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Designer Giorgio Armani, center, and his niece Roberta (right) pose with Special Olympics Italy athlete (and International Global Messenger) Serena Silvi, left. In addition to Silvi, Francesca Frioni, Simone Gianesello, Mario Marinacci, and Fabio Zuppa of Special Olympics Italy are featured in Facce da Sport/Faces of Sport; many of the athletes were able to join the Armanis at the 11 January reception. [Photo courtesy Special Olympics Italy] |
On 11 January 2004 in Milan, Italy, Giorgio Armani announced the publication, in May, of Facce da Sport/Faces of Sport, a book of photographs of athletes from around the world, including Special Olympics athletes. The announcement included a special preview edition of the book and an exhibition of photographs from the book in the Armani/Arte gallery at the Armani/Via Manzoni store in Milan, Italy, coinciding with the opening day of the Fall/Winter 2004 Milan Men's Fashion Week.
< More on Armani's commitment to Special Olympics with events during Fashion Week >
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Tennis champion Serena Williams said she "jumped at the chance to share an Armani fashion shoot with Special Olympics athlete Kester Edwards." This photograph of the duo, both clad in Armani, is from Facce da Sport/Faces of Sport. [Photo by Cliff Watts] |
Faces of Sport, which will be published in May by the art publishing house Skira, is part of an Armani fundraising and awareness campaign on behalf of Special Olympics. All profits from sales of the book will benefit Special Olympics. The photo exhibition in Milan will remain open to the public until 1 March 2004.
"This promises to be a memorable year for sport with the Summer Olympic Games returning to Greece, their country of origin, and the European Football Championships being held in Portugal," commented Giorgio Armani. "I see sportsmen and women as the modern day gladiators, captivating us both on and off the field. In this book I have set out to record my collaborations with some of the world's most talented and exceptional athletes, among whom are several truly inspiring Special Olympics athletes."
Armani continued, "In sport we see people strive for excellence, both mentally and physically, and it is this drive that I admire. Many of the portraits in the book focus on the faces of the subjects. People are always fascinated by the bodies of athletes, but the secret of their drive, ambition and passion can be seen in their faces and can be interpreted through their expressions. For this reason, many of the portraits in this book focus on the face. These are the Faces of Sport."
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From the Portraits section ofFacce da Sport/Faces of Sport, Armani poses with football player Andriy Shevchenko, forward for Italy's AC Milan; the inset image from the In Action section is of Shevchenko during a match. [Images courtesy of Giorgio Armani] |
Timothy Shriver, Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics, said, "The faces of our athletes, side by side with their more well-known peers, are an invitation to the world to think differently about their ability. Their presence is a challenge to every reader of this wonderful book to volunteer, to coach, or to play alongside Special Olympics athletes so that no person will be turned away from the joy of sport, from the pleasure of participation and the pride of being recognized. Thank you, Giorgio Armani, for sharing our vision and for showing the world that there is nothing more fashionable than welcome and acceptance for all."
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Janelle Spindt, Special Olympics Southern California (USA) poses in Armani for the book Facce da Sport/Faces of Sport. [Photos courtesy of Giorgio Armani] |
Facce da Sport/Faces of Sport is divided into three sections: Portraits, In Action and In Armani. Included among more than 400 pages of photography are images of footballers Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Francesco Totti and Thierry Henri, swimmer Ian Thorpe, tennis player Serena Williams, boxers Oscar de la Hoya and Lennox Lewis, track athlete Carl Lewis and nine Special Olympics athletes:
- Kester Edwards (Edwards, a former Special Olympics Trinidad & Tobago athlete, currently is employed at Special Olympics headquarters in Washington, D.C. USA)
- Francesca Frioni, Special Olympics Italy
- Simone Gianesello, Special Olympics Italy
- Carlos Macias, Special Olympics Southern California (USA)
- Mario Marinacci, Special Olympics Italy
- Gilbert Pate, Special Olympics Southern California (USA)
- Serena Silvi, Special Olympics Italy and Special Olympics International Global Messenger
- Janelle Spindt, Special Olympics Southern California (USA)
- Fabio Zuppa, Special Olympics Italy
 Tennis champion Serena Williams said, "This is one of the most elegant projects — fusing sports, fashion and charity. I jumped at the chance to share an Armani fashion shoot with Special Olympics athlete Kester Edwards. He also belongs on a fashion runway!" Edwards will join Special Olympics Founder Eunice Shriver, Timothy Shriver and Carl Lewis as guests at Giorgio Armani's Men's Fashion Show in Milan on Thursday, 15 January.
Lewis said, "It's a genius idea to break down the barriers and redefine the concept of the front row of fashion with Special Olympics. Everyone has a seat in the house of Armani." |
