Giorgio Armani has passed away aged 91, just weeks before he was due to celebrate 50 years of the global powerhouse brand, he first launched in 1975.
Armani is in rare and refined company, as one of a small number of designers whose names have resonated way beyond fashion to all corners of culture and the world.
Armani is instantly recognisable and has become synonymous with restraint and good taste. Perhaps best known for his relaxed, yet precise, tailoring, he has however applied his vision (largely centred on muted tones and navy blue) to everything from haute couture to hotels, taking in sportswear, denim, beauty, fragrance and homewares and much more besides.
Armani retained independent ownership of the business throughout his life (Alamy/PA)
Not only has Mr Armani been a visionary when it comes to design but he was nothing short of a genius, when it came to retailing and business. He was one of the first designers to understand the power of diffusion lines; Emporio Armani was launched in 1981, six years after his mainline. This granted access to his aesthetic to a far wider audience and his move into lifestyle meant Armani fans could immerse themselves completely in his world. Furthermore he understood experiential retail, decades before the terms was coined, with his stores providing the perfect platform for his designs, as well as meeting place for fans.
A workaholic and a perfectionist to the end, Mr Armani orchestrated his last couture catwalk show in Paris in July via video link, with every look and every detail from hair and make-up to styling, approved by the maestro before taking to the runway. “Everything you’ll see was done under my direction and has my full approval,” he said at the time.
Armani Privé, July 2025 (Tom Nicholson/AP)
That he was too ill to attend was the first warning sign that the legendary designer might soon be nearing the end of his extraordinary life, and talk of a succession plan began.
Another stroke of genius was to retain the independence of the house. The Armani empire is highly unusual in that it has remained under family control and ownership. Never was Mr Armani tempted to sell out to an investor or conglomerate. This allowed him to execute his vision without compromise for the five decades the brand has been in existence. His family has pledged in a statement on his passing that this will remain the case. In 2024, the privately held business generated €2.3 billion in revenue.
“Giorgio Armani is a company with fifty years of history, grown with emotion and patience. Giorgio Armani has always made independence, thought and action, his hallmark. The company is a reflection, today and always, of this feeling. The family and employees will carry the Group forward in respect and continuity of these values,” the statement read.
Giorgio Armani as a child on the beach with his mother (Alamy/PA)
Early life and career
Born in Piacenza, northern Italy, in 1934, Armani initially studied medicine before a shift into fashion in the Sixties, where he began designing menswear for Nino Cerruti. In 1975, alongside his partner Sergio Galeotti, he launched his own label.
His revolutionary approach softened the rigid tailoring of the time, introducing fluid silhouettes, muted colour palettes and a sense of effortless polish that felt fresh and liberating.
Global domination began in the 1980s
Mr Armani’s quiet reinvention of power dressing gained global attention in 1980 when he dressed Richard Gere in American Gigolo, a cultural moment that cemented Armani as a household name.
He capitalised on this global renown and proved his business acumen by launching the more accessibly priced Emporio Armani line in 1981, followed later by Armani Exchange. He also extended the brand into the wider lifestyle sector and in 1982 launched his first fragrance.
Cate Blanchett at the Opening Ceremony for the Venice Film Festival in August (Alamy)
Conquering couture and the red carpet
Having made his brand globally accessible, Mr Armani also recognised the opportunity to extend it to the highest echelons of fashion. His contributions to red-carpet fashion are legendary. In 2005, he launched his haute couture line, Armani Privé, dressing stars like Lily Collins, Beyoncé, Cate Blanchett and Julia Roberts in his sculptural gowns and elegant eveningwear.
His Privé shows in Paris became a fixture of the couture calendar, celebrated for their restraint, precision and cinematic beauty.
His final catwalk bow: in January Giorgio Armani celebrated 20 years of haute couture with a shimmering show in Paris (Lewis Joly/AP)
Achieving the highest accolades
Armani was awarded the French Legion of Honour, the Italian Order of Merit for Labour, and numerous accolades recognising both his creative and philanthropic contributions. His name became shorthand for a certain kind of Italian luxury: refined, mature and unwavering in its commitment to craftsmanship.
An enduring legacy
At a time when fashion increasingly chases trends, Giorgio Armani stood as a reminder of the power of restraint. His influence lives on in every softly tailored blazer, every monochrome red-carpet moment, and every designer who believes that elegance doesn’t have to shout.
He is survived by his extended family, his long-serving team and one of the most respected fashion houses in the world.
Tributes paid to Mr Armani
Valentino Gravami: “I mourn someone I have always considered a friend, never a rival. And I can only bow to his immense talent. The changes he brought to Fashion, and above all, to his unwavering loyalty to one style: his own.”
Donatella Versace: “The world lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever.”
Diane von Furstenberg: “Good bye and Rest in Peace, caro Giorgio! You have touched so many people with your elegance and will continue to inspire for ever.”
Demi Moore: “So deeply saddened to hear of the passing of a true legend, Giorgio Armani. I am beyond thankful for the time we spent working so closely together this past year on one-of-a-kind, Privé designs for Cannes, Golden Globes and Oscars. I am eternally grateful. We will miss you dearly Mr. Armani.”
Kim Cattrall: “Such a kind soft spoken man. I so wished I could have spoken Italian with him. A gentle man. Always welcoming. I was blessed to wear his creations and be in his company.”
Michelle Pfeiffer: “I am heartbroken to hear of Mr Armanis passing. Kind, generous and loyal. A true pioneer of elegance. A global inspiration. And today, a massive loss for all. Thank you for everything Mr. Armani, it was an honor and privilege to work with you on so many momentous occasions in my life and to witness your craft firsthand.”
Suzy Menkes: “Who could not admire the enthusiasm and commitment of Giorgio Armani right to the end? And also his commitment to re-develop each season the different elements of male, female and Armani’s vision of couture.”
Edward Enninful: “Deeply saddened by the news of a dear friend and fashion legend passing. Beyond being an incredible talent who invented a new way for us to dress – from power dressing to soft tailoring to his incomparable red carpet style – Mr Armani taught me the importance of entrepreneurship and community and believing in your own creativity. Since meeting in the 90’s, he always believed in me and gave me a seat at the table from day one; from styling his campaigns to his endless words of wisdom at each stage of my career, he always made me feel seen. My prayers are with his beautiful Armani family and the legion of friends he made along the way.”
Alexandra Shulman: “RIP the legend that is Giorgio Armani and I wouldn’t use that term about many. He never swam with the general tide and remained true to himself and his ideals in a remarkable way. There won’t be another fashion emperor like him.”
Main image: Giorgio Armani in 2003 with his timeless garments (Myung Jung Kim/PA)