How much do you travel?
We have 300 shops and 5,000 employees in more than 38 countries, so I am always on the move. As well as presenting my seasonal shows in Milan, I often present special shows for our customers in other cities - Moscow, Los Angeles, Shanghai, New York and Tokyo. But I don't see travel as work. I enjoy it. These trips are invigorating and inspiring.
What is your favourite holiday destination?
Every August I make my way to a home that I have on the island of Pantelleria, off the coast of Sicily. It's a traditional, simple, stone house. At the time I bought it there was nothing on Pantelleria - no running water, no electricity. I had to bring it all. But I was in love with the place and I still am. Working in a busy city like Milan, it is always important to clear my head. Pantelleria offers an environment which is about colour, light, fresh air and uninterrupted horizons. It makes me look at the world anew. I walk, swim and relax. I am a person of simple tastes. I don't crave nightlife. My dancing days are behind me now.
What is your favourite type of trip?
My favourite way to go is by boat. I recently bought and designed a 160-foot yacht, which I have called Mariu, after my mother. It is my passion. Make sure you have good company, good food, the sea and no telephones.
What are your earliest holiday memories?
I recall staying with my family on a lake near Piacenza, the town just outside Milan where I grew up. There was a convertible car that had wheels with metal spokes. I still remember the scent of the leather seats, mixed with the smell of the omelette we used to eat for lunch.
You plan to open your first branded hotel in Dubai. Other fashion hotels have been criticised for being 'gaudy, fashion Disneylands'. How will you avoid this?
I do not want my aesthetic to dominate the hotel experience. In clothing, my designs are intended to be elegant and simple. My aim is never to overcome the character of the wearer. Look at the red carpet at the Oscars and you will see how some designers have resorted to producing headline-grabbing, over-the-top costumes. I would only ever want the actors to look and feel like themselves. If you apply this idea to a hotel, you will have an elegant environment which is clearly Armani in style but which will not make guests feel like they are in a theme park.
What tips do you have for visitors to Milan?
I like the traditional tea rooms like Sant'Ambroeus on Corso Matteoti or the Marchesi on Via Santa Maria alla Porta. We have a wonderful delicatessen called Peck on Via Spadari. It's the perfect place to pick up last-minute gifts. If I'm going out to eat, I like Osteria dell'Operetta, on Corso da Porto Ticinese, which serves the best risotto alla Milanese. For another Italian speciality, bollito, I like to go to the Antica Trattoria della Pesa on Viale Pasubio. When it comes to shopping, I go to Armani, of course, on Via Manzoni.
