Giorgio Armani, the titan of Italian style who dressed Hollywood’s elite, has left us at the age of 91. His death on Thursday after a brief illness marks the end of a sartorial dynasty that defined elegance for half a century.
Deadline reported that Armani, founder of the luxury Armani brand, passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones, as his company announced, leaving behind a legacy of sophistication, a $10 billion empire, and a void in the fashion world.
Born in 1934 to a middle-class family in Piacenza, northern Italy, Armani’s journey began far from the runway. His family relocated to Milan in 1949, setting the stage for a remarkable ascent.
Initially eyeing a medical career after high school sciences in 1953, Armani’s path shifted due to mandatory military service.
He then found himself arranging displays at Milan’s La Rinascente department store, a humble start for a future icon.
It was there that he crossed paths with stylist Nino Cerruti, who saw potential and brought him into design. That mentorship sparked something extraordinary, proving talent can rise without needing a progressive agenda to prop it up.
By 1975, Armani partnered with Sergio Galeotti to launch the Armani fashion house, a brand that would become a byword for luxury and simplicity. Unlike today’s obsession with over-the-top trends, his vision was timeless restraint.
Armani’s influence stretched beyond fashion into Hollywood, starting with costumes for Richard Gere in the 1980 film “American Gigolo.” That project opened his eyes to the commercial power of star-studded collaborations. It wasn’t about pandering to celebrity culture; it was smart business.
He went on to design for 30 films, curating wardrobes for stars like Cate Blanchett in “Truth” and Jodie Foster in “Elysium.”
In 1988, he opened the Armani VIP dressing office in Los Angeles alongside a flagship store on Rodeo Drive, with Foster among his first clients.
Red carpet royalty like Julia Roberts, Jessica Chastain, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Sophia Loren all wore Armani, cementing his status. This wasn’t about chasing woke approval ratings—it was about craftsmanship speaking for itself.
The Armani Group, now worth over $10 billion, employs 10,500 people and runs 2,704 shops globally. With over a dozen brand lines spanning fashion, accessories, eyewear, watches, jewelry, home interiors, and fragrances, it’s a juggernaut built on hard work, not handouts or trendy virtue signaling.
“Giorgio Armani has always made independence, both in thought and action, his hallmark,” the Armani Group stated in their tribute. Independence—now there’s a value worth celebrating in an era where conformity often masquerades as progress.
Even in his final days, Armani remained dedicated, working on collections and projects, as his company noted: “Tireless, he worked until his final days.” That’s a work ethic too rare in a world obsessed with instant gratification over grit.
Armani never married nor had children, but his sister Rosanna, nieces Silvana and Roberta, nephew Andrea Camerana, and creative partner Pantaleo “Leo” Dell’Orco are poised to guide the Armani Group forward, though succession plans remain undisclosed.
His family and employees will carry on, as the company vowed, “respecting and maintaining these values.” Let’s hope they preserve his legacy of independence over bowing to modern cultural pressures.