Giorgio Armani, the legendary Italian fashion designer who built one of the world’s most influential luxury empires, died last Thursday at the age of 91, his company said.

“With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,” the fashion house said in a statement.

Armani’s empire was multifaceted, encompassing Giorgio Armani and Emporio Armani, the haute couture line Armani Privé and Armani Casa, his design and interiors business.

Dubbed “Re Giorgio” — or King Giorgio — he became an icon of Italian elegance, revolutionizing wardrobes for both men and women by replacing stiff tailoring with a softer, more flowing style.

He had missed his most recent three presentations in June and July owing to sickness, but was expected to join the brand’s 50th anniversary celebrations later this month, which included a monumental exhibition at Milan’s Pinacoteca di Brera museum. As the sole stakeholder of Giorgio Armani SpA, he famously refused numerous proposals to sell to the luxury conglomerates, stating that “an essential value” of his brand was independence. 

When Armani debuted his first show in 1975, he redefined dressing with his softer silhouettes, earning him the nickname “King of the Blazer.” His long-line jackets, pleated trousers, belted coats and muted shades of grey and beige created a look that embodied understated luxury long before the term “quiet luxury” became popular.

His influence extended to Hollywood. While previous couturiers were frequently associated with a single muse — think Givenchy and Hepburn — Armani dressed many. Diane Keaton first wore Armani to the Oscars in 1978. Julia Roberts’ huge steel-grey Armani suit at the 1990 Golden Globes is still legendary, while Jodie Foster has worn the name to practically every ceremony since 1989.

Born in Piacenza in 1934, Armani initially pursued Medicine before leaving university, joining the army, and eventually moving into fashion. “I got into fashion almost by accident and then it slowly grew in me until it completely absorbed me, stealing my life away,” he once admitted.

He began as a window dresser and sales associate at Milan’s La Rinascente department store before becoming a menswear designer for Nino Cerruti. In 1975, at the age of 41, he founded his own label with the help of his partner Sergio Galeotti, who convinced him to sell his Volkswagen Beetle to fund the venture. 

Armani designed, Galeotti managed — until Galeotti died in 1995, at which point Armani carried on alone. By 2021, Armani-branded companies had earned £3.5 billion in revenue, expanding beyond fashion to include hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, cosmetics, chocolates and floristry.

Following Thursday’s news, tributes flooded in. 

“The world lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever,” wrote Donatella Versace. 

Ferrari Formula One driver Charles Leclerc, who had fronted an Armani campaign, shared: “A great honor to have had the chance to meet and work with such an amazing person. 

“You will be missed Giorgio,” Julia Roberts also posted: “A true friend. A legend.”