Legendary fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who transformed global fashion with his signature unstructured tailoring, has died at the age of 91, his fashion house confirmed on Thursday. Armani passed away at his residence, the company said in a statement. The designer, often hailed as the pioneer of modern Italian ready-to-wear, had been recuperating from an undisclosed illness and was notably absent from his runway shows in June.
Armani’s fashion house confirmed that a funeral chamber will be open in Milan on Saturday and Sunday for the public to pay their respects, with a private funeral to follow at a later date. His passing marks the end of an era in international fashion.
Giorgio Armani was the embodiment of modern Italian style and elegance. Balancing creativity with sharp business sense, he built an empire generating €2.3 billion annually. Ill health had recently forced him to miss Milan Men’s Fashion Week in June, his first absence in decades of shows.
Nicknamed “Re Giorgio” (King Giorgio), Armani was celebrated for his perfectionism, personally overseeing every element of his collections, from advertising campaigns to models’ final touches before stepping on the runway. His meticulous approach defined a fashion empire that reshaped global style.
