Who headed the Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani and what will happen to the designer’s empire
16 October 18:10
The Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani has officially announced that Giuseppe Marsocchi, who previously served as the brand’s chief commercial officer, has become the company’s new CEO, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The decision was made after the death of the founder, the legendary designer Giorgio Armani, who passed away in September 2025 at the age of 91.
The company said that Marsocchi immediately took up his duties to ensure continuity of work and the implementation of the business strategy laid down by the founder.
Who is Giuseppe Marsocchi?
Marsocci is one of Giorgio Armani’s closest advisors.
He has been working for the company for over 20 years and was responsible for the development of international sales and the formation of the brand’s commercial policy.
Bloomberg analysts note that his appointment indicates an attempt to maintain the continuity and management style inherent in Armani himself – restraint, control and independence from large corporations.
Why it matters
Armani remains the last major independent Italian brand that is not owned by any fashion conglomerate such as LVMH or Kering.
However, according to the founder’s will, the company must either sell some shares to a strategic partner or go public in the coming years.
This means that the era of Armani’s complete autonomy may be coming to an end.
What is the company’s current situation?
Last year, the brand’s sales fell by 5% to 2.3 billion euros.
The reasons are the decline in demand in China, economic uncertainty in Europe, and a cooling of interest in the premium segment after the pandemic.
The luxury goods market as a whole is going through a difficult period: even LVMH, the industry leader, has lost its position as the largest company in Europe by capitalization.
What will happen next
Experts expect Giuseppe Marsocchi to focus on:
- finding an investor or preparing for an IPO, in accordance with Giorgio Armani’s will;
- updating the product line and digitalizing sales;
- preserving the brand’s image as a symbol of Italian elegance and independent luxury.
In his will, Armani himself emphasized that the brand should “live by the same principles of beauty, discipline and modesty” that he professed throughout his life.
Giorgio Armani is one of the most influential fashion designers of the XX-XXI centuries.
He created his own brand in 1975, revolutionizing men’s suiting by replacing hard silhouettes with soft lines and neutral shades that became synonymous with “Italian chic”.
His clients included Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, and Leonardo DiCaprio, and the Armani name became a global status symbol.
