Giorgio Armani says his drive to stay healthy actually threatened his life, at one point sending him to the hospital for a 10-day stay.
Armani told WSJ. Magazine that he had to be treated for "a very serious" case of hepatitis in May 2009. The cause was attributed to an unspecified collection of supplements the 78-year-old took before going to the gym every day. "My doctor told me: Get rid of all this sh*t you're drinking," he said.
While Armani wouldn't disclose exactly which substances he was taking, the Journal did suggest one possible motive for taking the supplements. "The house Armani has built is a reflection of himself — the trim, toned, tanned and t-shirted figure that is synonymous with the brand — and he wants to secure a long life for both."
Today, Armani is one of very few designers who owns 100 percent of his own company, where he serves as both creative director and CEO. His position as the man responsible for every aspect of the house's business begs the question as to who will run Armani when he's gone — and the designer says it will probably fall to his two nieces and his nephew. "Look, this succession issue has been at my throat for at least 15 years," he said. "The question is always the same, and so is the answer: as long as I'm here, I'm the boss."
