Legendary Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91, his company announced on Thursday.
According to La Repubblica, the clothier died at his home on September 4 after months of convalescence following a secret hospital stay.
“With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,” the fashion house said in a statement.
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“Il Signor Armani, as he was always respectfully and admiringly called by employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones,” the Armani Group added.
He had been unwell for some time and was forced to drop out of his group’s shows at Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week in June, the first time in his career that he had missed one of his own catwalk events.
At the time, the company said he was “currently recovering at home,” without specifying his condition.
Known in Italy as “Re Giorgio” (King Giorgio) Armani was famed for his meticulous attention to detail, overseeing everything from the cut of his jackets to the placement of advertising campaigns. He often checked models’ hair himself before they stepped onto the runway.
Armani’s business generated some $2.7 billion in annual revenues. His minimalist elegance transformed global fashion, making his name one of the most recognized in the world.
Born in 1934 in the northern Italian town of Piacenza, he did not initially set out for a career designing clothes. After studying medicine and serving in the military, he began working in 1957 as a window dresser at Milan’s historic La Rinascente department store – a move that would start his lifelong association with Italy’s fashion capital.
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Armani’s long list of honors included being named a Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2021, one of the nation’s highest distinctions. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and in 2002 was appointed a goodwill ambassador for the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.