Farewell to Giorgio Armani, revolutionary entrepreneur and designer

Giorgio Armani, fashion designer and entrepreneur, one of the most famous names in Italian fashion around the world, has passed away at the age of 91. Exactly 50 years ago he had founded Giorgio Armani, a company that today represents one of the giants of Italian fashion in the world with revenues of 2.3 billion euros and activities in the fashion, restaurant and hotel sectors. A few days ago he also took over the historic Capannina di Forte dei Marmi.

Mr Armani', who was born in Piacenza in 1934 and blew out 91 candles on 11 July, had experienced a complicated summer in terms of health. So much so that, for the first time in the history of his long career, he had not attended the men's fashion shows in Milan or the Giorgio Armani Privé collection in Paris, causing some concern but slavishly continuing to work behind the scenes. Until the end: 'He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones. Tireless, he worked until his last days, dedicating himself to the company, to the collections, to the various and ever new projects in existence and in the making,' reads a note from the company. 'Over the years, Giorgio Armani created a vision that extended from fashion to every aspect of life, anticipating the times with extraordinary lucidity and concreteness. He has been guided by an inexhaustible curiosity, attention to the present and to people. Along this path he created an open dialogue with the public, becoming a beloved and respected figure for his ability to communicate with everyone'.

The career of Armani, the king of Italian fashion, had begun at La Rinascente in Milan where, after leaving his medical studies, the young Armani had started working as a window dresser (and still remained a careful appraiser, perhaps something more, of the fittings of his boutiques around the world). In 1965 Nino Cerruti had noticed him and wanted him to redesign the packaging of his company, Hitman. After seven years with Cerruti, Armani, together with Sergio Galeotti, a partner and companion who died in the mid-eighties, founded Giorgio Armani, starting a success story that would change Italian fashion forever and, in general, the way of dressing both women (with suits with masculine cuts) and men (with an elegance that was never taken for granted, but new cuts and volumes).

The company was a big family to him and, in fact, in the note released to announce his death, the employees' condolences are united with those of his family: 'In this company we have always felt part of a family. Today, with deep emotion, we feel the void left by the man who founded this family and made it grow with vision, passion and dedication. But it is in his spirit that together, we employees and family members who have always worked alongside Mr Armani, are committed to protecting what he built and to carrying on his company in his memory, with respect, responsibility and love".

The company has announced that the funeral chamber will be set up from Saturday 6 September and will be open until Sunday 7 September, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Armani/Teatro in Via Bergognone 59, Milan. Due to Mr Armani's express wish, the funeral will be held privately.