- The fashion world mourns
The entire fashion industry is mourning the death of Giorgio Armani.
The Italian designer passed away peacefully at age 91 surrounded by his family, the Armani Group announced on Thursday.
Immediately after news hit the web, hoards of heartbroken models, celebrities, and fashion elites took to social media to share tributes to the icon.
Fellow designer Donatella Versace was quick to post a broken heart emoji in response to the Armani Group’s announcement.
‘The world lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever,’ she added in a post of her own.
Princess Diana‘s niece Lady Amelia Spencer also commented with four red hearts.
Ashton Kutcher shared an emotional message on X, writing, ‘Visionary kind human Giorgio Armani, RIP.’
Racecar driver Charles Leclerc posted to his Instagram Stories, ‘A great honor to have had the chance to meet and work with such an amazing person. You will be missed Giorgio.’
Model and actress Alexis Ren posted a praying and broken heart emoji.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni spoke of Armani’s ‘elegance, sobriety and creativity’ in an emotional post.
‘Giorgio Armani leaves us at the age of 91. With his elegance, sobriety and creativity, he was able to bring luster to Italian fashion and inspire the entire world,’ she said.
‘An icon, a tireless worker, a symbol of the best of Italy. Thank you for everything.’
‘Forever an icon,’ fashion star Maja Malnar commented.
Italian actress Alice Pagani wrote, ‘Forever grateful to have met you.’
‘Giorgio, you are and will always be our KING. Thank you for making us feel proud to be ITALIAN! I love you,’ TV star Simona Ventura gushed.
Italian fashion editor Anna Dello Russo wrote, ‘Bon voyage Maestro Giorgio. I’ll always carry you in my heart.’
Acclaimed photographer Nima Benati said, ‘What a tremendous loss.’
Actress Pilar Fogliati simply added, ‘Thank you,’ with a heart, while actor Edoardo Leo gushed, ‘Forever thank you.’
Singer Biagio Antonacci commented with the quote, ‘A man who will never end,’ adding, ‘Bye King, with infinite love.’
Musician Laura Pausini gushed, ‘A man, a king, a meeting that lasted 30 years that [I] will never forget. With infinite esteem and love, Laura.’
TV presenter Francesca Fagnani said, ‘Thank you for giving freedom and power to women.’
Soccer player Alexandre Pato added, ‘Nooo! How very sad. RIP.’
‘Bye King George, thank you for incarnating and making authentic beauty tangible, for shaping the soul,’ Italian movie star Miriam Leone penned.
‘His teaching, his elegance and his light will be eternal,’ actor and model Alex Belli added.
Vogue described Armani as someone who ‘defined the 1980s and shaped the course of fashion beyond it’ in a moving Instagram post.
In a statement released today, Armani’s fashion firm confirmed the news, writing: ‘In this company, we have always felt like part of a family.
‘Today, with deep emotion, we feel the void left by the one who founded and nurtured this family with vision, passion, and dedication, but it is precisely in his spirit that we, the employees and the family members who have always worked alongside Mr. Armani, commit to protecting what he built and to carrying his company forward in his memory, with respect, responsibility, and love.’
Known as ‘Re Giorgio’ – King Giorgio – the designer was known for overseeing every detail of his collection and every aspect of his business, from advertising to fixing models’ hair as they head out onto the runway.
Armani had been CEO and creative director up until his death and said in his last interview last weekend: ‘My greatest weakness is that I am in control of everything.’
Armani dressed the rich and famous in classic tailored styles, fashioned in super-soft fabrics and muted tones.
His handsome black tie outfits and glittering evening gowns often stole the show on award season red carpets.
He was synonymous with modern Italian style and elegance, and his company turned over some $2.7 billion a year.
At the time of his death, Armani had put together an empire worth over $10 billion, which, along with clothing, included accessories, home furnishings, perfumes, cosmetics, books, flowers and even chocolates, ranking him in the world’s top 200 billionaires, according to Forbes.
He had been unwell for some time and was forced to drop out of his group’s shows at Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week in June, the first time in his career that he had missed one of his catwalk events.
A funeral chamber will be set up on Saturday and Sunday in Milan, the company said, followed by a private funeral at an unspecified date.
Bio
Giorgio Armani (1934–2025) built a global luxury empire starting with his company, Giorgio Armani S.p.A., in 1975. Known for his signature relaxed yet luxurious and minimalist style, he expanded into menswear, womenswear, accessories, and more, becoming a major figure in Hollywood and red-carpet fashion. After leaving medical school and working as a department store merchandiser, and for Nino Cerruti, Armani and partner Sergio Galeotti launched the successful brand.
Early Life and Career
- Birth and Background: Giorgio Armani was born in Piacenza, Italy, on July 11, 1934, and grew up during World War II.
- Medical Studies: He initially pursued medicine at the University of Milan but left in 1953 to serve in the military and then work as a department store visual merchandiser.
- Nino Cerruti : Armani then joined Nino Cerruti as a menswear designer, where he refined his signature clean, minimalist style.
Founding the Armani Brand
- Giorgio Armani S.p.A.: In 1975, with his business partner Sergio Galeotti, he founded Giorgio Armani S.p.A., which quickly became one of the world’s leading fashion and design houses.
- Brand Expansion: The company expanded beyond its initial menswear focus to include womenswear, accessories, cosmetics, fragrances, and home furnishings.
Signature Style and Influence
- Minimalist Elegance: Armani became known for his clean lines, understated luxury, and relaxed silhouettes that brought ease and modernity to fashion.
- Red Carpet Fashion: He is credited with pioneering red-carpet fashion and became a celebrity favourite, with Richard Gere famously wearing his designs in the film “American Gigolo”.
- Industry Leadership: By 2001, he was recognised as the most successful Italian designer of all time.
Legacy
- Business and Empire:Armani’s business acumen led to a powerful, independent, and privately-owned global empire with significant retail presence and a vast workforce.
- Diversification: The brand expanded into lifestyle areas, including music, sports, and luxury hotels.
- Social Impact: He was also a pioneer in social responsibility, banning models with a low Body Mass Index from his shows after a model died from an eating disorder in 2006.
Credit: Except for the bio data, this report was mostly culled from Daily Mail
A great loss — Armani’s impact on fashion will never be forgotten.