AP Wire
For Giorgio Armani, it was always the clothes. And his clothes all started with the fabrics. While other fashion empires make their money on handbags and footwear, Armani’s appeal has always been in the apparel, the core of his $10 billion empire. After his death Thursday at the age of 91, Armani has been remembered for softening the 1980s power suit, decades of fruitful Hollywood collaborations and as a defining figure of Italian luxury ready-to-wear. But he was also a keen businessman who maintained his independence in an era of consolidation, an innovative communicator and a boss who was in charge of every aspect of his business.
