Stylish suits are Giorgio Armani's trademark. The designer has always been considered a perfectionist. Ever since his first collection in 1974, he's used clean lines and classic colors to create his elegant yet comfortable suits. Armani, who turns 80 on July 11, stays true to his roots in his Summer 2015 collection (pictured).

In 1975 Armani created his first women's collection, which had much in common with his menswear. The creations did away with the silhouettes traditionally assigned to each gender, and were perfectly suited to the zeitgeist of the women's emancipation movement. His men's suits were softer and less square in the shoulders, while his womenswear had a masculine touch that conveyed strength.

In 1966, the young Armani met Sergio Galeotti, the man who would become his lifelong partner. Galeotti was an architect, and he encouraged the fashion designer to open an office in Milan. In 1975 the pair founded the Giorgio Armani fashion house. After Galeotti's death in 1985, Armani (pictured here in 1978) took over his 50 percent share of the Business, and has been the sole owner ever since.

Armani has since become Italy's most successful fashion designer. Forbes has listed him as one of the five wealthiest Italians, with an estimated net worth of over 7 million euros (more than 9.5 million US dollars). He owns more than 2,000 shops and 13 factories, and employs more than 5,000 people.

Giorgio Armani's early years were not particularly glamorous. He was born in 1934 to a family of humble means in the small town of Piacenza near Milan. Today Armani lives somewhat reclusively and doesn't make many appearances on the fashion scene. His trademark is a blue cashmere sweater and simple trousers, which he even wears to fashion shows.

Ever since he was a child, Armani has been a film buff. He understood early on that Hollywood offered the perfect advertising opportunity, and he was one of the first designers to open a branch in Los Angeles. In 1980, he designed the costumes for "American Gigolo," starring Richard Gere. He also created the suits worn in "The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013) with Leonardo DiCaprio.

Besides actors, Giorgio Armani also clothes athletes. At the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, the Italian national team wore Armani. Starting this fall, Germany's Bayern Munich will also be outfitted with custom suits by the Italian star designer. His interest in sports is broad: Armani also owns a basketball team in Milan.

In the 1980s, Armani expanded his repertoire by adding a line of perfumes. Now his empire also includes several hotels - including one located in the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa in Dubai (pictured). He also sells coffee, chocolate and jam, and was involved in the design of a car model for Mercedes Benz. "Emporio Armani," as his label is called, is no understatement.

The color grey is central to Armani's creations. He once explained his preference for grey by saying that one couldn't be "bright flamingo" in a city like Milan. The color is so important to the designer that he even created his own hue: "greige" is a mix between grey and beige.

Armani was among the first fashion designers to ban emaciated models from his catwalks. He emphasizes that he aims to orientate his designs to the needs of the people, not abstract concepts.