Giorgio Armani dies at 91 leaving behind a fashion empire
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Giorgio Armani, the revered Italian designer who redefined elegance through understated style and business autonomy, has died at the age of 91. His company confirmed the news on Thursday, noting that he had continued working on future collections until his final days. One of the most influential names in 20th and 21st-century fashion, Armani’s name became synonymous with minimalist tailoring, global luxury and quiet confidence.
Reinventing the suit
Armani began his fashion career in the late 1960s after abandoning his studies in medicine and a stint in the army. He rose quickly through Milan’s fashion ranks, first at department store La Rinascente and then at Nino Cerruti. In 1975, with backing from his business and life partner Sergio Galeotti, he founded his eponymous label. From its earliest years, Giorgio Armani stood apart not just for what it sold but how it felt.
The Armani suit revolutionized what men and women wore to work, on camera and on red carpets. His silhouettes were softer, his fabrics more fluid, and his palette anchored in greys, beiges and navy. In contrast to the rigid, structured tailoring that defined the power dressing of earlier decades, Armani offered a more human silhouette. This was not weakness, but modern power.
Hollywood elevated him to international prominence. Richard Gere wore head-to-toe Armani in the 1980 film American Gigolo, a moment that not only boosted sales but cemented the designer’s intuitive grasp of cinema’s cultural influence. By the 1990s, Armani was the go-to label for A-list actors like Julia Roberts, Jodie Foster and Cate Blanchett, a reputation that remained intact into the 2020s.
From fashion house to global enterprise
While many of his peers aligned with luxury conglomerates, Armani retained full ownership of his brand. Giorgio Armani SpA grew into a vast enterprise spanning couture (Armani Privé), interior design (Armani Casa), fragrances, eyewear, hotels and more. The brand reportedly generated over £3 billion annually at its peak.
This independence enabled the company to evolve at its own pace. Armani’s insistence on creative control ensured a consistency of vision. It also made succession planning more complex, a topic the designer addressed just weeks before his death. In an interview, he noted that responsibility was gradually shifting to a close circle of family and longtime collaborators, including Leo Dell’Orco, who had been with the company since 1977.
The Armani Hotels in Milan and Dubai and the brand’s continued expansion into lifestyle categories underscore the scale of the empire he built. Unlike many of his peers, Armani extended his influence beyond apparel without diluting the essence of his brand.
Defining quiet luxury
Decades before the term “quiet luxury” entered the mainstream, Giorgio Armani built a vocabulary around it. His commitment to elegance over extravagance resonated with both celebrities and CEOs. The refined tailoring, muted color palette and absence of overt branding became a symbol of discretion and sophistication.
His shows were rarely theatrical. Instead, they offered consistency — season after season of precise refinement. This was intentional. Armani once said he designed clothing “for real people, not for effect.” That commitment extended into policy. After the 2006 death of model Ana Carolina Reston, he was among the first to ban underweight models from his runways, calling for greater responsibility in the industry.
Armani’s red carpet legacy remains unmatched. Diane Keaton wore the label to the Oscars in 1978, launching a tradition that would span generations. Even as fashion cycled through louder aesthetics, Armani’s approach never chased the moment. It created one.
A vision that continues
In January 2025, Armani made his final in-person runway appearance, surrounded by long-time collaborators and models. He missed the June and July shows due to health concerns, directing the collections remotely from his Milan home. His last presentation, in Paris, was a subtle commentary on global harmony and a call for calm in a turbulent world.
A digital archive of his work launched earlier this year to mark the company’s 50th anniversary, offering a curated history of the house’s evolution. The archive, along with his succession plans, signals an effort to ensure continuity without creative stagnation.
Tributes poured in from across the world. Donatella Versace called him a giant, Julia Roberts described him as a true friend and legend, and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised his contribution to Italian culture. Each message reinforced the same truth, Armani had transcended fashion. He had become a symbol of craft, discipline and self-possession.