Legendary fashion designer Giorgio Armani, hailed as the pioneer of red-carpet celebrity dressing, has passed away at the age of 91. The iconic Italian designer died peacefully at his home on Thursday, surrounded by his loved ones. In a statement, his fashion house announced his death "with infinite sorrow."
"Il Signor Armani, as he was always respectfully and admiringly called by employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones," the Armani Group confirmed in a statement on Thursday morning. "Indefatigable to the end, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections, and the many ongoing and future projects," the statement further added.
Death of a Legend
Armani's death comes just weeks before a milestone 50th-anniversary celebration, which had been scheduled for Milan Fashion Week. Born in 1934 in Piacenza, Italy, Armani aimed for a career in medicine before joining the army in his early twenties.
His first brush with the fashion world came in 1957, working as a window dresser at the Milan department store La Rinascente.
During the 1960s, he designed menswear for Nino Cerruti and freelanced for several other fashion houses before launching his own label in 1975, offering both menswear and womenswear collections.
From there, Armani soon expanded his brand, introducing swimwear, underwear, and accessories, followed by fragrances, Armani Jeans, and Emporio Armani in the early 1980s. Around the same time, he made his mark in Hollywood, designing costumes for films including the 1980 classic American Gigolo.
He also opened a boutique on Beverly Hills' famed Rodeo Drive, enlisting LA reporter Wanda McDaniel to connect with VIPs.
In 1978, Diane Keaton made fashion history as the first Hollywood star to wear Armani on the red carpet, accepting her Best Actress Oscar for Annie Hall in an oversized beige Armani blazer that perfectly matched her character's style.
Several actresses, used to wearing gowns provided by movie studios for major events, were initially hesitant to take a chance on the up-and-coming designer. Michelle Pfeiffer, for instance, famously responded to Armani's offer with, "I can dress myself, and who is Giorgio Armani?"
Pfeiffer eventually embraced Armani's designs, and by the 1990 Academy Awards, he dressed her along with four other style icons — Julia Roberts, Jodie Foster, Jessica Lange, and Jessica Tandy. The event was so popular that Women's Wear Daily dubbed it the "Armani Awards."
Industry Mourns Death
While competitors like Valentino and Versace began their own red-carpet efforts, Armani continued to make headlines. In 1991, Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford got married wearing his designs, and the next year, Jodie Foster won an Academy Award for "The Silence of the Lambs" in a shimmering pale suit by Armani — a look that would set the tone for nearly every Oscars appearance she made thereafter.
In 2005, the year Armani's label marked its 30th anniversary, he took his focus on celebrity fashion even further with the launch of Armani Privé, a couture collection. "It's a serious financial investment, but also a logical, pragmatic move: ultra special dresses like these are aimed directly at the Hollywood market he's had a handle on for years," Sarah Mower wrote in her Vogue review of the show.
"According to Armani executives, stylists for Academy Awards nominees have already been jamming the phone lines in anticipation of the show."
While fashion trends often come and go, a select group of A-list actresses — including Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman, and Jodie Foster — have remained consistently loyal to Armani, and it's easy to understand why.
Tributes poured in on Thursday from leaders in fashion and government, highlighting how "King Giorgio" shaped Italian elegance for generations. Donatella Versace called him a historic giant, while Italy's prime minister praised him as a national standard-bearer.
The company announced that mourners would have the opportunity to pay their respects in the coming days at Armani/Teatro in Milan, the venue he opened in 2001 as a permanent showcase for his work.
Employees and family released a heartfelt statement, saying: "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. But it is precisely in his spirit that we, the employees and the family members who have always worked alongside Mr. Armani, commit to protecting what he built and to carrying his company forward in his memory, with respect, responsibility, and love."
Armani remained at the helm of his brand until the very end, serving as creative director, CEO, and sole shareholder.
