Fashion designer Giorgio Armani passed away on Thursday, September 4, at the age of 91, as confirmed in a statement from the Armani Group, the fashion company founded by the Italian designer.
In the statement, Armani’s team said that “ll Signor Armani, as he was always respectfully and admiringly called by employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones, after working until his last days.”
Armani will go down in history as a fashion legend: a tireless worker, uncompromising aesthete, and founder of a multimillion-dollar brand built on clear principles of timeless elegance, an androgynous style, and subtle Eastern influences.
He was the first Italian designer to conquer modern-day Hollywood, dressing its stars and creating unforgettable images — from Richard Gere in American Gigolo, where in the 1980s he demonstrated that his unstructured jackets could be sexier than underwear, to George Clooney in elegant tuxedos on any red carpet, and the iconic movie The Untouchables by Elliott Ness.
“In this company, we have always felt like part of a family. Today, with deep emotion, we feel the void left by the one who founded and nurtured this family with vision, passion, and dedication.”
With this statement, his employees and family paid tribute to the designer and entrepreneur who founded a firm with 50 years of history — one that has been fundamental in shaping the style and evolution of Italian and global fashion over the past half century.
Main Image: Giorgio Armani, Courtesy Armani Group