For the first time, fashion designer Giorgio Armani has opened up about his sexuality in an intimate interview.
Written by Sarah Creighton Keogh
For decades, Giorgio Armani, the now 90 year old fashion designer, has been famously private about his personal life, despite being recognised as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
In 2000, he gave a rare, brief comment on his sexuality in an interview with Vanity Fair, stating simply, “I have had women in my life. And sometimes men.” However, in a recent interview with Corriere della Sera, Armani has shared intimate details of his past relationships for the first time.
Reflecting on his early experiences, Armani recounted having sex for the first time with a girl from his school. He then described his first male love, a vivid memory from a summer camp on the beach at Misano Mare. “It was under a shed on the beach at 5 in the afternoon,” he revealed, adding, “I’ve never spoken about it.”
He described how, at that time, he didn’t distinguish between men and women, only knowing he felt a powerful attraction to a boy in his friend group. “It was a beautiful thing… you couldn’t wait to be close to him, to have him caress you… a great emotion.”
Later in life, Armani entered a decade-long relationship with architect Sergio Galeotti, who became both his business partner and romantic companion. The two met in the 1960s and their bond deepened through the 70s and 80s. Armani revealed “I saw Sergio in his car and I immediately fell for his Tuscan smile”