Giorgio Armani, the billionaire Italian designer who built one of the world’s most influential fashion houses and established the “Made in Italy” label as a global standard of quality, has died at the age of 91.
His company confirmed that he died on Thursday at his home. Armani had missed June’s runway shows while recovering from an undisclosed illness, according to the Associated Press.
A former medical student, Armani entered fashion in the 1970s and launched his eponymous brand in 1975. Over the following decades, he transformed it into a diversified empire spanning ready-to-wear, haute couture, accessories, cosmetics, and homeware.
Armani’s unstructured jackets became a hallmark of his style, redefining menswear and setting trends that dominated global fashion for decades.
His Milan-based company, Giorgio Armani SpA, expanded into jeans, shirts, shoes, sunglasses, and lifestyle products, becoming a benchmark of modern luxury.
Unlike many competitors absorbed during waves of consolidation in the luxury sector, Armani maintained firm control of his company.
Investment bankers repeatedly approached him with acquisition proposals, but no transaction ever materialised.
His commitment to independence made the Armani brand one of the few major fashion houses not owned by a global conglomerate.
Armani appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1982 under the headline “Giorgio’s Gorgeous Style.”
Celebrities including Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, and Beyoncé Knowles regularly wore his designs on red carpets, especially at the Academy Awards, further cementing the brand’s cultural significance.
In a 2006 interview with CNN, Armani said: “I believe that my clothes can give people a better image of themselves — that it can increase their feelings of confidence and happiness.”
Armani Group reported revenue of €2.5 billion ($2.7 billion) in 2023 through its labels including Emporio Armani and Armani Exchange.
Armani’s personal net worth stood at about $9 billion as of June 20, 2025, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, placing him among Italy’s wealthiest individuals.
His death raises questions about the future of Giorgio Armani SpA, which has no publicly announced succession plan.
Industry observers will closely watch how the brand preserves its independence and identity in a luxury market dominated by large multinational groups.