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Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91, his company confirmed on Thursday.
"With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani," the company said in a statement.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that he died "surrounded by his loved ones."
Armani defined the look of the 1980s and continued shaping global style for decades. Vogue described him as the most successful Italian designer and entrepreneur of his generation.
He founded his company in 1975 after selling his Volkswagen Beetle and kept full ownership as it grew into hotels, homewares, and other ventures. By 1982, he appeared on the cover of Time magazine and became a global name.
His early career included work at La Rinascente and under Nino Cerruti before launching his own label with architect Sergio Galeotti. Breakthrough moments came when Diane Keaton wore his design at the 1978 Oscars and Richard Gere appeared in "American Gigolo" in 1980.
The launches of Emporio Armani and Armani Jeans soon widened his reach in the United States and beyond.
Giorgio Armani was regarded as the leading figure of modern Italian fashion. His designs defined understated elegance and influenced global style for decades.
Known as "Re Giorgio" (King Giorgio), he was admired not only for his collections but also for his strict involvement in every aspect of his business, from advertising campaigns to last-minute adjustments backstage.
The company reported annual revenues of around €2.3 billion ($2.7 billion) under his leadership. Armani balanced creative innovation with business acumen, making his brand one of the most recognizable in the world.
The designer had been unwell in recent months. In June, he missed his group’s shows at Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week for the first time in his career.
The Armani Group confirmed that a funeral chamber will be set up at Teatro Armani in Milan on Saturday and Sunday.
Visiting hours will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The company added that a private funeral will follow at a later date.
Reuters also noted that Armani had been unwell for some time and missed Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week in June for the first time in his career.
Giorgio Armani Beauty, founded in 2000, became a global player in cosmetics through a partnership with L’Oréal.
While the beauty brand is promoted as a symbol of elegance and innovation, it is also listed by BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions)-aligned groups for its ties to L’Oreal.
Activist networks describe L’Oreal as a “warm friend of Israel” and highlight the company’s investments and operations in occupied Palestine.
Platforms such as COSH frame Armani Beauty within broader campaigns that call on consumers to consider links between fashion, cosmetics, and the Israeli occupation.
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