. Anything with a Borgo 21 tab means it was produced by the Armani company and not a contracted manufacturer. All black label "Giorgio Armani" products are CANVASSED. Fusing ended when Vestimenta got the boot.

-SiminT (spelling)- is now owned by Armani producing all casual/non formal Emporio Armani products. Just like Borgo 21, the SiminT label means it was made by Armani and not an outside company.

-Armani Collezioni "White Label" will no longer be up for purchase in Black Label stores and production will be cut for quality/quantity control. The 3rd US AC store was opened in what used to be the EA store on Madison in NYC. Dallas and Short Hills closed, but they were open at a time when AC is almost unknown in the US because Dept. stores were barely carrying it. In 2000 a joint venture with Zegna Group (51% Armani, 49% Zegna) for the production and distribution of the Armani Collezioni men's line replacing Mani and Le Collezioni. This ended recently and AC is now produced GFT, a company which Armani bought, so yes a GFT tab means....you get the point.

-Black Label is fully canvassed

-And did I mention the black label is now fully canvassed

Edit:

Edition of the Fatto A Mano RTW- Hand made RTW pieces and an extreme expansion of the MTM program. With the exception of having to chose a cut, you have no limits to what you can get, they will create it or hunt it down for you. And yes, white gold thread, vicuna, 24K gold buttons and other crazy things are on their options list.

New RTW inner labels:

Oh yeah and Loro Piana supplies materials for outwears, aside from leather and fur. I believe all the poly-blend wind breaker type, nylon type jackets simply just for protecting yourself during the rain are Loro Piana. Ebay had some Piana/Armani outwear last year.

Are there pricing changes as well? How does the RTW Black and the MTM program price out compared to something like Zegna or Isaia?

Originally Posted by Roikins

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Are there pricing changes as well? How does the RTW Black and the MTM program price out compared to something like Zegna or Isaia?
RTW (non Fatto a Mano)- $2500+ (I assure you even machine made stuff, which is now rarer for black label, is extremely well made, very solid garments. But for the most part every item has some sort of handwork. Very prominent looking handwork that stands out is kind of against the Armani look) Fatto a Mano RTW- $3200+ (gorgeous handwork but does not appear over the top and stand out like AC's can) MTM Fatto a Mano (always 100% hand made with Armani's personal autograph inside in pen)- as low as $3500 (according to them) but they can crank out things that can go up to $75,000 (white gold pinstripes, gold or some other crazy button) Some of other cool things MTM from GA offers is custom jewelry and watches (I want to say Zenith is the maker). I think shoes are coming soon, I forgot the maker but it was one of the top Italian ones. The can do custom cuff links or rings, and even people have gotten their suit buttons from GA MTM. black label really does not have pricing levels that are always the same like AC's or even AJ's. How the Armani structure works is GA BL (AC diffuses into it) Emporio (higher end italian/japanese made AJ products diffuse into it) AC and AJ are always the same prices. GA and EA are separate collections with their own shows and stores. You can get the best of AC at GA stores and sometimes the best of AJ at EA stores. But as I said they are to end that. A/x..nothing to do with Armani anymore.

I did see a wonderful glen plaid 3 piece at Nordstrom's on boxing day and I was impressed. Usally I'm not much for Armani.

Originally Posted by PaoloM

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MTM Fatto a Mano (always 100% hand made with Armani's personal autograph inside in pen)- as low as $3500 (according to them) but they can crank out things that can go up to $75,000 (white gold pinstripes, gold or some other crazy button)

How does it compare to Paul Jheeta?

Originally Posted by LVoer

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I did see a wonderful glen plaid 3 piece at Nordstrom's on boxing day and I was impressed. Usally I'm not much for Armani.

collezioni?

I'd like to add some info that I got last night from a EA store manager. EA suits and jackets are now fully canvassed throughout all lines. For a while Borgo 21 (Armani's Milan factory) was only canvassing the Napoli line. In edition to that they are now hand finishing almost all their jackets. All the suits are hand finished, but now blazers/sport coats and some leathers are featuring this. All EA denim is RAW denim being imported from Italy, Japan and now California. For the first time ever a Armani owned label (AX has done this but Armani does not own or control it) is producing in the USA. EA is featuring two pairs of raw selvage jeans entirely hand made in California.

The quality was raised this season, prices went up on certain items but the overall quality of the entire collection from socks to suits to pants to shoes has greatly improved.

-EA is now available for a limited time at certain Saks and Bloomingdales stores

-AC is now fully canvassed and hand finished, it is STILL ZENGA MADE.

i have been seeing the changes in armani quality at the EA and Black label level and even though i still am not a fan of armani, i do respect their progress in their business to keep up with customer criteria

Originally Posted by sho'nuff

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i have been seeing the changes in armani quality at the EA and Black label level and even though i still am not a fan of armani, i do respect their progress in their business to keep up with customer criteria

Didn't you state in a another thread long ago that you liked Armani and owned a few suits?

Originally Posted by PaoloM

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Didn't you state in a another thread long ago that you liked Armani and owned a few suits?

i dont recall what i stated but i am sure that i said something on the lines of i like emporio armani and love what they are doing there in terms of their quality and designs. and there was a debate that EA was not qualitative as we state or something or another. and i did own two armani suits albeit a EA suit and one Mani suit. both of which i dont have any longer. these were either gifted to me or purchased a long time ago before my stint at sf