Farewell to Giorgio Armani: Fashion ‘King’ Dies at 91

Milan, September 4, 2025. “Il Sig. Armani, as he was always respectfully and admiringly called by employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones. Tireless until the end, he worked up to his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections, and the many ongoing and future projects.”

With these words, the press release announced the death of Giorgio Armani, highlighting his lifelong dedication to his work and his company.

Regarded as the greatest Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur, Armani founded Giorgio Armani S.p.A. in 1975, starting with the sale of his Volkswagen Beetle. Within just a few years he went from anonymity to the cover of Time Magazine (1982), becoming a global fashion icon. The company, which grew to employ over 8,000 people with revenues of €2.1 billion in 2019, today spans clothing, hotels, home furnishings, and even confectionery. Armani’s personal fortune was estimated at $11 billion.

His breakthrough came at the 1978 Academy Awards, when Diane Keaton wore an Armani jacket to receive the Best Actress Oscarbringing the brand for the first time to the world’s most famous red carpet. His global triumph followed with American Gigolo (1980), where Richard Gere wore Armani suits to perfection, offering an image that would define male elegance in the 1980s. From there, Armani established himself as a timeless icon of style, loyal to his own vision and beyond fleeting trends.

“Society changes and I change with it. I try to filter my ideas through everyday reality,” Armani remarked in Made in Milan, the 1990 documentary edited by Martin Scorsese. That same year he launched The Natural, his interpretation of the three-button suit: discreet elegance, ultra-soft natural fabrics, and relaxed, deconstructed silhouettes that contrasted sharply with the rigid fashion of the 1980s.

Reserved and disciplined, shaped by a difficult childhood in wartime Piacenza, Armani chose a sober and rigorous lifestyle. He continued to work until the very end, personally overseeing every collection.

The funeral will be held at the Armani Theater in Milan on September 6 and 7, open to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

cover image: Vittorio Zunino Celotto//Getty Images. Giorgio Armani con Nikki Vonsee, al termine della sfilata A/I 2019/20.