Giorgio Armani to build exhibition center in Milan

By

Dominique Muret

Published
Aug 4, 2014

Milan will soon have a museum dedicated to Giorgio Armani, created through strictly private funding. The project was born from the collaboration between the fashion company and the municipality. "The municipal government and the company Giorgio Armani are partnering on this cultural project in order to honor the heritage of clothing, designs and experiences that Giorgio Armani has decided to collect and to put at the city’s disposal in order to present them to locals and tourists alike," said the city of Milan in a statement.

The museum will house the designer’s permanent collection, made up of clothes, designs and photos, and will welcome temporary exhibitions thematically related to fashion, design and creativity. There are also plans for education and research areas.

"Milan is the city where I decided to work. I have always thought that if I had been in another city, my work would have been different and my designs would not have been so strongly Italian and international at the same time. That’s why I decided to put my work at the disposal of the city," said Armani, who is celebrating his 80th birthday this year and who wishes to convey his knowledge to new generations of designers through this museum.

The museum will be built on via Bergognone, the same street location as the company’s headquarters as well as the theater that houses Giorgio Armani fashion shows. The project involves the redevelopment and renovation of a former industrial building located in the fashion neighborhood of via Tortona that will house the museum of Cultures, Milan’s new multicultural center designed by David Chipperfield.