Giorgio Armani's $700 Volkswagen Beetle played crucial role in creating his $11 billion fashion empire

This $700 Volkswagen Beetle played a crucial role in helping Giorgio Armani create his $11 billion fashion empire.

Around the world, the Armani brand is renowned as one of the most luxurious brands – with clothing, shoes, and lots more factored into the empire.

With the recent news that Giorgi Armani himself had passed away at the age of 91, we wanted to take a look back at the beginnings of his illustrious career.

And would you believe that a $700 Volkswagen Beetle played a pivotal role in the career of one of the world’s most celebrated fashion designers?

EXPLORE SBX CARS – Supercar auctions starting soon powered by Supercar Blondie

Giorgio Armani’s $700 Volkswagen Beetle played a big part in his life

Giorgio Armani has passed away at the age of 91, after a long and illustrious career in the fashion industry.

He formed his fashion company back in 1975, which expanded into music, sports, and luxury hotels.

At the time of his death, Armani’s empire was worth $11 billion.

His brand is on the lips of any fashionista worth their salt, but did you know that he owed a lot of his success to a $700 Volkswagen Beetle?

You read that right.

The worlds of fashion and automotives rarely cross over, but when they do, they do so in impactful ways.

In Armani’s case, he owned his Beetle way back in the 1970s.

He sold it for $700 to buy office space and textiles for his first womenswear collection.

And, obviously, in the years since, his brand grew and grew.

Maybe it wouldn’t have been possible if he hadn’t sold the car to pull that money together, who’s to say?

In the years after his meteoric rise to success, his taste in cars was as sophisticated as you might expect – a Bentley Turbo R, a Jaguar S-Type, and an Alfa Romeo 166.

“I always choose quality and style over short-term trends which do nothing for the individual,” Armani said of his car collection in a 2005 interview with The Times newspaper.

When asked whether it was tougher to design cars or clothes, Armani conceded the former was the trickier task.

“Cars are tougher. I could not imagine having to deal with such demanding restrictions regarding safety and environmental codes that car designers have to go through,” he said.

“But we all enjoy tackling the same issue: we must come up with fresh creative products that people use during their everyday lives.”

Other fashion icons with good taste in cars

If you want a stylish outfit, it’d only make sense to match it with a stylish car, right?

Ralph Lauren knew that better than anybody.

His $600 million car collection is money well spent, including such gems as the Ferrari F50 and a Bugatti 57SC Atlantic.

DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie