Since launching his namesake label in the 1970s, Giorgio Armani has built one of the most powerful and influential fashion empires in the world.
Known for his minimalist elegance and refined tailoring, Armani transformed modern fashion—and expanded far beyond the runway.
Following the trajectory of many major fashion houses that emerged in the post-1960s era, Armani’s brand has grown into a sprawling network of sub-labels and diffusion lines. These range from high-end collections to more accessible options, created through a mix of in-house production and strategic licensing.
Each line serves a different purpose, whether making the brand more available to a wider audience or providing a creative outlet for experimentation.
With so many variations under the Armani name, it’s easy to get lost in the maze of labels.
What’s premium? What’s mass market? Which ones are worth the investment? This guide breaks down the key lines, notable manufacturers behind each, and where they sit in the overall hierarchy of quality within the Armani universe.
As the flagship label of the Armani empire since its founding in 1975, the Giorgio Armani main line represents the purest expression of the designer’s original vision.
Often considered the most prestigious and refined of all the Armani labels, it consistently receives the greatest degree of personal involvement from the designer himself.
Labels bearing the inscription Borgonuovo 21 reference the brand’s headquarters at 21 Via Borgonuovo in Milan—a subtle nod to the line’s heritage and central importance within the Armani portfolio.
While some garments share manufacturers with diffusion lines, pieces from the main line typically exhibit superior attention to detail, more refined cuts, and a higher level of craftsmanship.
The design tends to be more ambitious and sophisticated, often commanding higher prices both at retail and on the secondhand market. In terms of construction and fabric quality, it stands as the benchmark within the Armani range and remains the most coveted among collectors and enthusiasts.
Launched in 1981, Emporio Armani was initially introduced as the brand’s diffusion line, aimed at younger consumers and offering a more accessible alternative to the high-end Giorgio Armani black label. Over time, however, Emporio has evolved into a trend-forward, fashion-conscious label in its own right. In recent years, the line has embraced a strong sportswear and athleisure focus, particularly with the introduction of the EA7 sub-brand.
In 2018, Emporio Armani underwent a significant restructuring, with elements of Armani Collezioni and Armani Jeans absorbed into its offerings. This consolidation expanded the line’s scope, which now includes everything from tailored suits to casual wear and athleisure pieces, making it a versatile collection that appeals to a wide range of tastes and lifestyles.
With such a broad selection, Emporio Armani has worked with several manufacturers over the years, including firms like Vestimenta, SiminT, and the in-house label GAO. As a result, you’ll find these manufacturers’ names on the tags of both new and vintage pieces from the line.
Launched in 1979, Armani Collezioni was for decades a cornerstone of the Armani brand, offering a range of classic staples and everyday essentials that made up much of the label’s accessible offering. The line remained a key player in the brand’s portfolio until its discontinuation in early 2018.
Designed with a focus on practicality, Collezioni garments typically offered more straightforward designs compared to the higher-end lines. While the creativity found in Giorgio Armani’s flagship collections was distilled into more wearable, everyday pieces, the quality of the construction was still solid, though more modest than the premium offerings.
It’s widely believed that Giorgio Armani himself had little direct involvement in designing for Collezioni in recent years, with the line taking on a more streamlined, ready-to-wear approach.
Despite this, Armani Collezioni remains highly regarded for its craftsmanship, and the brand’s archives feature some standout pieces. The signature Armani elegance is still evident, and the quality of the garments often matches or comes very close to that of the prestigious black label collections.
Like the black label line, Collezioni garments were originally made by Gruppo GFT (with tags styled ‘Le Collezioni’), though since then Collezioni pieces have been manufactured mostly by Confezione di Matelica SpA (billed as Conf. di Matelica on the size/composition tags).
The Collezioni line was discontinued, its offerings to be folded into the black label, Emporio and Armani Exchange lines in Spring 2018.
Launched in 1981 alongside Emporio Armani, Armani Jeans was the denim and casual wear diffusion line within the Armani portfolio.
It operated for many years with garments manufactured by SiminT SpA, the makers who would later spearhead the launch of Armani Exchange via license in the early 1990s (although some Armani Jeans products have also been made by Vestimenta SpA, particularly around the turn of the millennium).
There is a trove of interesting vintage denim and streetwear to see in the Armani Jeans archives, though plenty of everyday clothing also bears the label.
The quality of craft is generally pretty good for what it is, so secondhand shoppers can score some solid deals on this line if prepared to do some sifting.
Launched in 1979 alongside Armani Collezioni, Mani was a low-end diffusion line focussed more on the entry level buyer. Its pieces were also made by Gruppo GFT during the era in which GFT manufactured most of the garments in the Armani portfolio, though Mani branded pieces were made quite cheaply to fit within the low price point.
As such, Mani branded clothing has become somewhat of a landmine on the vintage market; with the recent explosion of interest in vintage Armani across the fashion world, many sellers are trying to command a price premium on Mani products, either unaware of the line’s downmarket positioning or simply choosing not to disclose it.
It’s worth avoiding Mani if seeking secondhand Armani; Mani is to Giorgio Armani as the Ralph Lauren for Dillard’s line is to the Ralph Lauren umbrella.
Information on the exact shuttering date of Mani is hard to come by.
It seems to have been quietly shuttered, and garments bearing the Mani label had disappeared completely even from dead-stock discount shops by the mid-2000s.
Launched in 1991 as a licensing and distribution deal with SiminT SpA and not wholly owned by the Armani Group until 2014, Armani Exchange was an attempt to appeal to the next generation of young buyers for whom Emporio Armani would now risk appearing too old.
It consisted of more casual clothing manufactured cheaply; Armani Exchange can be considered as the fast fashion label within the Armani group of brands.
The licensing agreement for manufacturing and distribution changed hands in the mid 1990s, when SiminT chose to cut their losses on what had thus far been an unprofitable venture in making A/X, and sold the rights to Singapore firm Ong Beng Seng.
The Armani Exchange line was shaped up and turned into a successful enterprise, continuing as a licensee arrangement until 2014 when it was brought in-house via the acquisition of 100% ownership.
The line went on to survive the 2018 restructuring of the Armani group; some of the more casual offerings from Armani Collezioni and Armani Jeans were folded into it.
Armani ties have been offered under various labels over the years, with Giorgio Armani Cravatte being one of the most prominent in earlier decades. Ties have also been sold under the Giorgio Armani black label, Armani Collezioni, Emporio Armani, and occasionally simply with the designer’s name. Armani ties are renowned for their distinctive designs, often drawing inspiration from Art Deco motifs, and for their bold use of silks and synthetic fabrics.
The construction of Armani ties has evolved over time in response to industry trends, but older ties bearing the Giorgio Armani Cravatte label are particularly well-regarded for their craftsmanship. These ties feature a thin interlining, which allows for a smooth, refined knot.
Many of the vintage ties are also tapered, so even those with a 9cm or 10cm width create a narrow, elegant knot that pairs seamlessly with a variety of collar styles.
In contrast, newer ties, particularly those under the Armani Collezioni label, tend to have a thicker interlining, which results in a fuller knot. Despite this change, the overall quality of construction remains impressive.
Regardless of the label, all Armani ties are produced by the Italian company Intai, which the Armani Group acquired a controlling interest in back in 1990.
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