Fashion Designer Giorgio Armani Dies At 91

Legendary fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91.

“With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,” the company said in a statement.

“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.”

Armani had missed his last three fashion shows due to being ill, per The Guardian, but was slated to attend the company’s 50th anniversary celebration later this month.

Born in 1934 in Piacenza, Italy, Armani launched his fashion career by dressing window displays before shifting into menswear design in the 1960s.

“I got into fashion almost by accident and then it slowly grew in me until it completely absorbed me, stealing my life away,” he said of his career, as the outlet noted.

By 1975, Armani launched his own label, taking the stiffness out of traditional tailoring in favor of more fluid styles that became staples of power dressing in the 1980s. Hollywood celebrities helped make the brand a cultural sensation, with Richard Gere in “American Gigolo” being one famous example.

The Armani brand turned into a global empire with everything from suits to fragrances to haute couture garments. It’s still a major player in the fashion industry today. The company earned $2.7 billion in profits last year, which represented a 5% decrease from the previous year.

Hollywood embraced Armani and now they are mourning him, too. Julia Roberts shared a photo of herself posing with the late designer and added the caption, “A true friend. A Legend,” alongside the broken heart emoji.

 

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“Producer Arnon Milchan sent me to the Armani store with a credit card to get a suit for the premiere,” actor Russell Crowe wrote on X. “That began a love affair with Armani suits that continues to this day.”

“Mr Armani has made a deep contribution, to fashion, to design, to popular culture. His energy, vision and finesse has made a mark acknowledged around the globe,” the “Gladiator” star added in the lengthy tribute. “I adored him.”

Spice Girls alum Victoria Beckham said on Instagram stories, “The fashion world has lost a true legend in Giorgio Armani—a visionary designer whose legacy will live on forever. I feel honored to have called him a friend.”

Fellow fashion industry great Donatella Versace wrote on Instagram, “The world lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever.”