04/09/2025
The Man, Armani
Fashion legend and designer/founder of the eponymous Italian fashion brand Giorgio Armani, has passed. The luminary who recently clocked 91 on July 11, peacefully died today (September 4) surrounded by his loved ones, as announced by his company.
As a tribute to a man who pursued a career he was very much invested in from his youth till date, we are taking you through his life and works.
Armani was born on July 11, 1934, in Piacenza, Italy. He attended Liceo Scientifico Giammaria Dagnino in Piacenza, Italy and studied medicine at the University of Milan but did not complete his degree. He joined the Italian Army and later worked as a window dresser and designer at various Milanese department stores and boutiques, eventually developing his skills and style in the fashion industry.
In 1975, and at the age of 41, he founded Giorgio Armani S.p.A. with his business partner, Sergio Galeotti. His business later branched out into beauty, fragrance, music, sport, and luxury hotels.
With a career that spanned over five decades, he left an indelible mark on the fashion industry. Best known for his minimalist and deconstructed designs that transformed masculine and feminine elegance, Armani revolutionized fashion with his soft jackets and unstructured suits in the 1970, collaborated with Gruppo Finanzario Tessile (GFT) to produce luxury ready-to-wear clothing, designed costumes for over 100 films, including "American Gi**lo", "The Untouchables", "The Bodyguard", etc, and created iconic outfits for a lot of celebrities. He was credited with pioneering red-carpet fashion and was the first luxury designer to accept the Green Carpet Challenge for sustainable fashion.
The fashion icon was known to be private about his personal life but revealed in an interview that he had relationships with both men and women. He had a long-standing relationship with Sergio Galeotti, who empowered him to pursue his fashion career. After Galeotti's passing in 1985, Armani credited him as a significant influence on his life and career.
Giorgio Armani leaves behind his company valued at over $12.1 billion, along with a legacy of elegance and sophistication in the fashion world. He left his company to his family members - his sister Rosanna Armani, his nieces Silvana Armani and Roberta Armani, his nephew Andrea Camerana, and trusted collaborators - Pantaleo "Leo" Dell'Orco, longtime creative director and right-hand man, leading design efforts.
The Giorgio Armani Foundation will also play a significant role in overseeing the company and ensuring its legacy. The foundation holds a token stake in the company and will safeguard its culture and independence. Armani's carefully planned succession ensures the brand's continuity and stability, with his family and trusted executives committed to protecting his vision.
Featured photo credit: Julien De Rosa/AFP via Getty Images