The World Today
Giorgio Armani: Farewell to a fashion icon
Giorgio Armani died this Thursday at the age of 91 at his Milan residence, the house that bears his name announced. His entourage confirmed that the designer passed away "surrounded by his loved ones," ending more than half a century of public presence in fashion.
In recent months, he was unable to attend the June shows due to an unspecified illness; the company attributed this absence to medical care and rest that limited his public activity.
Armani legacy and the transformation of Italian fashion
Armani changed the way men and women dressed by proposing less rigid silhouettes and an elegant minimalism that became emblematic of Italian modernity. His work dismantled traditional tailoring and brought luxurious details to everyday garments.
As a designer and CEO, he combined an aesthetic vision with business decisions that consolidated a group with a presence in apparel, perfumery, and hospitality; his control over communication and collections was a constant throughout his career.
Design and Tailoring: the creator's signature
The designer's signature lay in the garment's construction: clean lines, carefully crafted materials, and a sense of elegance without ostentation. This consistency allowed him to remain a fixture on red carpets and in executive offices for decades.
Those who worked with him also remember his attention to practical details: he intervened in imagery, runway shows, and even in minor aspects that others would consider trivial, but for him were part of the brand's identity.
Fashion Week and the planned tributes
The Armani house confirmed that a burial chamber will be set up in Milan next Saturday and Sunday, and that the burial will be private on a date reserved by the family. The brand's 50th anniversary, which coincided with Fashion Week, will be marked by tributes and commemorations of the designer.
Media and industry players anticipate homages on runways, exhibitions, and cultural venues; the firm, for its part, is coordinating the official protocol for these memorials. For information about its collections, visit /collections and for historical context, visit /armani-history.
An intense figure: work, remorse and control
In previous interviews, Armani acknowledged that his greatest regret was having dedicated more hours to work than to his personal life, a confession that undermines his public image of absolute discipline. For many, this dedication was the very force that built his creative empire.
Until the very end, he retained executive and creative roles, a trait that influenced both day-to-day management and decisions regarding succession and the group's continuity.
What's left now?
The challenge for the Armani Group will be to maintain aesthetic coherence without the daily pulse of its founder, although there are already management and creative teams prepared for this mission. The closing of this chapter opens the debate on how the houses navigate the post-foundation period and preserve the spirit that made them iconic.
