Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91.
The pioneering fashion designer rose to fame dressing some of the world’s most famous faces in his luxury suits and gowns.
His passing was confirmed by a spokesperson for his Italian fashion house.
“With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,” the fashion house said in a statement.
A funeral chamber will be set up in Milan on Saturday and Sunday, the fashion house confirmed.
This will be followed by a private ceremony to take place on an unspecified date.
The pioneering fashion designer rose to fame dressing some of the world’s most famous faces in his luxury suits and gowns.
His passing was confirmed by a spokesperson for his Italian fashion house.
“With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,” the fashion house said in a statement.
A funeral chamber will be set up in Milan on Saturday and Sunday, the fashion house confirmed.
This will be followed by a private ceremony to take place on an unspecified date.
The pioneering fashion designer rose to fame dressing some of the world’s most famous faces in his luxury suits and gowns.
His passing was confirmed by a spokesperson for his Italian fashion house.
“With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,” the fashion house said in a statement.
A funeral chamber will be set up in Milan on Saturday and Sunday, the fashion house confirmed.
This will be followed by a private ceremony to take place on an unspecified date.
The Italian grew his fashion empire over the course of his 50-year fashion reign, considering himself a creative director, CEO and sole shareholder of Armani until his death.
Mr Armani regularly mixed business with pleasure, garnering a close knit group of celebrity friends, including Richard Gere, Donatella Versace and Renée Zellweger.
He became a name synonymous with chic, modern Italian style and built his empire over decades, turning over in excess of £2 billion a year.
Julia Roberts and Giorgio Armani with George Clooney and Sarah Larson arriving at the Costume Institute Gala held at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. Picture: Alamy
Known for its diverse collections, Armani became known as go-to name in the luxury sector, producing handcrafted, haute couture Academy Awards gowns under the brand Armani Privé, as well as relaxed suiting and even denim.
A regular highlight of Milan Fashion Week, the designer forged a unique path, pairing Italian ready-to-wear style with a luxury edge.
Giorgio Armani Men’s Fall 2024 collection saw the designer make a runway appearance. Picture: Getty
Rising to fame in the late 1970s, the designer’s signature ‘Armani suit’ rode a wave of popularity – later adapting its design for women and triggering the era of the 80s ‘power suit’.
Expanding his empire, Armani became known for his range of beauty products, hotels, homeware collections and even chocolates.
The designer even went on to own his own basketball team, EA7 Armani Milan.
More recently, Armani failed to appear at his June runway shows – a signature move by the designer.
His house confirmed at the time that he was continuing to recover from an unknown illness.
