Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91, the company confirmed on Thursday.

“With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,” the fashion house said in a statement, adding that he “passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones.”

For 50 years, Giorgio Armani defined Milanese style with an authority few can rival. Once a window dresser, he forged his own path to become a self-made visionary, building a global multi-billion-dollar empire that extends not only across fashion but also fragrance, beauty, interiors, hospitality, and dining. His stripped-down, softly structured tailoring rewrote the rules of power dressing in the 1980s, and he famously pioneered relationships with Hollywood’s A-listers before his contemporaries, dressing the stars while becoming one himself. Armani’s profound influence over men’s and women’s clothing eventually earned him the nickname “Re Giorgio,” or “King Giorgio.”

“In this company, we have always felt like part of a family,” read a statement from Armani’s employees and family. “Today, with deep emotion, we feel the void left by the one who founded and nurtured this family with vision, passion, and dedication. But it is precisely his spirit that we, the employees and the family members who have always worked alongside Mr. Armani, commit to protecting what he built and to carrying his company forward in his memory, with respect, responsibility, and love.”

A funeral chamber will be set up from Saturday, September 6, to Sunday, September 7, at Via Bergognone inside the Armani/Teatro, which will be open from 9 a.m. CEST to 6 p.m. CEST. The funeral will be held privately.