Giorgio Armani, an Italian fashion designer and pioneer in the world of celebrity fashion, has died in Milan, Italy, the Armani Group announced. He was 91.
Armani's death follows the designer's absence from his brand's show during Men's Fashion Week in Milan, marking the first time he was not present to take a bow at the end of the presentation. The company said at the time that Armani was "recovering at home," but his condition was not elaborated on.
Armani was born July 11, 1934. He studied medicine and served in the Italian military before getting a job as a window dresser at the Milan's La Rinascente department store, which marked his entry into the world of fashion.
He later became a buyer at La Rinascente, and was hired by designer Nino Cerruti to design menswear in 1964.
Armani met architect Sergio Galeotti while working for Cerruti, and the pair became romantic and business partners. They co-founded the Giorgio Armani brand in 1975.The brand's first collection was stocked at Barney's New York in 1976, which was then followed by a womenswear collection. Armani became synonymous with luxury and status after one of the brand's suits was sported by Richard Gere in the 1980 film American Gigolo.
In the ensuing years, Armani designed red carpet looks for celebrities including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sophia Loren, Jodie Foster, Sean Connery and Tina Turner.
The designer would later create spin-off brands including diffusion line, Emporio Armani, Armani Jeans, Armani Exchange, Giorgio Armani Parfums and Cosmetics and home interiors brand Armani/Casa. He opened the Armani Hotel Dubai inside the Burj Khalifa in 2010, and the following year opened an Armani complex encompassing an entire block of downtown Milan the following year.
It was not yet clear who would take Armani's place as the head of the Armani Group.
"Today, with deep emotion, we feel the void left by the one who founded and nurtured this family with vision, passion, and dedication," the Armani Group's statement reads. "But it is precisely in 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."
Armani's funeral will be held Saturday. The ceremony will be private, in accordance with the designer's wishes.
