Giorgio Armani and Sergio Galeotti founded the company in Milan in 1975 with capital of $10,000. Armani today employs about 4,700 employees and has 13 factories around the world. It has nearly 300 stores in 36 countries. Recently, the house has begun a haute couture operation, showing in Paris during the Haute Couture fashion week, under the name of Armani Priv? Unlike much of the fashion industry, which is held by massive multi-nationals like LVMH and relies heavily on licensing, Armani is held privately by Giorgio Armani and produces the vast majority of its products in-house.