"The difference between style and fashion is quality"
About this Quote
The genius of the phrasing is how it smuggles a moral hierarchy into a single, calm distinction. “Fashion” becomes a social performance; “style” becomes a form of character. Armani doesn’t need to sneer at trend-followers outright. He lets “quality” do the judging, implying that the frantic newness of fashion is often a cover for cheapness - in materials, yes, but also in imagination and commitment. Quality suggests craft, restraint, and intention: decisions that anticipate time instead of chasing attention.
Context matters: Armani made his name in the late 1970s and 1980s by re-engineering power dressing into something elegant and wearable, then became a global brand while insisting on a controlled, minimal aesthetic. In an era where luxury increasingly risks becoming logo theater, the quote reads like brand philosophy and personal credo: the goal isn’t to be noticed today. It’s to still look right when today has been replaced.
Quote Details
| Topic | Aesthetic |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Armani, Giorgio. (2026, January 14). The difference between style and fashion is quality. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-difference-between-style-and-fashion-is-23209/
Chicago Style
Armani, Giorgio. "The difference between style and fashion is quality." FixQuotes. January 14, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-difference-between-style-and-fashion-is-23209/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The difference between style and fashion is quality." FixQuotes, 14 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-difference-between-style-and-fashion-is-23209/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.








