WHEN GIORGIO ARMANI CAME TO SOUTH COAST PLAZA

BY BOOTH MOORE

The fashion legend, who died this week, was hands on in everything he did.

September 5, 2025

Giorgio Armani defined style without excess over the last half century. He established the supple power suit as a uniform for men and women in the 1980s, 1990s and beyond, and built an empire that included fashion, beauty, interiors, restaurants, hotels, chocolate and more.

He also helped usher in the era of high-stakes celebrity red carpet dressing, outfitting a constellation of Hollywood stars over his lifetime, including Cate Blanchett at the Venice Film Festival just last week.

Mr. Armani was endlessly inspired by film and involved with several of them, designing costumes for “American Gigolo,” “The Untouchables” and “The Wolf of Wall Street,” among others.

After launching his brand in Milan in 1975, he started to open retail stores in the late 1980s, setting his sights on the U.S. to capitalize on his popularity in Hollywood.

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani smiles as he poses with his arms crossed, early 1990s. (Photo by Andrea Blanch/Getty Images)

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SOUTH COAST PLAZA

A TRIBUTE TO FASION LEGEND GIORGIO ARMANI

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In 1991, Mr. Armani visited South Coast Plaza, which by then was already the premier destination for luxury in Orange County. A perfectionist in every way, he wanted to see for himself if it was the right place for his store.

He arrived impeccably dressed in jeans, a white T-shirt and navy cashmere sweater tied around his neck, soft spoken but the perfect gentleman. He posted up in Jewel Court.

There he sat for several hours, observing the South Coast Plaza scene, soaking in the crowd and scribbling notes in a book in front of him.

Mr. Armani liked what he saw and decided to open a store in September of the same year. He also sent word through his executive vice president at the time, Gabriella Forte, that he wanted to open a café next door.

The store opened with a gala Sept. 8, 1991, with 1,000 guests in Jewel Court. The event began with a fashion parade, including 150 models from area high schools who burst through a paper globe to start the show. The food, including a pasta bar, was catered by the designer’s restaurant, just as he wanted it.

Mr. Armani and his whispered elegance have been part of South Coast Plaza ever since, and we will miss him.