The only bookstore in Italy managed by Walther and Franz König Bookshop: Armani Libri is a temple for fashion and visual culture, at the gateway of Via Monte Napoleone
The headquarter of the Giorgio Armani Spa is in Via Borgonuovo, in the heart of Milan’s historical centre. A few steps away, Armani’s kingdom continues at the gateway of Via Monte Napoleone. In Via Manzoni 31, one can find a store, a hotel, a nightclub, restaurants, a pastry and flower shop, all named after their founder. On the ground floor, is a bookstore: the Armani Libri.
Walther König at Armani Libri
The story of Armani Libri begins as a bookstore located within Emporio Armani. As per the store manager Gabriella Patrone, «In 2010, Armani Libri was looking for a new partner to take over the bookstore. That is when the German publisher Walther König came into play». Walther and Franz König Ltd is an internationally leading publisher of art-related literature.
It is the proprietor of Germany’s principal art bookstores, notably the flagship shop in Cologne. It owns stores in Europe’s major capitals, including London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Vienna. Armani Libri is the only bookshop that König manages in Italy. After changing locations, in 2018, Armani Libri moved from Via Crocerossa to the ground floor of Via Manzoni 31, in the same building hosting the Emporio, Armani Dolci and Armani Fiori.
The Book Selection and the Clientele
As per König’s vision, Armani Libri has become a point of reference for all visual culture lovers in the city. «The store started out with a major focus on fashion and the visual arts, attracting fashion and art lovers, professionals and students. Now its selection includes hundreds of titles from all fields of visual culture. It spans from art and design, to photography and architecture».
The selection is dictated by König with classics and new releases from international art publishers. The Armani Libri staff liaises with Italian publishers to keep the selection updated with recent publications. Catalogues from prominent museums in Italy and Milan are for sale as soon as exhibitions open to the public.
The catalogue of the Max Ernst exhibition opened at Palazzo Reale in early October is already on the shelves. «At Armani/Libri we welcome a variety of customers: students and young professionals looking for inspiration; fashion lovers who come to the store after going shopping in Monte Napoleone; concept stores and set designers looking for coffee table books to decorate a library or an interior; private individuals looking for a present to make». Armani Libri’s clientele also includes museums, who look for the store’s help in finding publications related to their exhibition program.
The Best Sellers: Essere Armani, published by Baldini+Castoldi
It comes as no surprise that the store’s bestsellers are publications on Giorgio Armani. A classic is Armani’s official biography Essere Armani, published by Baldini+Castoldi. Written by Renata Mohlo in 2006, it is the most accurate source of information on the fashion designer’s life and career insofar. An updated version dates to 2010.
A bestseller is ‘Giorgio Armani’ published by Rizzoli. A 576-pages hardback publication rich in sketches and personal quotes and memoirs from Armani. Another popular book is ‘I cretini non sono mai eleganti. Giorgio Armani in parole sue’: a book where the Corriere della Sera journalist Paola Pollo narrates the Mr. Armani quoting his jokes and most famous statements.
The Fashion Section: Fashionpedia, Dior and more
At the store’s entrance is the Fashion section, one of the best equipped in the city. There visitors can find publications on fashion tout court; books on Armani and on equally famous designers.
«We just included a series on books by Thames & Hudson – Italian edition by L’Ippocampo», Patrone continues, «that trace the history of major fashion brands. They include visual material from the 1960s onwards on runways by Yves Saint Laurent, Prada, Chanel, Versace, Dior and Louis Vuitton. They are must-haves for those interested in the history of fashion».
The selection also speaks to fashion students and aspiring professionals. Best sellers such as Fashionpedia. The Visual Dictionary of Fashion Design and The fashion business manual teach them the lexicon of fashion, and provide instructions on how to navigate the fashion industry.
Sections beyond fashion: monographic art books and exhibition catalogues
Armani Libri is not all about fashion. Art, photography and design books are presented alongside books by illustrators and magazines. A whole section is dedicated to children, with colourful pop-up books being the most sought after.
König is renowned for buying stocks of old art books to resell at lower prices. At Armani Libri, one can find monographic art books and exhibition catalogues for affordable sums – from fifty percent to eighty percent off their original price.
König offers gems for art books collectors and amateurs such as himself. A special focus is on Italian artist books, with Alighiero Boetti’s Cieli ad Alta Quota – a set of six puzzles created for Austrian Airlines – being available.
One can walk out of the store with limited-editions artworks, including a pumpkin pillow by Yayoi Kusama and a loyal reproduction of Duchamp’s Boîte-en-Valise. Coffee table books are among the most expensive items in the store. Subjects spans from cars and boats to wine, yoga and cinema. Prices can fetch 1000 euros.
Armani Libri
Via Alessandro Manzoni, 31, 20121 Milano MI. The Armani Libri was founded by Giorgio Armani in collaboration with Walther König. They carry titles from fashion ranging through art.
