“Giorgio Armani, iconic fashion designer, has died aged 91 (Picture: Metro / Getty) Legendary fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91, with tributes pouring in from stars of the fashion and film world alike. He served as the head of the eponymous brand, which reportedly generated $2.4billion in revenue last year”, — write: metro.co.uk
Giorgio Armani, iconic fashion designer, has died aged 91 (Picture: Metro / Getty) Legendary fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91, with tributes pouring in from stars of the fashion and film world alike.
He served as the head of the eponymous brand, which reportedly generated $2.4billion in revenue last year, and dressed some of the biggest names in the world, including Lady Gaga, Julia Roberts and George Clooney.
The news of his death was confirmed in a statement by the fashion house earlier today, and comes months after he was forced to miss his traditional bow during a show at Men’s Fashion Week in June.
‘With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,’ it read.
‘Il Signor Armani, as he was always respectfully and admiringly called by employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones.
‘Indefatigable to the end, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections, and the many ongoing and future projects.’
His funeral will be held privately, his family confirmed (Picture: WireImage) 
Giorgio has worked with some of the biggest names in fashion, including Naomi Campbell (Picture: Getty) ‘Over the years, Giorgio Armani has crafted a vision that expanded from fashion to every aspect of life, anticipating the times with extraordinary clarity and pragmatism,’ the message continued. ‘He has been driven by relentless curiosity and a deep attention to the present and to people.
‘Along this journey, he established an open dialogue with the public, becoming a beloved and respected figure for his ability to connect with everyone. Always mindful of the needs of the community, he has been active on many fronts, especially in support of his beloved Milan.
‘Giorgio Armani is a company with fifty years of history, built with emotion and patience. Giorgio Armani always made independence – of thought and action – his hallmark.
‘The company is, now and always, a reflection of this spirit. His family and employees will carry the Group forward in respect and continuity of these values.’
A separate message, from his employees and his family, added: ‘In this company, we have always felt like part of a family. Today, with deep emotion, we feel the void left by the one who founded and nurtured this family with vision, passion, and dedication.
‘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.’
A funeral chamber will be set up from 9am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday at Via Bergognone 59 in Milan.
His funeral will be held privately, ‘in accordance with his explicit wishes’.
Armani’s cause of death has yet to be confirmed.
In June, he sparked concern after he missed both the Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani shows at Men’s Fashion Week in Milan, with a spokesperson stating that he was ‘recovering at home’.
‘Mr. Armani has worked with his usual dedication on the collections that will be presented. Although he cannot be there in person, he will closely follow every phase of the shows,’ the message read at the time.
It marked the first time in his career that he had missed a runway event for his own brands, while Leo Dell’Orco took his place.
The Armani Group announced his passing with a touching statement (Picture: AFP) 
Tributes poured in for Giorgio on social media (Picture: Getty) According to AP, despite his absence, he kept a keen eye on the proceedings from home, and watched a live stream of the show while recovering from an ‘undisclosed condition’.
Tributes quickly flooded in on social media after the news broke, with Armani’s fellow fashion legend, Donatella Versace, leading condolences.
In a heartfelt post on Instagram, she said: ‘The world lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever.’
Roberts followed suit by posting a photo of herself and the late icon on Instagram, with the message: ‘A true friend. A Legend.’
Actor Diane Kruger described him as ‘one of the nicest people and mentors I was lucky enough to meet and work with’ in her tribute.
The former British Vogue editor Edward Enninful wrote: ‘Mr Armani taught me the importance of entrepreneurship and community and believing in your own creativity.
‘Since meeting in the 90s, he always believed in me and gave me a seat at the table from day one; from styling his campaigns to his endless words of wisdom at each stage of my career, he always made me feel seen.’
In a series of X posts, actor Russell Crowe wrote: ‘I adored him. He was so kind. So many significant moments in my life, awards, wedding, Wimbledon…all in Armani. What a life he had, from his beginnings to his glory.’
Meanwhile, Victoria Beckham wrote on Instagram: ‘The fashion world has lost a true legend in Giorgio Armani – a visionary designer whose legacy will live on forever.
‘I feel honoured to have called him a friend.’
Giorgio has been a staple of the fashion industry for years (Picture: Getty) Italian-born Armani boasted a career spanning decades and spawned several different lines – including Armani Privé, Emporio Armani and Armani Exchange.
However, he wasn’t planning for a career in fashion and initially studied medicine, before quitting school and joining the army.
His time in fashion began as a window dresser and shop worker at a department store in Milan in the 50s, and worked his way up to the menswear department.
The star began designing in the 60s while working at Nino Cerruti, and transitioned to start his own label in 1975, with Sergio Galeotti, which quickly became known for luxury in both men’s and women’s wear.
Armani’s career spanned five decades thanks largely to his reinvention of power dressing, which gained notoriety when he dressed Richard Gere in American Gigolo.
Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna and Glenn Close are just some of the other names who have raved about his designs over the years.
Giorgio was forced to miss his final bow for shows in June (Picture: AFP) Outside of fashion, he went on to launch fragrances and homeware, and he even dabbled in the hotel industry.
Unpacking his success in a candid interview with How to Spend It in 2017, Armani insisted: ‘I have never been interested in being trendy for the sake of it.
‘I have my own vision and ideas and am not afraid to go counter current. Fashion tides change constantly, after all. There are times when fashion drifts away from my aesthetic beliefs, and there are times when it gets close. I just don’t care.
‘80% of what I do is discipline … The rest is creativity.’
The star previously insisted that he has zero regrets about his career (Picture: Getty) Speaking to GQ in 2015, he added: ‘I always had a burning ambition to realize my potential. [40 years ago] fashion had only arrived at a certain point. I saw that I could express my vision in full. That I could be bigger than a designer. I could be more like a director – of taste, of lifestyle.
‘But I understood, too, that success like this requires total commitment, if it is going to take on a life of its own. I’m disappointed that many times I had to give up relationships for work.
‘In reality, though, I have no regrets. I did what I wanted. And I have learned along the way, while finding myself as an entrepreneur.
‘I don’t have a formula to pass on. I always did it my own way. Even today I hold my independence close. It’s what’s most precious to me. Passion. Risk. Tenacity. Consistency. This is my professional history.’
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