Italian fashion legend Giorgio Armani, one of the most influential designers of the modern era, has died at the age of 91, the Armani Group confirmed. The company announced his passing “with infinite sorrow,” saying the designer, respectfully referred to as Il Signor Armani by colleagues, died peacefully surrounded by loved ones. Employees and family described him as the heart of a creative family, vowing to carry forward his vision, passion, and dedication. His death comes shortly before celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Armani brand, scheduled during Milan Fashion Week later this September.

Armani had remained CEO and creative director of his empire until his final days, personally overseeing everything from advertising campaigns to the smallest details on the runway. He had recently been absent from Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week for the first time in his career, with the company citing recovery at home. Known as Re Giorgio - King Giorgio - Armani combined business acumen with a relentless design philosophy, building a global empire valued at more than €10 billion, spanning clothing, accessories, cosmetics, perfumes, home furnishings, hotels, and restaurants.

Born on July 11, 1934, in Piacenza, Italy, Armani originally studied medicine before a stint in the military led him to take a job as a window dresser at Milan’s La Rinascente department store. There, he began his lifelong association with fashion, eventually becoming a buyer. In 1964, designer Nino Cerruti hired him to create menswear, where Armani developed his interest in soft, unstructured tailoring that became his signature. It was during this period that he met Sergio Galeotti, his life partner and eventual business partner, who encouraged him to launch his own label.

In 1975, after selling their Volkswagen for seed money, Armani and Galeotti founded the Giorgio Armani brand. Their first menswear line quickly attracted attention abroad, with Barneys New York promoting Armani in the US as early as 1976. A womenswear line followed, bringing a bold androgynous edge that challenged traditional gendered fashion. Armani later recalled, “I was the first to soften the image of men, and harden the image of women.” His sleek jackets and understated tailoring soon reached Hollywood, cemented by Richard Gere’s Armani-clad role in American Gigolo (1980). From then on, Armani dominated red carpets, dressing stars like Sophia Loren, Jodie Foster, Sean Connery, and Tina Turner, while competing with the flamboyant Gianni Versace in defining 1980s Italian style.

Galeotti’s death in 1985 left Armani as sole shareholder of the company. Over the following decades, he expanded his empire with lines such as Emporio Armani, Armani Jeans, Armani Exchange, and Armani/Casa. He also moved into lifestyle ventures, opening the Armani Hotel in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa in 2010 and a vast Armani complex in Milan that combined luxury retail with dining, nightlife, and hospitality. By then, Armani had become a global symbol of refined Italian style, his work characterized by muted palettes, precise tailoring, and timeless silhouettes that outlasted passing trends.

Armani’s reach extended beyond fashion into sports. A lifelong basketball enthusiast, he acquired Olimpia Milano in 2008, Italy’s most decorated basketball team, and later designed the Italian Olympic team’s uniforms for London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020. His EA7 sportswear line, inspired by footballer Andriy Shevchenko, became a global success. Armani also made his mark on cinema, with his wardrobe credits appearing in over 200 films and his name immortalized with a star on Rodeo Drive’s Walk of Style in 2003.

Throughout his career, Armani became synonymous with effortless elegance, his designs transforming both Hollywood glamour and business attire. His power suits defined the image of the modern professional woman in the 1980s, while his tuxedos and evening gowns became fixtures on the Oscars red carpet. Stars from Cate Blanchett to George Clooney and Anne Hathaway continued to champion his style decades later. A Guggenheim retrospective in 2000 celebrated Armani’s first 25 years in fashion, underlining his influence on how the world approached clothing and design.

Despite his immense success, Armani remained intensely private. He described himself as a workaholic, later admitting that his greatest regret was spending “too many hours working and not enough time with friends and family.” Yet his personal aesthetic - silver hair, tanned skin, jeans, and a navy t-shirt - became as iconic as his fashion. His homes and spaces were minimalist, always reflecting his devotion to clarity and precision.

Armani’s philanthropic efforts included fighting AIDS and supporting refugees; in 2002, he was named a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. His contribution to Italian culture was recognized with one of the nation’s highest honors, the Grand Officer of the Order of Merit, in 2021. Though he had no children, Armani was close to his niece Roberta, who played a key role in his company’s public relations and maintained ties with the celebrity world. She helped organize events such as the star-studded 2006 wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, where Armani designed both bride and groom’s outfits.

At the time of his death, Armani left behind an empire employing more than 9,000 people worldwide, with seven industrial hubs and over 600 stores. His enduring influence lies not only in the luxury he built, but also in his philosophy of “designing for real people” - clothes that were elegant yet wearable, practical yet aspirational. His timeless vision continues to resonate in fashion, business, and culture, ensuring that the name Giorgio Armani remains a benchmark of Italian style long after his passing.