Giorgio Armani, Architect of Quiet Luxury, Dies at 91

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Giorgio Armani smiling and walking on a runway with an applauding audience in the background.
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Summary:

  • Giorgio Armani, the iconic designer known for his quiet elegance, passed away at 91 in Milan, where a public viewing will be held.

  • Armani’s legacy of reshaping fashion with practical, elegant designs and a sense of quiet confidence will endure long after his passing.

  • Tributes poured in from Milan to Hollywood, honoring Armani’s immense talent, distinctly Italian elegance, and lasting impact on global style.

Giorgio Armani, the designer who taught the world that elegance could be quiet, died Thursday in Milan at 91. The Armani Group confirmed his passing, saying he worked until his final days, “indefatigable to the end.”

A public viewing will be held at the Armani Theater this weekend, where he unveiled so many runway collections. His funeral will be private, in keeping with his lifelong preference for restraint.

The man who changed the suit

Armani was born in Piacenza in 1934, briefly studied medicine, and stumbled into fashion through a job as a shop window dresser. In 1975, he and partner Sergio Galeotti sold their Volkswagen to launch a menswear label. Within a decade, his softly tailored suits became shorthand for ambition, independence, and power.

Hollywood cemented his reputation. Richard Gere’s wardrobe in American Gigolo became a cultural reset, introducing Armani to U.S. audiences. Soon, his name was etched into Oscar history, with Anne Hathaway, Sean Penn, and Julia Roberts all turning to him for the biggest nights of their careers.

From the “power suit” to Prive couture gowns, Armani’s fashion vision defined late 20th-century style. But his reach extended far beyond the runway. His privately held empire, valued at more than $10 billion, spans beauty, fragrances, furniture, restaurants, hotels, and even basketball through his team Olimpia Milano.

Unlike many Italian fashion houses, Armani never sold to conglomerates. “Re Giorgio” — King George — kept the business in his hands, preparing a family-led succession to longtime collaborator Leo Dell’Orco and niece Silvana Armani.

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Tributes from Milan to Hollywood

Tributes poured in Thursday as news spread. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni remembered him for “elegance, sobriety and creativity.” Donatella Versace called him “a giant.” Ralph Lauren wrote that Armani lived with “great humility and a love of living that inspired the way he worked and the way he lived.”

Valentino praised his “immense talent,” Prada called him a maestro, and Bernard Arnault lauded his distinctly Italian elegance. Celebrities who wore him on red carpets — from Michelle Pfeiffer to Brad Pitt — flooded social media with gratitude.

A legacy built to last

Armani once said: “I design for real people. There is no virtue whatsoever in creating clothes that are not practical.” That philosophy reshaped wardrobes worldwide, bringing fluid tailoring, neutral palettes, and a sense of quiet confidence that still defines modern dress codes.

For half a century, Armani didn’t just sell clothes. He built a global language of style — one that will endure long after his final show.

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