Runway Magazine

25/09/2025

22/09/2025

15/09/2025

Giorgio Armani Will – A Legacy Written With Precision. Story by Eleonora de Gray, Editor-in-Chief of RUNWAY MAGAZINE: https://runwaymagazines.com/giorgio-armani-will-a-legacy-written-with-precision/

When Giorgio Armani passed away at 91, he left behind more than a fashion house. He left behind a structure. In an industry where succession is too often improvised, Armani prepared his legacy as carefully as he prepared a jacket — with discipline, order, and intent.

Armani built his empire differently from most. He resisted the overtures of conglomerates, protected independence, and retained total control of his company until the very end. But he was never naïve about the future. He knew that once he was gone, independence would become fragile. And so he drafted a clear roadmap — not just for his family, but for the industry.

The details are precise. His heirs must sell 15% of the company within 18 months. Within three to five years, another 30% to 54.9% must follow. Priority buyers are not random: LVMH, L’Oréal, EssilorLuxottica. Corporations with scale, with long-term discipline, and with an understanding of heritage. If no buyer is suitable, an IPO is the alternative.

Yet the most important clause is not about selling. It is about permanence. The Fondazione Giorgio Armani, created in 2016, will never hold less than 30%. That guarantee makes the foundation not just a shareholder, but the guardian of Armani’s values. Whatever happens on the market, Armani’s core principles cannot be diluted below that threshold.

Where some houses fractured after the death of their founders, Armani leaves no confusion. The will is a framework. The foundation is a safeguard. The family and Dell’Orco remain active, supported by structure. It is not a drama. It is management.

Giorgio Armani planned his exit with the same precision he brought to design. No improvisation. No disorder. Just a clear path forward. His greatest creation may not be a garment, but the way he ensured his house will survive him — intact, protected, and ready to evolve.