Giorgio Armani, a towering figure in Italian culture and global fashion, has died at the age of 91. Born in Piacenza on 11 July 1934, he passed away today at his home in Milan. One of the world’s most influential designers, Armani built a privately held empire that generated around €2.3 billion in revenue in 2024, and he remained the company’s sole shareholder until his death.
Armani launched his eponymous label in 1975 (womenswear followed in 1976) and went on to redefine modern tailoring. His hallmark was soft, unstructured suiting—natural shoulders, light canvassing, fluid lines—and a restrained palette of greys and beiges (“greige”) that projected effortless elegance. He also pioneered a confident, androgynous silhouette for women, bringing relaxed, masculine-inspired tailoring into the mainstream.
Over five decades he expanded into a full lifestyle universe: Emporio Armani (1981) and Armani Exchange (1991); Armani Privé haute couture; fragrances such as Acqua di Giò and Sì; beauty, eyewear, watches, leather goods, Armani/Casa homeware, and even Armani Hotels in Dubai and Milan. His work became a fixture on the red carpet and in cinema—most famously the sleek wardrobe for American Gigolo (1980)—cementing his status as the designer who made Italian minimalism a global ideal.
Armani’s legacy is an unmistakable aesthetic: quiet, impeccably cut, and deceptively simple clothes that changed how the world dresses—from boardrooms to film premieres.
Newsroom
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