Italian fashion icon Giorgio Armani, the trailblazing designer behind one of the world’s most enduring luxury brands, has died at age 91, his fashion house confirmed today.
Giorgio Armani, the legendary Italian fashion designer who revolutionised menswear with his unstructured jackets and dressed generations of Hollywood stars, has died at the age of 91. The Armani Group confirmed his passing on Thursday, stating that “II Signor Armani” died peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones.
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A fashion empire built on innovation
Born in 1934 in the northern Italian town of Piacenza, Armani’s path to fashion greatness was unconventional. After studying medicine and serving in the military, he began his fashion career in 1957 as a window dresser at Milan’s historic La Rinascente department store. This humble beginning would launch a lifelong association with Italy’s fashion capital.
His breakthrough came in 1964 when designer Nino Cerruti offered him a position designing menswear. It was during this period that Armani first encountered the concept of unstructured jackets — suit jackets with traditional lining and stiff padding removed to better accentuate the wearer’s natural silhouette. This innovation would later become his signature and transform men’s fashion forever.
The birth of an icon
In 1975, Giorgio Armani founded his eponymous brand alongside his life and business partner, Sergio Galeotti, an architect who had encouraged him to establish his own company. Their first menswear collection found immediate success in the United States, being stocked at Barneys New York in 1976. The brand quickly expanded into womenswear, pioneering an androgynous aesthetic that challenged traditional gender norms in fashion.
“I was the first to soften the image of men, and harden the image of women,” Armani once reflected on his revolutionary approach to design.
Becoming Hollywood’s tailor
Armani’s designs captured Hollywood’s attention in a defining moment when Richard Gere wore an Armani suit in the 1980 film “American Gigolo,” transforming the garment into a coveted status symbol. This exposure led to a strategic focus on dressing celebrities for red carpet events, turning star appearances into powerful marketing tools.
Throughout the 1980s, the biggest names in entertainment — including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sophia Loren, Jodie Foster, Sean Connery, and Tina Turner — became walking advertisements for the brand. This approach sparked fierce competition with fellow Italian designer Gianni Versace, whose flamboyant style stood in stark contrast to Armani’s characteristically understated elegance.
Personal loss and professional growth
Tragedy struck in 1985 when Galeotti died from AIDS, leaving Armani as the company’s sole shareholder. Of their relationship, Armani told Vanity Fair in 2000: “Love is too reductive a term. It was a great complicity vis-à-vis life and the rest of the world.”
Despite this personal loss, Armani continued to expand his empire. Over the years, he built diverse fashion businesses such as Giorgio Armani Couture (Privé), Emporio Armani, Armani Exchange, and Armani Beauty, in partnership with L’Oréal. He ventured into the home interiors brand Armani/Casa. In 2011, he opened a massive Armani complex in downtown Milan, featuring retail spaces, a nightclub, a luxury hotel, and a fashion museum, Armani/Silo.
Giorgio Armani beyond fashion
Armani’s interests extended far beyond clothing. A passionate sports fan, he purchased Olimpia Milano, Italy’s most successful basketball team, in 2008. He launched EA7, a sports apparel line inspired by Ukrainian soccer player Andriy Shevchenko’s jersey number. He also designed the Italian Olympic team’s uniforms for the 2012 London, 2016 Rio de Janeiro, and 2020 Tokyo games.
A lasting legacy
In an industry increasingly dominated by luxury conglomerates like LVMH and Kering, Armani remained one of the few designers to maintain sole ownership of his company. As of 2024, Bloomberg Intelligence valued the Armani business between 8 and 10 billion euros ($9.3 billion to $11.7 billion).
His influence continues to resonate in contemporary fashion, with vintage Armani pieces commanding high prices in the secondhand market. His pantsuits remain popular among modern celebrities, including Cate Blanchett, who wore an Armani silk two-piece to Wimbledon earlier this year.
Armani’s recognition and honours
Armani’s contributions to fashion and society earned him numerous accolades. In 2021, he was named a Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, one of Italy’s highest honours. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, since 2002.
The end of an era
In June 2025, Armani made headlines for missing his own runway show during Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week — the first time in his career he had been absent from such an event. The company stated he was “recovering at home” without specifying his health condition. His long-time collaborator Leo Dell’Orco has been leading recent shows.
The Armani Group’s statement following his death reflected the deep respect and affection felt by those who worked with him: “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.” The Armani Group also announced plans for a public funeral chamber in Milan, followed by a private ceremony.
As the fashion world mourns the loss of one of its greatest visionaries, questions remain about the future of the Armani empire. With no obvious heir apparent, the brand’s next chapter remains unwritten — though the company has committed to “protecting what he built and carrying his company forward in his memory, with respect, responsibility, and love.”
Giorgio Armani leaves behind a legacy that fundamentally changed how the world dresses, proving that true elegance lies not in ostentation, but in balancing simplicity, quality, and timeless style.
