MILAN - Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani plans to tap the Chinese market with a new online store that opened Friday for Emporio Armani in one of the first such initiatives in China by a major luxury brand.

    “In view of the increasing enthusiasm for online shopping and the growing  importance of the Chinese market, I have decided to open an Emporio Armani online store in China,” Armani was quoted as saying in a statement.

    “We have identified a significant group of fashion consumers who will certainly appreciate this new approach to shopping, one that becomes more popular every day,” Armani said, referring to the Chinese market.