Postcards from Beijing

On his latest trip, he turned an old water tanker in Beijing's 798 Art District into a stage for "One Night Only," a monumental show joining his Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani, and Armani Privé (couture) collections under one roof. His audience of 1,000 included longtime admirer Tina Turner and Armani-clad Asian stars like Fan Bingbing.

What could top such an epic event? His investment in the future: Armani has spearheaded a fashion program at the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University, forging a cultural exchange between East and West. Already, two design hopefuls have been awarded internships in Milan next summer. "Personally, I hope to find someone who can give me a new perspective. That's how we all learn," says Armani.

"I never sacrifice individuality for trend. I don't ignore trends, but my point is to design clothes for people to buy in shops, not just for shows and photo shoots. Eighty percent of designer collections aren't even produced." — Giorgio Armani

"Chinese customers want a little more flash than Europeans. But women's style is constantly becoming more universal. And for these pieces, I went more subtle with structure." — Armani

"When I started my career in the '70s, it wasn't easy to travel to China. I learned about it through books and films like Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor." — Armani