An Italian name that will forever captivate the imagination. Giorgio Armani, the renowned fashion designer, has died on September 4, 2025, at the age of 91.
At the helm of the Armani Group, his empire encompassed clothing brands, perfume, cosmetics, restaurants, hotels, and of course furniture and even flowers…
Côté fashion, Armani est l’homme qui a habillé Richard Gere dans le film American Gigolo (1980). Il a aussi dessiné des uniformes pour l’Armée de l’Air italienne.
Giorgio Armani and the Cinema
During his long career, the Milan-born designer also crafted the pastel wardrobe for the television series “Miami Vice”.
In film, he designed costumes for more than 100 movies. Among the most memorable are The Untouchables, Batman: The Dark Knight, or Pulp Fiction.
He launched his brand in 1975 with his friend Sergio Galeotti (who was his partner). At its founding, the company had a capital of $10,000 USD. By 2019, the group employed 7,309 people and posted revenue of €5.9 billion.
On a personal level, Giorgio Armani, who led his company alone since the death of his partner in 1985, is one of the wealthiest men on the planet.
With an estimated net worth of $11 billion, the designer was regarded as the third-richest person in Italy in 2024.
A global fashion icon, the famed couturier had announced in an exclusive interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Sunday, October 13, 2024, that he planned to retire. He said he would like to appoint a successor within one to two years, as he told our colleagues.
Legacy
In 2017, he explained on Italian television, on Rai, that he would want “someone younger, fresh” to succeed him. And he admitted he wasn’t sure he would pick an Italian. Indeed, he explained on the channel, “Remember that in the 70s and 80s, fashion designers were French and those were the ones we followed.”
As for personal succession, he was clearer. “I have several heirs” he asserted. He cited his two nieces—Roberta and Silvana—who both work within the group. But also a nephew, Andrea Camarana on the company’s board. A development to watch, indeed.
