Giorgio Armani

“These days, as I am older and wiser, I realize that there is a danger in becoming an icon, as people can see you as remote and untouchable, and they are less willing to tolerate you doing things that don't fit with their preconceived idea of you.”

“This is the problem with the world today: Nobody wants to take risks, to risk being themselves.”

“I dress in my 'uniform,' or my own dress code, which reflects my personal method and work ethic. My belief is that my plain T-shirt - I have about 40 of them - or blue sweater helps focus others' attention on me and on what I say.”

“My well-known aesthetic sense, which is so obvious and personal, spontaneously spurs me to challenge myself with different disciplines.”

“There are so many things to take into account - your ambition, your ego, the press, the consumers. You can never be sure that you'll be on top of the pile again.”

“In practice, I've had a presence in China since 1998 with my commercial spaces and shops.”

“The more successful I become, the more I want to remain like me, with my defects and insecurities.”

“I have never had anything to do with the kind of fashion that is influenced by the press or identified with the spirit of the season. My clients come for me; they come back each season for my spirit. That's the reality.”

“I don't have a formula to pass on. I always did it my own way. Even today, I hold my independence close. It's what's most precious to me. Passion. Risk. Tenacity. Consistency. This is my professional history.”

“The essence of style is a simple way of saying something complex.”

“There can be nothing without love. No money, no power. Love is very important. When you wake up in the morning, you need to know that somebody else is waking up, thinking of you.”

“A well-maintained physique is a great business card. Ideas and intelligence are what matters, but if you have a well-maintained physique, it's better.”

“A homosexual man is a man 100 per cent. He does not need to dress homosexual.”

“That is always what I've had to do in life: to show I am capable of surviving.”

“These designers have no reserve. They've chosen a path and thrown themselves onto it head first, regardless of everything. Whether or not their designs are sellable or vulgar. As long as it's new and people talk about it. That is the truth.”

“You can think you've made it and yet the next day's press will always be waiting for you, the public will always ask more of you. In short, you can always do better!”

“When I started Giorgio Armani in the mid-'70s, I realized that women needed a way to dress that was equivalent to that of men - something that would give them dignity, an attitude that would help them handle their work life.”

“Never in my wildest dreams did I entertain the idea that I would become a fashion designer.”

“Why do I put myself in a position to be cast aside or not considered as I would like to? Because I am a creative mind, because I still aspire to be one.”

“I was an observer. I liked to listen rather than openly express myself. This trait is something that I've retained over the years.”