Giorgio Armani, King of Elegance, Billionaire dies at 91

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Giorgio Armani, the legendary Italian fashion designer whose name became synonymous with understated elegance and revolutionized global style, passed away today at the age of 91.

The Armani Group announced that Armani died peacefully at his home in Milan, surrounded by loved ones, describing him as the “creator, founder, and tireless driving force” of the iconic fashion house.

Born on July 11, 1934, in Piacenza, Italy, Armani transformed the fashion industry with his innovative approach to design, introducing relaxed, unstructured tailoring that redefined power dressing in the 1970s and 1980s.

His signature soft silhouettes, muted colour palettes, and meticulous attention to detail made him a household name, earning him the affectionate moniker “Re Giorgio” (King Giorgio) in his native Italy.

Armani’s influence extended far beyond clothing, encompassing beauty, fragrances, luxury hotels, and even sports, with his empire generating over €2.3 billion ($2.7 billion) annually at the time of his death.

Armani’s career began unexpectedly. Initially pursuing medicine at the University of Milan, he left to join the army and later worked as a window dresser at La Rinascente, a Milan department store.

In the 1960s, he honed his craft under Nino Cerruti before founding Giorgio Armani S.p.A. in 1975 with his partner, Sergio Galeotti.

The duo sold their Volkswagen Beetle to fund the venture, a bold move that birthed an empire. Armani’s breakthrough came with his menswear collections, which softened traditional suits, and his womenswear followed suit, empowering women with fluid, professional attire.

His designs gained global fame through Hollywood, notably in the 1980 film American Gigolo, where Richard Gere’s wardrobe introduced Armani’s aesthetic to mainstream audiences.

The designer’s impact on red-carpet fashion was profound. Stars like Diane Keaton, who wore Armani to the 1978 Academy Awards, and Julia Roberts, whose 1990 Golden Globes suit became iconic, cemented his status as a pioneer of celebrity style.

Armani’s strategic gifting of clothes to A-listers, a novel practice at the time, set a precedent for modern fashion marketing. His work also graced films like The Untouchables and The Wolf of Wall Street, blending cinematic and sartorial artistry.

Despite his global success, Armani remained fiercely independent, rejecting merger offers from luxury conglomerates like LVMH and Kering.

He established the Giorgio Armani Foundation in 2016 to ensure his company’s longevity, with his sister Rosanna, nieces, nephew, and collaborator Leo Dell’Orco named as heirs in a detailed succession plan.

Armani’s health had been declining, and he missed Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week in June 2025 for the first time, watching his show via livestream while recovering from an undisclosed condition.

His final public appearance was on May 21, 2025.

The fashion world now mourns a titan, with tributes pouring in from peers like Donatella Versace, who called him a “giant” whose legacy will endure, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who praised his “elegance, sobriety, and creativity” as a symbol of Italy’s finest.