The fashion world says goodbye to Giorgio Armani – the legend of world fashion: what is known about him
6 September 01:19
The fashion world is saying goodbye to one of its most influential figures – Giorgio Armani, Italian designer and founder of the Armani fashion house, has died at the age of 91. This was announced by the Armani Group on its official Instagram page, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our founder, inspiration and driving force, Giorgio Armani. Mr. Armani passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family,” the statement reads.
The company added that the designer remained active until his last days, continuing to manage projects and work on new collections.
Farewell ceremony
The public farewell to Giorgio Armani will take place in Milan on September 6 and 7 from 9:00 to 18:00.
The funeral itself will be held in a closed family circle.
Giorgio Armani: the designer who changed the way we think about fashion
In 1975, Giorgio Armani presented his first men’s clothing collection. This show was the starting point in the history of the Armani brand, which later grew into a global fashion house with revenues of $2.4 billion by the end of 2024, according to the Armani Group’s financial report.
From the very beginning, Armani built the brand on a combination of creativity and competent management. A year after the launch of the men’s line, in 1976, the first collection of women’s clothing appeared, where the designer managed to combine the sophistication of silhouettes with business restraint, which became his signature style.
Subsequently, the brand has significantly expanded its activities: today Armani is not only clothing, footwear or accessories. The company also produces cosmetics, furniture, interior items, and is developing the hospitality, floristry, and confectionery industries.
Influence of pop culture
Armani’s popularity was especially boosted by its participation in movies. In 1980, the movie American Gigolo starring Richard Gere became a breakthrough for the brand, as the actor was completely dressed in Armani clothes.
“It was a sensation. Everyone wanted to know what exactly Gere was wearing,” the designer recalled in a commentary for The Economist in 2017.
This appearance made the brand an icon of contemporary style and strengthened Armani’s position as a world-class couturier.
Loss of a partner and full control over the business
In 1985, Giorgio Armani lost his close friend and business partner Sergio Galeotti, who was the chairman of the brand’s board. After his death, Armani personally took over the management of the company.
Until recently, the designer owned 99.9% of the fashion house’s shares, Forbes reports. The remaining 0.01% belongs to the Giorgio Armani Foundation, established in 2016. The foundation’s goal is to ensure the stability of the company’s management in the future, and the brand itself should be inherited by the Armani family.
Between 1990 and 1995, the brand experienced rapid growth. However, Armani himself admitted that the pressure was getting stronger with each step.
“I could no longer take risks like I used to, and I could not afford not to sell. My design became a commercial responsibility,” Vogue quoted the fashion designer as saying.
During this period, the company was actively expanding – new lines appeared: from sleepwear to cosmetics and perfumes.
In the 2000s, the brand went beyond the traditional fashion industry. Armani launched a chain of luxury hotels in partnership with Emaar Properties, and in 2008 acquired the Milan-based basketball club Olympia, making the brand part of the sports world.
First among equals: Armani’s innovative solutions
Giorgio Armani not only created fashion, he also set the direction of its development. In 2007, he became the first designer to broadcast a collection show online – the presentation took place in Paris, which was a breakthrough in digital fashion.
In February 2020, Armani was one of the first to cancel a fashion show due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The collection was presented online – even before it became the new norm in the industry.
A gesture of support for Ukraine
In 2022, after the outbreak of a full-scale war in Ukraine, Armani held a show in complete silence – without music – to express solidarity with Ukrainians.
“It was our way of saying: we are with you,” the designer later said in a commentary to the European media.
“An entire era”: Ukrainian designers about Giorgio Armani and his legacy
After the news of Giorgio Armani’s death, the fashion community around the world expresses its respect and gratitude to the man who redefined the concepts of style, elegance and comfort. In Ukraine, people also remember the mark the Italian designer left on the world fashion.
“Giorgio Armani’s death is a loss not only for fashion, but also for the entire style culture,” says Andreas Moskin, co-founder and creative director of Andreas Moskin.
According to him, Armani managed to do what only a few people can do – create a whole world where comfort and elegance became equivalent.
“He was an example of how a designer can become a whole era,” Moskin adds.
“He shaped the image of a modern woman.”
“I remember most of all how the brand’s suits in the 1980s influenced the image of a business woman,” recalls Yulia Yarmolyuk, founder and designer of the J’amemme brand.
In her opinion, Giorgio Armani showed that strength in fashion can be soft, restrained and without aggression.
“Armani proved that the true path in fashion has no age limits – he created his own brand after the age of 40,” emphasizes Yarmolyuk.
“A canon that will remain forever”
“Armani is Italian chic that is timeless,” says Lilia Litkovskaya, designer and owner of the Litkovskaya brand.
She notes that Armani’s influence extends over decades, and even after his death, the brand will remain a benchmark of restraint, precision and classics in world fashion.
