DESIGNERS today want to sell you not only the shirt on your back, but also the sheet on your bed and even the bed itself. The trend has been spurred by the way we splash out on interiors: luxury brand names say that families now change furnishings regularly.

Armani is one of the groups increasingly diversifying into furniture, lighting, tableware, linens, rugs, and even a personalised interior decor service. Sales at Armani/Casa, which was established in 2000, were €30 million (£20.3 million) last year out of total revenues for the group of €476 million. This week Giorgio Armani, the 71-year-old owner of the company, whose worldwide sales were €1.42 billion in 2005, came to London to open the first Armani/Casa UK homewares store in Bond Street.

Signor Armani will also be showing his Emporio Armani catwalk collection for the first time at London Fashion Week. In an interview for Bricks & Mortar, he shared his thoughts on luxury, style and design:

Why are we seeing a return to luxury?

Giorgio Armani: “Luxury has never ceased to exist, but its definition has been abused. Real luxury should be based on values such as craftsmanship, unique materials, timelessness and quality. Unfortunately in recent years the homogenisation of fashion has created transient items such as the “It Bag of the Season” that have been included in the luxury category. But after a season the person who owns these items suddenly feels that they cannot carry that bag again — it is deemed to be out of date. That is hardly luxury.”

What style of decor would you ban?

“I don’t like exaggeration or how it manifests itself. Neither am I an admirer of hyper-technological interiors: I do not want an environment to look sterile. Natural elements, warmth and a feeling of comfort are essential, in my view.”

What defines the Armani style?

“I think it’s a combination of comfort and sophistication, functionality and elegance. The Armani/Casa atmosphere mirrors the Armani fashion philosophy: essentially rigorous shapes — which make people feel comfortable — enriched with precious materials, creating a unique, luxurious atmosphere.”

Why is it the right moment to open a store in London?

“London is perhaps the most stimulating and avant-garde city in the world. It’s a place where different cultures and people mingle with each other in a variety of different fields, and the results are outstanding — from fashion to architecture and design.”

What do you think of interior design tastes here?

“It is not by chance that British architects and artists are today the most talked about. Londoners are particularly open-minded and receptive. Here you discover things you would rarely find anywhere else and this is because the approach is open to ideas from all over the world.”

How does your interiors range reflect your fashion designs?

“People’s homes tend to be reflections of themselves, so I see Armani/Casa as a natural extension of my fashion collections. Each year the Armani/Casa collection is enhanced with new colours, new finishes, accessories or simple details that in many ways reflect my most recent fashion collection. At the same time, as the world of interiors is naturally less immediate than fashion, so the permanent collection remains timeless, as a reference point for our clients with iconic, enduring products.”

What inspired your 2006-07 collection?

“Asia has, as always, provided some strong inspiration for this collection. But I have introduced luxurious materials such as gold and silver leaf, and briarwood. Also I have incorporated colours such as deep red and burnt orange, and I have cast some new Armani/Casa ‘historical’ pieces, such as the Tudor screen, in a warm light.”

What will be the next big thing in luxury interior style?

“The trend towards customisation. We all want to make our houses personal to ourselves. My Armani/Casa interior design service is a made-to-measure service, where the Armani style does not dominate but rather interacts with the individual’s own personality.”

You have described yourself as a frustrated architect. What is your dream house?

“I could say that each of my houses is, in a sense, my ideal home. I have tried to give each of them a style that fits within my aesthetic but at the same time relates to and respects the local environment, culture and history.”

Do you plan to move into any other areas?

“At the moment I am focusing on the Armani Hotels and Resorts project. The first Armani Hotel will open in Milan in 2008, and soon after another one in Dubai, inside the Burj Dubai Tower. The plan is for an Armani Hotel in every important city in the world within ten years. Each hotel will be fully furnished with Armani/Casa bespoke home collections and there will be luxury residences adjacent to each hotel that benefit from the hotel’s services.”

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