SimplyAbuDhabi XXXVII

084 | SIMPLY INFLUENTIAL I would like to stay at home with my drawings and with my seamstresses – that’s my life.” “ “I first met Giorgio in Paris during the 1960s,” says the actress Sophia Loren. “It was the start of a great friendship, one that we still enjoy today. I was taken by his charm and pure elegance, and since then I have always known I am in good hands. He is a brilliant designer, a tireless worker and, above all, he is my dear, dear friend, who I love very much.” Mr Armani first met the Czech-Italian supermodel and actress Eva Herzigova “a very long time ago, in St Tropez”, when he was struck by her unique beauty. “She’s a beautiful woman, but it’s not obvious,” he says. After years of acquaintance, in 2016 Herzigova officially became an Armani face, cast alongside fellow 1990s supermodels Stella Tennant, Nadja Auermann and Yasmin Le Bon for a campaign. On set for the shoot, Herzigova and Mr Armani reunited like old friends. “It’s amazing to see how he has dominated the market for so long – in each sector, he makes beautiful things. The furniture! He is modern, in his way,” she says. “Look at him now, he’s still so immaculate and elegant.” In September of 2019, Mr Armani received the Outstanding Achievement award from the British Fashion Council at the Fashion Awards, celebrating his longstanding contribution to the industry. It’s the starriest night of the year for British fashion, attracting Hollywood stars and even members of the royal family; previous recipients include Miuccia Prada and Karl Lagerfeld. A reclusive figure, Mr Armani admits gatherings of this kind are outside his comfort zone. “I don’t go out in the evenings. When there are events like this, I’m a good actor, so I’m going to participate,” he says, with more than a hint of irony, “but if I could, I wouldn’t do it. I would like to stay at home with my drawings and with my seamstresses – that’s my life”. SIMPLY INFLUENTIAL | 085