Legendary Italian Designer Giorgio Armani Passes Away at 91
The world of fashion is mourning the loss of Giorgio Armani, the legendary Italian designer who passed away at the age of 91, the Armani Group announced on Thursday.
Armani, often called “Il Signor Armani” by colleagues and admirers, built an empire that defined Italian elegance and transformed Hollywood red carpets. According to the Armani Group, he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones, leaving behind a powerful legacy of creativity, discipline, and timeless style.
A Legacy That Redefined Fashion
Armani was celebrated for pioneering a clean, minimalist aesthetic that redefined luxury fashion. His unstructured jackets revolutionized menswear, while his womenswear collections brought androgyny to the forefront, softening men’s fashion and empowering women with sharper silhouettes.
Hollywood played a key role in cementing Armani’s fame. In 1980, Richard Gere’s Armani suits in American Gigolo became a cultural phenomenon, and soon Armani was the go-to designer for global stars like Sophia Loren, Sean Connery, Jodie Foster, Tina Turner, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. His creations dominated red carpets, shaping what is now a cornerstone of celebrity culture.
From Humble Beginnings to Global Icon
Born in 1934 in Piacenza, northern Italy, Armani initially pursued medicine before shifting paths to fashion in the late 1950s. He began his career at Milan’s famed La Rinascente department store as a window dresser before becoming a buyer. His big break came in 1964, when designer Nino Cerruti hired him to design menswear.
It was during this time that Armani mastered the art of the unstructured jacket — a style that would later become his signature. With encouragement from his business and life partner, Sergio Galeotti, Armani launched his own label in 1975. Their first menswear collection quickly found international success, followed by a womenswear line that challenged traditional gender norms in fashion.
Personal Loss and Business Expansion
After Galeotti’s untimely death in 1985 from AIDS, Armani became the sole shareholder of his company. Despite personal tragedy, he expanded the Armani brand into a global powerhouse, introducing Emporio Armani, Armani Jeans, Armani Exchange, and even branching into home interiors with Armani/Casa.
His ventures also included luxury hospitality, with the Armani Hotel Dubai opening in the Burj Khalifa in 2010, followed by a sprawling Armani complex in Milan featuring boutiques, restaurants, a hotel, and even a nightclub.
A Singular Voice in Fashion
Unlike many of today’s luxury houses controlled by massive conglomerates like LVMH or Kering, Armani remained fiercely independent, maintaining full ownership of his brand. As of 2024, analysts valued his company between €8–10 billion ($9.3–11.7 billion), though no clear heir has been named to take over.
Even into his later years, Armani remained deeply involved in every creative decision. In a 2025 interview with the Financial Times, he reflected on his lifelong devotion to fashion, admitting:
"My only regret in life was spending too many hours working and not enough time with friends and family."
Honoring 50 Years of Armani
This year marked Armani’s 50th anniversary in fashion, with celebrations planned during Milan Fashion Week, including a landmark exhibition at the Pinacoteca di Brera — the museum’s first-ever dedicated to fashion — and a special runway show at Palazzo Brera.
Though his absence at the June 2025 Milan Men’s Fashion Week due to health concerns raised speculation, his passing has left an undeniable void in the industry.
A Timeless Legacy
Giorgio Armani will be remembered not only as a designer but as a visionary who reshaped global fashion. His legacy of understated elegance, innovation, and independence continues to inspire generations of designers, models, and fashion lovers worldwide.