Italian fashion legend Giorgio Armani, whose name became synonymous with elegance, innovation, and timeless style, has died at the age of 91.
Armani, who launched his label in 1975, transformed the fashion world with his sleek, understated tailoring that redefined both men’s and women’s suits. Over the decades, his empire expanded beyond clothing into beauty, fragrance, luxury hotels, music, and even sports, generating more than £2 billion annually.
In a statement, the Armani brand said the designer “worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections and the many ongoing future projects.”
The company added that he was “indefatigable to the end” and “driven by relentless curiosity and a deep attention to the present and to people.”
Armani was a pioneer of red-carpet fashion, dressing global stars such as Zendaya, Julia Roberts, and Cate Blanchett, while also designing iconic costumes for films including American Gigolo and The Wolf of Wall Street.
He was equally known for setting industry standards, becoming the first major designer to ban underweight models from the runway after the death of Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston in 2006.
Fashion critic Alexander Fury once wrote of him: “He put women into a uniform of suits just as radical as Chanel’s… By contrast, he relaxed menswear, deconstructing traditional tailoring in a manner that has affected how just about every suit in the world is made.”
Even in his later years, Armani remained deeply active, presenting new collections and, in March 2025, declaring that he “wanted to imagine new harmony” through fashion.
Tributes have poured in from across the globe. Vogue’s Laura Ingham described him as a “true gentleman” and a “titan of the industry,” adding, “If you don’t know anything about fashion, you’ll still know Giorgio Armani… his legacy is woven not only into fashions past and present but will continue to shape its future for generations to come.”
Born in 1934, Armani initially studied medicine before entering fashion in the 1960s with his late partner Sergio Galeotti.
He was honored with France’s Legion of Honour and Italy’s Order of Merit for Labour during his lifetime. Beyond fashion, he was a devoted supporter of Inter Milan and owned the basketball club Olimpia Milano.
