Earlier this year there was a black velvet tuxedo jacket in the window of the newly opened Giorgio Armani flagship on Madison Avenue. To the passerby it might have simply appeared classic. To those who looked closer, it was more. The cuffs were satin and flared perfectly at the wrist. The shoulders perfectly rounded. The tailoring present but concealed. It is difficult to discuss the spaces designed for Mr. Armani without discussing the pieces designed by him. The shared vocabulary is strong and singular.Courtesy Todd EberleMr. Armani awaits lunch guests.A recent advertising campaign for the fashion collection featured the phrase Thats so Armani, and we all understood exactly what that meant. The hushed palette, the seductive textures, the lines and curves of elegance. But if you know to look for it, there is always a small surprise, a sly smile, an understanding. In that velvet jacket in the window it was the elongated cuff. On the runway it is often a small punctuating hat. There is, says Mr. Armani, a coherence to my approach that lies in the clean lines, harmonious colors, and beautiful materials that take on an individual interpretation in each different space. Then again, my personal spaces feature some idiosyncrasies which characterize me as a person, but that I rarely inject in my creations. I love a few touches of humorstuffed animals or animal statues, for instance. Uri is my life-size gorilla in Milan; in New York its a small monkey on the sofa. They are the mark of a lived-in space. Each of my homes, when put side by side, looks individual and in tune with its location.Courtesy Todd EberleA guestrooms original 1920s leaded glass windows overlook Central Park in Giorgio Armanis New York penthouse, which he designed with his team of in-house architects. He was first struck by the building, built in 1929 in the Neo-Renaissance style by Schwartz & Gross, years ago on a trip to New York. Central Park West, he says, boasts the best view of the skyline beyond the green heart of the city. I loved the apartments sense of spaciousness, which is out of proportion to its dimensions thanks to uninterrupted sight lines, with large windows facing in all directions. The interiors are, he admits, undeniably Armani, but this apartment is also undeniably Armani in New York.I love a few touches of humor. in New York its a small monkey on the sofa.Looking out from this height, New York comes through loud and clear. One thing that is very particular about the apartment, a fusion of Europe and the USA, is the stained glass windows, reminiscent of Gothic churches. Those windows are original and one part of the legend of this apartment. Architects are said to have found Marion Daviess initials carved into the fireplace. (William Randolph Hearst was once the owner.) The city those windows look out on is a part of Armani legend too. In October of last year, the opening of the flagship and residences (and restaurant) at 760 Madison was celebrated with a runway show and event at the Park Avenue Armory, but the romance began long before. Step Inside This Historic Upper West Side ApartmentMy first trip to America was in the 1970s, says Mr. Armani, when I won the Neiman Marcus Award. It was an exciting voyage of discovery. Seeing New York live for the first time made a big impression on me. I am drawn to the energy and international character of the city. Although New York is so different from Milan in so many ways, it has always felt familiar to meperhaps because, as a fan of movies, it is etched in my visual memory through so many films, not least those of my friend Martin Scorsese. It was my dream to live on the Upper West Side, and that is where I ended up.It was my dream to live on the Upper West Side, and that is where I ended up.And what is a day in the New York life of Giorgio Armani like? If someone came to my house in New York, Id serve them mostly Italian dishes, like tortelli alla piacentina, cotoletta, lemon escalope, baked chicken, pasta alla puttanesca, simple cheeses, artichoke or puntarelle salad, rice al salto, and ditalini with tomato sauce, farfalle courgettes, and saffron. Classic and timeless dishes. And what might they learn about an icon by seeing where he lives? I hope that people will get a sense of the authenticity, the commitment, and the passion that characterize everything that I do.This story originally appeared in the April 2025 issue of Elle Decor. SUBSCRIBE Stellene VolandesEditor In ChiefEditor-in-Chief Stellene Volandes is a jewelry expert, and the author of Jeweler: Masters and Mavericks of Modern Design (Rizzoli).