Armani Reveals Deal with Mizuno
April 3, 2006 | Senay TOPCUOGLU
Giorgio Armani has inked a deal with Japanese high-tech sneaker brand Mizuno to create a new fashion-forward footwear collection.
Armani will debut the new advanced sneaker collection in his men's wear show in Milan this June.
The move means Armani joins a group of elite group of designers to have created fashionable sneakers with international sports brands.
Jil Sander made a limited series of sports shoes with Puma, prior to her quitting the house she founded in a dispute with its majority owner, Patrizio Bertelli of Prada.
Neil Barrett also has a line with Puma, while, probably most famously to date, Yohji Yamamoto developed avant garde sneakers with Adidas, a collaboration that later developed into their joint fashion label Y-3.
However, Armani, whose commercial reach is infinitely larger than any of the above named designers, insists his Mizuno project will be that bit different.
"I wanted to create special sneakers, but for me the key thing is that they be authentic, where technology and fashion meets.
In my view no one makes more advanced sneakers than Mizuno, so it's a great arrangement," Armani told FWD during his visit this week to China.
more: news.yahoo.com/s/fwd/20060331/en_fashion_fwd/arman (574)
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