Giorgio Armani, reactions to the death of the 'king' of Italian fashion

The Milan mayor Beppe Sala has proclaimed city mourning for Monday 8 September, the day of the funeral of the fashion designer who had chosen Milan as his city of choice and had built his empire here, also investing in sport and culture: "Milan will miss his creative outlook, his active participation and his support for the life of our city," said the first citizen. Piacenza, Armani's hometown, has also proclaimed national mourning.

The Mayor of the Capital, Roberto Gualtieri, wished to remember the designer and entrepreneur: "With the passing of Giorgio Armani, Italy and the entire world lose one of the greatest interpreters of contemporary fashion and elegance who was able to transform our creativity into a universal language, recognised and loved everywhere. Rome joins in the condolences for his passing and pays tribute to a master who knew how to tell the story of our country through beauty, sobriety and refinement".

Elly Schlein, secretary of the Democratic Party, wished to pay tribute to Armani, describing him as a 'revolutionary designer and great entrepreneur who, with his creations, was able to anticipate and interpret the times, never ceasing to innovate and becoming a source of inspiration for all those who approach the world of fashion'.

There is no shortage of reactions from the world of industry in which Giorgio Armani has been a major player, one of the first to understand how a lifestyle 'extension' of the traditional idea of fashion could have increased the value of his brand in the world (and, consequently, of Italian-made goods). And one of the few not to give in to the lure of foreign capital: he has always maintained 100% ownership of the company, counting on strategic partnerships with international groups such as Luxottica for eyewear, L'Oréal for cosmetics, Emaar for real estate and development in the Emirates.

This is how the president of Confindustria Emanuele Orsini remembered him: 'Today Italy loses a symbol. Giorgio Armani was not only a great fashion designer, but an entrepreneur who with vision and courage transformed a dream into a global enterprise, taking our country around the world with unique elegance," wrote Orsini, entrusting his condolences to social media. He added: "On behalf of Confindustria, I express my closeness to his family and all his collaborators. His legacy will continue to inspire companies, workers and new generations'. The president of Confindustria Moda, Luca Sburlati, combined his condolences with the wish "that the new generations of entrepreneurs will continue to care about Italy with the same passion and dedication that he showed over all these years".

John Elkann, chairman of Ferrari and Stellantis, described him as a 'great entrepreneur, a symbol of timeless elegance and beauty, but also 'a sensitive and refined man of culture, and for me above all a teacher and a friend'. Pirelli's executive vice-chairman, Marco Tronchetti Provera, remembered him as 'a gentleman loved by everyone who, with his creativity, genius and lifestyle, was an exceptional ambassador of our culture and beauty throughout the world'.

Also saying he was 'deeply saddened by Giorgio Armani's passing' was Bernard Arnault, president and CEO of the world's largest luxury group, Lvmh: 'He created a unique style, combining light and shade, which he transformed into a great and successful business path, bringing Italian elegance to a global scale. He was also a true friend and admirer of France'.

Francesco Milleri, president and CEO of EssilorLuxottica recalled that Armani 'shared with Leonardo del Vecchio an extraordinary passion for excellence, quality and innovation' and called his long collaboration with him 'a privilege'.

Matteo Zoppas, entrepreneur president of Ice, spoke of 'humility and discretion leave a moral legacy to those who every day can choose simplicity even in luxury. Ambassador of principles, entrepreneurship and Italian success".

The mourning was inevitably joined by the world of sport, another great interest (and then also business) of Armani. "We greet Giorgio Armani with profound gratitude, a refined, passionate expression at the highest level of the creative genius of Italian fashion and entrepreneurship, which he helped to establish in the world with resourcefulness, skill and style, unique in their own right," said the Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi.

The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) has announced that the flags will be flown at half-mast at Palazzo H for three days, while he will be remembered on the football pitch tomorrow, 5 September, before the start of the match between Italy and Estonia in Bergamo. 'Giorgio Armani's passing is a great loss for Italy,' said FIGC president Gabriele Gravina upon hearing the news of his death. 'His enlightening and passionate contribution in the field of fashion, as well as in that of sport, represents a true national pride. With his art and deep dedication to his work, he embodied the inspiration to improve day after day, always striving for excellence, which for him represented a splendid obsession'.

