MILAN'S MINIMALIST MARVEL

For a brush with a new, evolved genre of luxury, Armani Hotel Milan turns to high-end minimalism

- AATISH NATH

At the Armani Hotel in Milan, it’s clear from the get-go that the interiors are the realisation of one man’s vision—Giorgio Armani. That the man in question also helms one of the most well-regarded fashion brands in the world is what compels tourists, celebrities, and anyone looking to splurge a fashionable lump sum to stay at the 95-room property in Italy’s fashion and financial capital. Over the years, Armani, the company, has expanded, and the Milan building is ground zero for a range of goods that widen the brand’s universe for well-heeled, high-spending die-hards.

Indians may be familiar with the Armani Hotel in Dubai, which occupies 10 floors of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. Armani’s Milan outpost, on the other hand, is housed in a historic building designed by Enrico A. Griffini in 1937, distinguished by its stark facade which was later added upon to meld the no-frills original structure into a well-blended, modern extension. It was in 2011 that the building in Via Manzoni was converted into a hotel. Today it features a ground floor filled with exquisite options from the Armani store (across its varied brands). The ground floor is also a showcase for Armani’s ever-growing brand extensions, whether it be Armani/ Dolci, the chocolate store, or Armani/Fiori, which has expanded to Kuwait City and Hong Kong.