Giorgio Armani has always collaborated with the Italian national teams and designed their uniforms: those of the Azzurri in football and, since 2012, the uniforms of the national teams at the Olympics. He has also designed the uniforms for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics. In football he also worked with a number of clubs (Chelsea, for example, and most recently Juventus), but it was in basketball that he made his greatest contribution: in 2008 he took over and relaunched Olimpia Milano Basket. 'The passing of Giorgio Armani represents a very serious loss for all of Italian basketball. His far-sightedness, first with his sponsorship and then with the subsequent acquisition of Olimpia Milano, has represented over the years an extraordinary boost for our basketball movement, helping to increase its image, popularity and diffusion throughout the country. Our deep gratitude goes to him for the passion and commitment he has always reserved for his team, guiding it with vision and determination to a return among the greats of Italian and European basketball,' said Lega Basket Lba President Umberto Gandini.

The fashion world, which is gearing up for an eventful month of September (including Milan Fashion Week, which Armani helped found and during which Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani fashion shows were scheduled), remembered the designer with great emotion and admiration. "Giorgio Armani has shaped contemporary fashion by redefining its boundaries and creating a lifestyle concept that is recognised and admired throughout the world, also affirming Made in Italy as a synonym for excellence," wrote Carlo Capasa, president of the Italian National Chamber of Fashion. "He has supported young designers, cultural events in the city of Milan and around the world, and the blending of artistic expressions.

Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti recalled him with admiration: "We have known him for more than 50 years - from mare moda in Capri, where we paraded together, to many fashion moments in common... We can only bow to his immense talent, the changes he brought to our work, and above all his constant loyalty to one style, his own,

Remo Ruffini, ad of Moncler, said that since he was a boy he looked up to him as a 'model, a guide. He was the symbol of what I dreamed of, the reference point for anyone who loved this world. In him was what makes a person great: the discipline, the vision, the strength of someone who never succumbed to the fashions of the moment but led and inspired a timeless authentic style'. Echoing him was Donatella Versace, sister and heir of Gianni Versace who, in the 1980s and until his death in 1997, was perceived as Armani's main rival: "The world has lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever,' the designer wrote in a post on Instagram.

Brunello Cucinelli, who at the time of the announcement was in Penne, Abruzzo, for the inauguration of a new factory, wished to celebrate King Giorgio with a minute's silence. Gildo Zegna, president and CEO of the Zegna Group, instead wished to thank "once again the master Giorgio Armani for having inspired us, for having given us his unmistakable interpretation of beauty and for having spread the culture of Made in Italy around the world. I will forever be infinitely grateful to him". Renzo Rosso, chairman of Otb, on the other hand, recalled his meetings with Armani: "With him I have always had intelligent, interesting conversations, a stimulating confrontation. His positivity and the love he had for everything he touched and knew how to create were extraordinary. It was beautiful what came from the depths of his soul, from his way of thinking. He is a great icon who will be sorely missed in our world, but because of everything he built he will remain immortal. And that is perhaps what is most beautiful about him: his immortality.

Among Armani's passions was also the cinema: King Giorgio dressed Richard Gere in 'American Gigolo' (a global breakthrough for the actor) redefining the male look with his unmistakable style. And he designed the costumes for 'Goodfellas'. Martin Scorsese directed a documentary on Armani, which was presented in Venice in 1990. The link between the designer and the Biennale has been very strong ever since, so much so that only a few days ago (on 30 August) the company organised an event at the Venice Film Festival, of which Armani beauty has also been the main sponsor for eight editions. For five years, however, there has been the Audience Award - Armani beauty dedicated to the best film in the Orizzonti Extra section, which is now called Venezia Spotlight. The organisers' condolences were joined by many actors, Italian and otherwise. Sophia Loren said she had lost "a brother", while Julia Roberts called him "a true friend, a legend".